A Study of Undergraduate Students’ Perception about Academic Advising in an Indonesian University

The aim of the research was to explore undergraduate students’ perceptions about academic advising in an Indonesian university by measuring aspects of academic advising, involving the nature of advising relationship, the frequency of activities occurring during advising sessions, and students’ satisfaction with academic advising. The research applied quantitative research conducted by administering a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 302 undergraduate students who were asked to respond about the type of academic advising they perceived, topics discussed between advisor and student during academic advising sessions, and their satisfaction with academic advising in the university. The results show that the undergraduate students at an Indonesian university perceive their academic advising as ‘developmental advising’ rather than ‘prescriptive advising’. Undergraduate students perceive that the advisors not only focus on academic performance but also students’ holistic development. Most students are satisfied with the academic advising they have experienced. The topics most frequently discussed are related to the registration and course selection, while the topics most rarely discussed are related to institutional policies. In general, 72,85% of students satisfy with the academic advising they have experienced.

Predicting 4-Year Graduation: Using Social Cognitive Career Theory to Model the Impact of Prescriptive Advising, Unit Load, and Students’ Self-Efficacy

In this study, we investigated how environmental, cognitive, and demographic variables influenced students’ ability to graduate from a 4-year university in 4 years. Specifically, we examined how behaviors related to social cognitive career theory (i.e., self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and academic goals) were influenced by contextual experiences related to prescriptive academic advising to ultimately predict students’ ability to graduate in 4 years. After holding students’ demographic characteristics constant, results from structural regression analyses indicated that prescriptive advising had a direct effect on students’ 4-year graduation rates. In addition, prescriptive advising had indirect effects on students’ 4-year graduation rates through its impact on students’ self-efficacy and the serial path involving students’ self-efficacy and their academic goals. Our results suggest that if institutions want to ensure they maximize 4-year graduation rates, helping students understand that it is possible to graduate in 4 years is critical.

Critical Building Blocks: Mandatory Prerequisite Registration Systems and Student Success

Many colleges and universities require prerequisites prior to enrollment in introductory composition courses; however, enforcement of prerequisites is not consistent across institutions. In this study, we examine the impact of an automated, mandatory prerequisite enforcement system on students and advisors at a public comprehensive university. Results indicate that prerequisite systems are positively associated with student outcomes including improved GPAs and retention rates; furthermore, while functioning similarly to prescriptive advising, prerequisite systems can also facilitate developmental advising relationships between students and academic advisors.

Preferences for Academic Advising Styles

This psychometric study was designed to test the feasibility of measuring college students' preferences for developmental and prescriptive advising styles as separate constructs. Part 5 of the Academic Advising Inventory (Winston & Sandor, 1984b) was revised into two independent scales, one for measuring preferences for developmental advising and the other for measuring preferences for prescriptive advising. Results suggest that the two scales have a reasonable item structure, and the internal consistency reliability is reported to be modest. Of greater theoretical importance, the two scales are found to be largely independent. The practical implications of this independence are discussed relative to future applications and research.

First-Year Student Perceptions of Academic Advisement: A Qualitative Study and Reality Check

Researchers on student preferences for academic advising style suggest that students prefer developmental advising but experience prescriptive advising. However, data regarding first-year students are absent from these studies, thus limiting the conclusions. Therefore, I describe first-year students and their expectations and experiences with academic advisement. Students in the study preferred prescriptive advising and described their advising experience as primarily prescriptive. Further examination of first-year students' advising preferences and consideration of effective advising as a developmental process, rather than a static philosophy of either developmental or prescriptive advising, is indicated.

A Comparison of Intrusive and Prescriptive Advising of Psychology Majors at an Urban Comprehensive University

To investigate whether intrusive advising is effective for nontraditional students at an urban comprehensive university, we compared it with prescriptive advising in a 3-year trial of randomly selected psychology undergraduates (N = 126). We hypothesized that advisees in the intrusive track would feel more satisfied, more connected to the department, and be more academically successful than those in the prescriptive track. Secondary questions concerned the relationship of advising preferences and demographic characteristics. Students receiving intrusive advising reported greater satisfaction with advising, felt more connected to the department, but were not more academically successful than those in the prescriptive track.

Advising College Students in the 21st Century

At the beginning of the new millennium professional advisors are challenged to examine the theory and delivery of services to students. Professional advisors must adapt to changes in institutional and student needs and take full advantage of available resources. This article suggests that effective advising practices can be found on a continuum from prescriptive advising, developmental advising, and counseling. Technological tools of positive intervention with students, such as Web sites, listservs, and E-mail, are related while knowledge of developmental theories and the use of narrative, knowledge of defense mechanisms, and reframing are discussed in detail.

Differences in Traditional and Nontraditional Students' Preferences for Advising Services and Perceptions of Services Received

When traditional students' perceptions of advising were compared to those of nontraditional students, the traditional students placed more value on developmental advising. Overall, traditional students were less satisfied with both the developmental and the prescriptive advising that they had received. However, both groups reported discrepancies between the developmental advising they wanted and what they were receiving.

STUDENT PRIORITIES FOR ACADEMIC ADVISING

Student priority ratings for personal developmental advising activities are compared with instructive prescriptive advising activities. Results indicate that students prefer prescriptive advising activities to developmental advising activities. However, review of the ratings for each advising activity reveals that students prefer a combination of these two advising roles, and it further suggests that there are limits to the degree f personal involvement desired. While student ratings do support the dual role of advising, i.e., offering academic guidance within an individualized/personal relationship, advisors who are attracted to the developmental model of advising are cautioned to consider carefully how much personal counseling a student may desire. Suggestions for further research are also offered to determine which students prefer which type of advising relationship at what point in their academic development.