Students are more likely to value the information and follow the advice given to them when they recognize the faculty advisor's genuine interest and concern. To be truly effective, you should be able to go beyond routine course scheduling to help students achieve their academic and career goals. This section is intended to help you understand the importance of your interactions with advisees and to suggest ways to improve relationship building and communication with students. It may be helpful to distinguish the types of questions and their purposes. Try to use open-ended questions to encourage students to talk rather than closed questions that can be answered in a few words.
Closed questions can shut down communication.
One very important aspect of successful academic advising is providing the student with personalized attention. The most important element in effective advising is good listening skills. Attempt to word all of your comments toward the understanding of the student's needs. The first meeting with a student should focus on getting to know the student and discussing your role as an advisor. Some students will talk freely and readily provide the information when asked to tell a little about themselves.