what would be the most "exciting" to you?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by philosophicalme, Aug 12, 2006.

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  1. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Can I ask what a typical day is like as a student advisor?

    Academic advising is very simple -- students come to me during registration, and I help them look at what their overall degree requirements are and which courses they can take that will help fulfill them, taking things like time of day into account. I also evaluate transcripts from transfer students to determine what credit we can give them.

    I've also taken an interest in some of our academic policies, and have had a few changed. One was acceptance of nationally accredited transfer credit (which we used to blanket reject but now will consider). One was the list of countries students from which must submit a TOEFL score. One was the list of foreign transcript evaluators whose evaluations we'll accept (there were only two, so I suggested expanding it to include AACRAO and all NACES members).

    I'm also the primary designated school official for international student advising, which is a totally different role, and involves helping foreign students fill out the right paperwork, advising them on what the rules are for them and how to observe them, and entering reporting information into a federal database through the web.

    Do you provide career counseling, too?

    Not formally, as there's another department for that. However, I do ask students what their goals are, because I often find they're in programs that won't help them reach them. (For example, many students say they want to start a business, but aren't in an entrepreneurship program.)

    I've done everything for students from helping them decide what their career goals should be to helping them find cheap airfare. You never know what they'll ask. :)

    -=Steve=-
     
    SteveFoerster, Aug 15, 2006
    #21
  2. JLV

    JLV Active Member

    Steve, that's a nice job. Especially for foreign students (I was one in the States) having a friendly person whom to confide to or to ask for help in those silly matters you mention was very important because the confusion is often colossal. And I am from a very similar country to America. Imagine those students coming from Asia or Africa, what a terrible cultural shock it must be.

    In my time, the International Student Advisor signed our I-20s if we had to leave the country and provided both academic and personal advising. That was basically *all*. Poor lady, I even told her about my girlfriends and things like that. It was more like a personal relationship. She had to put up also with many students who basically didn’t speak English. What a chaos it was heroffice. Probably you find that a lot too. I have great memories of my advisor in America. I guess that since 9/11 that atmosphere has changed, and the schools and students are obliged to comply with a series of more stringent instructions from the government. Pity.

    Anyway, all I wanted to say is that you got a very nice job.
     
    JLV, Aug 16, 2006
    #22
  3. spmoran

    spmoran Member

    If I could anything I wanted, I would take Samantha Brown's job on the Travel Channel. I'd drag out whatever "perky" I have in me and travel the world staying in cool hotels. Good eats, massages, all the other stuff. She must have done something very right in her last life.
     
    spmoran, Aug 18, 2006
    #23
  4. thinkPhD

    thinkPhD New Member

    Good discussion......

    I would like to be a writer. I love to read and writing is a natural outgrowth of that. A long time ago, a teacher-friend told me that everyone has a book "inside" themselves...but only some people have the ability to let others see and read that book. Those people are called "authors." ;)

    Cindy
     
    thinkPhD, Aug 21, 2006
    #24
  5. thinkPhD

    thinkPhD New Member

    Good discussion......

    I would like to be a writer. I love to read and writing is a natural outgrowth of that. A long time ago, a teacher-friend told me that everyone has a book "inside" themselves...but only some people have the ability to let others see and read that book. Those people are called "authors." ;)

    Cindy
     
    thinkPhD, Aug 21, 2006
    #25
  6. Dave C.

    Dave C. New Member

    Rhonda,

    Just me, but I would find something which involved travel. It's like a drug. Working in the oilfield has allowed me to travel to over 30 countries and I couldn't go back to a job where I was stuck in one place.

    I guess you need to think about what you enjoy doing in your free time, and try and find a job which facilitates that.

    All the best,

    Dave C.
     
    Dave C., Aug 22, 2006
    #26
  7. Pugman

    Pugman New Member

    Rhonda,

    For what it's worth, this is the same question I asked myself years ago (and a great question to ask oneself IMO).

    My uncle gave me the following advice: Do what you love and the money will follow.

    This led me down a 'scenic road' teaching English in Taiwan, Actuarial Science, Computers (anyone remember building ZX-81s?), and real estate.

    ...and oddly enough, my uncle was right - the money did follow. But it wasn't because I was chasing it. Rather, I had a passion for it (whether writing code or buying ugly houses) that paid off later.

    Hope this helps...

    Greg
     
    Pugman, Aug 25, 2006
    #27
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