Advising Checklist: Year-by-Year
First-Year Task

Sophomore Year
Task
Introduce concept of
liberal arts
Is schedule okay for the
year?
General education
requirements
Summer happenings, any
new thoughts about major?
majors, minors,
individualized major
and B.S.S. option
Review gen ed
requirements/progress.
Remind them if they do
drop/add online to keep eye
on gen eds.
Explore major interest
areas, take 1-2 courses
in it, more if science or
education interest
Discuss off campus
experiences (scholarships
for off campus, internships,
summer research).
Differences between
high school and
college : expectations
And
Academic honesty
And
Timely communication
with faculty/staff
Balance academics and
extracurricular
Refer to others: potential
major advisor, off-campus
office, career engagement
Ask if any questions on
basics (drop/add, S/U
option, 15th day
drop,,etc)
Discuss why major advisee
chose major, goals, ask
questions to clarify student
is in the right major for their
goals, if wrong major refer
to Academic Support for
major exploration
Discuss possibility of
applying for prestigious
scholarships (e.g. Fulbright,
McElroy), organizations
(Mortar board, honor
societies)
Encourage student to take
on leadership roles on
campus, develop resume
Discuss future : study
abroad, internship,
research, etc.
Discuss declaring
major by Feb 1st
sophomore year
Encourage advisee to
see you if he/she has
any questions or
problems.
End of year, discuss
what student has
learned about self
(strengths,
weaknesses)
Develop relationship with
new major advisees
 Junior Year Task

Senior Year Task
Make sure advisee
satisfied with year’s
schedule.
Make sure advisee on
track for BA
requirements (or BSS)
Discuss expectations for
the major (developing
depth, creating
coherence within the
major, etc.).
Review past 4 years (what has
student taken away to use at
job, skills, knowledges?).
Complete internship, offcampus study, research
projects.
Review senior year schedule.
Make sure all gen eds done, all
major classes done and all 300
level courses done.
Discuss student’s
strengths and
weaknesses to determine
if still the right major for
the student.
If student does not seem
in right major, refer to
Academic Support office
for intervention; be
honest with student
about academic
performance.
Check to see if any courses
good for grad school or career
plans and make changes as
necessary
Encourage student to
take on leadership roles
on campus, develop
resume
Discuss student
symposium and other
experiences with faculty
Make sure student has
schedule audit with
registrar before spring
registration so that
senior year schedule can
be altered as needed.
Discuss grad school
(scholarships, grants,
stipends, GRE,etc.)
Discuss course schedule for
rest of year with newly
declared advisees
Discuss advisee’s plans
after Cornell
Make sure junior year
schedule finishes off BA
requirements; discuss
interdisciplinary gen ed
plans.
Discuss possibility of
applying for prestigious
scholarships (e.g.
Fulbright, McElroy),
organizations (Mortar
board, honor societies)
Encourage students to apply
for graduation and take care of
any other paperwork (audit if
they have transferred in and
not done one)
Discuss senioritis and looks for
signs that senior might have
reason to not want to
graduate and might selfsabotage
Discuss realistic goals for the
future
Help advises develop list of
places to apply/visit,
encourage them to develop
resume and cover letter
Write letter of
recommendation for advisee
as needed or make notes so
that you can write letter in the
future
Encourage advisee to finish
strong! GPA can be built or
broken until very end.
