>> On a scale of 1 to 10, how big of a priority is
advising to you personally?
1 to 10, 1 being major priority,
10, least of your worries.
>> I think I would give it about a 5.
I think it's about in the middle.
Because, I mean, there's some people,
they really need to be advised, I think.
They don't really know
what they want to do.
Like, they're undeclared, and they don't
really know what they're interested in,
and they don't know
which classes they should take.
But then, for the people that already
have their majors declared,
and they know what classes
they have to take,
I don't see any point for them
having to go to their advisor
unless they feel that they need to.
>> So it's kind of an in between for you?
>> Yeah.
That's how I feel.
>> Anybody the same, or is there someone
that sees it as really important?
>> I don't see it as a 1, as really important.
Perhaps a 3.
Because with what I want to do,
it's not a clear-structured major.
You know, it's not just like I'm going
into an accounting and want to do that.
International business is a real
open field right now,
and it's not as if I want to work
with the business aspect.
I would rather work with more, like,
a liaison-type aspect of the job.
And so it's very open, and so I need
someone who can really tell me
what classes will benefit me the most.
So it is important to me.
>> It's more like a 3 to you?
>> Mm-hmm.
>> What about you?
>> I'd say probably about a 5, because I've never
really met with an advisor to make use of them,
but they have sent me papers in the mail
saying I need this class
and this class and this class.
So I guess, in that way,
they are advising me.
And that's been very useful,
because that way I know how to get my time
allotted for this class and that class.
So, right down the middle, in the fact
that they are helping me,
but not directly by going
and speaking with them.
>> any other improvements or ideas
that would help the advisors?
I think back to your hassles.
You generally just said that you didn't feel
like they had enough, so maybe just adding more?
>> Yeah, just adding more advisors.
And, I mean, you know,
they don't seem to care that much.
Try to get them to become more
involved with their students,
everybody they're advising,
and, you know, just --
>> Get them more involved.
>> Yeah.
>> Maybe more -- would that kind of go
along the lines of them
being more of a counselor, or -- >> Yeah.
An advisor, basically, to me, it seems like
they should be pretty well a counselor, too,
because -- >>
It's the same.
It's one and one for you.
>> Yes.
>> I agree with that, because a lot of times
when you go to see them for advice on your classes
or whatnot, it's quite often probably
because you have a problem or something,
and you're looking
for more than just, "Okay.
Drop this class.
Take that one."
You're kind of like, "How can
I deal with this situation?"
And you're looking for a little bit
more than just what's on the surface.
>> As far as an improvement here at SMS,
we do have to have them sign the signatures
when you're a freshman and sophomore.
But I think if they just cut that out,
and if they implemented a program
where they assigned you a counselor
and you had to go see them
within your first semester at least once,
to get to know them
and to get everything done,
and that way you felt comfortable with it,
and you got to know them a little better,
that might be something that's good.
And it sounds like a hassle for students
to have to go in, make an appointment, do that.
But I think we'd all realize that it would not
be a hassle, that it would really help us out.