Michael Frawley | Leadership Insights | November 2026
It’s that time of year again. Students are meeting with advisors, planning schedules, and figuring out what courses they need for the next semester. Across college campuses, advisors are answering questions, checking degree plans, and helping students navigate the registration process.
And that’s important work. But I’ve always believed academic advising should be about much more than helping a student pick their next five classes.
When a student sits down with an advisor, we’re being given an opportunity to learn something about that student. Not just what courses they’ve completed or how many credits they still need, but what they’re hoping to accomplish, what challenges they’re facing, and whether they feel like they belong at the institution.
Those conversations matter.
A student might come in asking about a course schedule, but during that conversation we might discover they’re struggling financially, having trouble connecting with other students, or wondering whether college is really the right place for them. Sometimes they don’t even realize there’s someone on campus who can help.
That’s where I believe good advising can make a real difference.
The Advisor as a Connection to Campus
We often talk about student success as something that happens across an entire institution. Academic departments, student affairs, financial aid, career services, tutoring, and countless other offices all have a role to play.
But from a student’s perspective, those distinctions don’t always mean much.
Students don’t necessarily know which office handles which problem. They just know they need help.
Advisors are uniquely positioned to help students navigate those connections. They often develop relationships with students over multiple semesters, and that familiarity creates opportunities for conversations that might never happen elsewhere.
An advisor doesn’t have to solve every problem. In fact, they shouldn’t be expected to.
But they should know enough about the institution to help students find the people and resources that can make a difference.
That means thinking of advising not simply as an academic function, but as one of the important connections between students and the broader university community.
Meeting Students Where They Are
One of the things my team and I talk about frequently is the importance of meeting students where they are.
That means recognizing that students don’t all arrive with the same experiences, expectations, or challenges. Some know exactly where they’re headed. Others are still figuring it out. Many are balancing school with jobs, families, and responsibilities that don’t disappear when the semester begins.
Good advising recognizes those differences.
It also requires us to listen.
Sometimes the most valuable part of an advising appointment isn’t the schedule we build. It’s the conversation that happens along the way.
I’ve seen how small changes in the way we approach students can make a difference. Even something as simple as taking advising out of an office and bringing it to students where they already are can create opportunities for connection.
Those interactions remind us that student success isn’t always about launching another large initiative. Sometimes it’s about making the support we already provide more accessible, personal, and meaningful.
A Different Way to Think About Advising
None of this means that academic planning isn’t important. Students need accurate information, clear degree pathways, and thoughtful guidance to make progress toward graduation.
But we shouldn’t confuse completing an advising checklist with having a successful advising conversation.
The real question isn’t simply whether a student registered for the right courses.
It’s whether that student left the conversation feeling more confident about their path forward, more connected to the institution, and better prepared for whatever comes next.
That’s the kind of advising I believe we should be working toward.
Because ultimately, advising isn’t just about getting students into their next five classes.
It’s about helping them get to where they want to be.