Baala Shakya, Contributing Photographer

During orientation, first year students are assigned academic advisers through their residential college. However, students who spoke with the News shared mixed reactions regarding the advisers’ helpfulness.

College advisers guide students through academics, extracurricular activities and personal goals during their first and second years. The News spoke to seven first year students about their experiences with college advisers. 

Three students found their advisers helpful in navigating coursework, while two were critical, describing the meetings as unhelpful. Two others were more neutral, noting that although their advisers were pleasant to speak with, the meetings did not provide helpful guidance. With spring course registration approaching, some students expressed concerns that their upcoming meetings might also fall short in helping them select courses for the next semester.

”Most of my advising came from my peers and vice versa,” said Jayden Gonzalez ’28. “We all already had our own thoughts and schedules formed at that point. [advisers] were there mainly to affirm us.”

Ashley Rostran ’28 echoed Gonzalez, saying that the main thing she got out of the meeting with her adviser was a spot on the waitlist for his class.

Gonzalez and Rostran both highlighted what they saw as two main problems in college advising — lack of communication and far-too-late meeting periods. 

This past semester, course registration opened merely three days after first years were welcomed to campus, leaving little time for college advisers to help make decisions about first-semester course selection.

Like Gonzalez, Rostran also noted that she had received guidance and advice from peers who were enrolling in similar courses. To plan the spring semester, Rostrat plans to talk to a director of undergraduate studies who knows about pre-medicine programs. 

Gonzalez added that his college adviser had not yet contacted him regarding spring semester classes. 

When asked by the News about the concerns expressed by some students, Risa Sodi GRD ’95, the Yale College director of advising, said that Yale College students have various advising options which she said some call a “constellation of advisers.” 

According to Sodi, the last change made to the college adviser system was in 2017 when the university made an adjustment to how students selected their advisers. Previously, students were expected to choose their faculty or staff academic adviser during their first year for their sophomore year, but this deadline was extended, allowing students to stay with their advisers through their first four semesters of college.

Sodi wrote to the News that there are many places for students to find academic advice, ranging from peer liaisons and first-year counselors to the Chaplain’s office and coaches. 

This summer, Yale also introduced summer advising for incoming first year students. This program consists of a team of recently graduated FroCos where incoming students can discuss course registration and residential college life before coming to Yale. 

Yale College Dean Pericles Lewis noted that the academic advising program was developed with input from the Yale College Council. Sodi added that the Yale College Teaching, Learning and Advising Committee has implemented YCC’s suggestions, including gathering feedback from first-year students about the summer peer advising program. The committee is currently analyzing the 2024 feedback to inform improvements for next summer. 

Some students who spoke with the News had more positive experiences with their college advisers.

“There’s a lot of classes I want to take and subjects I want to explore,” August Rivers ’28 said. “And in terms of course load, [my adviser] was really helpful.”

Rivers noted that college advisers are experienced and can offer an informed perspective on academics and life at Yale. 

Some students expressed that college advisers were also helpful in discussing non-academic subjects and took a personal interest in students’ backgrounds, identities and passions.

“My adviser was able to give me advice relating to adjustment to life at Yale, as well as advice relating to my personal life,” Natalia Somma ’28 said. 

Alexandra Medina ’28 found meeting with her adviser helpful since it affirmed her that she was making the right decisions for her first semester. For her, talking through her schedule and plans was sufficient.

When asked about what they had heard from other students regarding college advisers during the first week of orientation, Rivers and Somma both recalled positive remarks from peers. 

“I would keep her as my academic adviser for sophomore year,” Somma said.

The spring 2025 course registration period opens on Nov. 18.