Student advisors do not give academic advice. Assignment of Advisees Pre-Major Advising Mismatching Advisor and Student Interests. In consultation with departments, the college assigns incoming freshmen to faculty advisors, although individual faculty may request particular advisees in whom they are interested. When possible, the college matches students academic interests with those of their advisors. Mismatching has advantages because new students initial interest in a major is tentative at best.
Some students change their intended major between application to college and matriculation.
Approximately half of our students change majors at least once during their first year or two in college. Any faculty advisor in any department should be able to do this both for advisees who have no interest in their subject and for advisees intending to major in their subject. Special Concerns of New Students Cornell attracts students who have exceptional academic ability and a history of outstanding success in high school. They can all succeed here and most do. Nonetheless, freshmen go through many adjustments.