Advising

Advising System Mission Statement
The advising system at Virginia Wesleyan University fosters the growth of strong relationships between students, staff and faculty, enabling student success through intentional connections with people, academic programs, and processes of the University. The academic advising system supports academic planning, retention, and professional growth as students work toward a timely graduation and pursue life and career goals.

Assignment to an Academic Advisor
Prior to arrival on campus, first-year students are paired with a professional Academic Advisor. Entering students meet with their Academic Advisors to finalize their schedule of classes. Undeclared students continue to work with their Academic Advisor until they select a major and a Faculty Advisor within their chosen discipline. 

Declaring a Major and Selecting a Faculty Advisor
Upon declaring a major, a student will petition a full-time faculty member in their major field to serve as their Faculty Advisor. Students must complete a Declaration of Major Form, which is signed by both the student and the major advisor.  At a minimum, students will meet with their Faculty Advisors during the officially designated advising weeks in the fall and spring before being released for web registration. Leading up to graduation, a student must complete an Application for Degree, at which time their Faculty Advisor will certify that the student has completed all university and major requirements.

Academic Guidance
Advisors will make every attempt to give effective guidance to students in academic matters and to refer students to those qualified to help them in other matters. 

The Student’s Responsibility
The final responsibility for meeting all academic requirements ultimately rests with the student. All VWU students have a personal WebAdvisor account. WebAdvisor is a valuable tool for tracking academic progress and ensuring completion of all university and major requirements. Information about graduation requirements may be found on the University website or within the University Catalog

Tips to Optimize Your Advising Experience

  1. Schedule and keep advising appointments throughout the year, especially during designated advising weeks in the fall and spring. If you cannot make an appointment, you should notify your Advisor ahead of time by phone or email.

  2. Be prepared for advising appointments by bringing questions and ideas about potential classes and college requirements.

  3. Inform your advisor of changes in your academic or personal (as appropriate) situation. Be open and honest about your situation in order for your Advisor to provide the best possible guidance.

  4. Follow your progress toward a degree on WebAdvisor and take the initiative to ask questions.

  5. Accept responsibility for your actions and decisions.