Academic Advising and Recruitment

Academic Advising is an intentional process designed to support students as they develop and pursue educational, career and personal goals. The ultimate goal of the student-advisor partnership is for students to increase their personal agency and critical thinking skills, and apply both to their life choices in college and beyond. Academic advisors empower students to make timely and well-informed choices by helping them connect with university and community resources, identify opportunities, assess alternatives and predict possible consequences of their actions.
Advising is a partnership between you and your advisor that is grounded in open and timely communication regarding personal goals, self-knowledge and information about majors, careers and university policies. Advisors do not “prescribe” answers or majors for you; rather, we prompt you with the questions and resources you need to explore your interests, abilities and values, and to set and reach your personal, academic and career goals. While academic advising is a collaborative process, the ultimate responsibility for your educational experience rests with you, the student.
College of Education undergraduate students are advised by a professional academic advisor for the freshman and sophomore years and then by a faculty advisor for the junior and senior years. You will meet with your advisor on a regular basis to discuss your academic plans, course requirements and any other academic questions or pursuits, including exploring minors or planning for study abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions
ACADEMIC ADVISING
Additionally, your advisor is a good point person for questions about preparing for graduate school or job interviews, and they can also serve as a reference as you apply for scholarships, extracurricular opportunities and special academic programs, so visit with your advisor often and make sure they have the chance to get to know you! Your advisor is also the only person who can release your advising hold for registration, so you will certainly need your advisor as you prepare to register for classes each semester.
Additionally, your advisor will assist you in working with and developing professional relationships with your faculty and instructors, and will encourage and assist you in developing and defining clear, realistic educational and personal goals. Expect your advisor to be accessible for meetings during office hours by appointment, telephone and email, and expect that they will serve as a general resource for your academic and personal success during your time here as a student in the College of Education.
COURSE REGISTRATION
GENERAL QUESTIONS
- Ask yourself what is contributing to your current academic situation.
- Talk to your instructor. They can provide feedback and insight into your performance and offer strategies for success.
- Talk to your academic advisor. They are a great support and can work with you to develop strategies for improving your academic performance, point you toward helpful resources on campus and explain important dates and policies regarding dropping a course. Remember: You should also speak with your academic advisor and your instructor as soon as you realize you may be in trouble. However, the longer you wait to talk with your advisor, the more difficult it will be for them to help you.
- Check out the numerous resources on campus that can help you with issues such as tutoring, time management, stress, study skills and even learning to balance many responsibilities that come with being a college student.

Transfer Students
Whether you’re currently a student at another institution, or simply in another College here at NC State, we welcome you to the College of Education!
Students that are currently enrolled in another NC State college (intracampus transfer) should visit the NC State CODA (Change of Degree Application) website to find more information about the transfer process between colleges. Students currently enrolled at another institution (external transfer) can find more information about the application and admissions process through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
If you’re thinking of applying for either intracampus or external transfer, we strongly encourage you to contact us so that we can have you meet with an academic advisor as early as possible. An advisor can provide you with an overview of the curriculum you are interested in, and help you decipher equivalencies from any previous coursework. We can also share pertinent information regarding required testing, such as the Praxis, and specific program GPA and course benchmarks.
If you have completed coursework at institutions other than NC State, you may be wondering how, or if, you can receive credit toward our degree requirements. For general equivalency information, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions maintains a Transfer Equivalency Database where you can search course equivalencies from other institutions, both domestic and abroad.
Request Transfer Advising MeetingAcademic Resources
- Campus Directory – Search for faculty/staff on campus
- Student Services Center – Academic calendar, financial aid and scholarships, registration and records
- Satisfactory Academic Progress – Policies that require students to meet certain standards to be eligible to continue enrollment and receive financial aid
- Semester-by-Semester Plans – Eight-semester display of the requirements for the specific degree program
- Professional Education for Teachers – What does it mean to be admitted to candidacy? What is the professional semester? How do I obtain my teaching license? Find answers to your professional education and licensure questions here.
- General Education Program – Information about NC State’s General Education Program (GEP) requirements, including a list of classes meeting each requirement.
- NC State Minors – If you are interested in adding a minor during your time at NC State, you’ll want to start by perusing this list. Minors typically add 15 to 18 additional hours (five to six additional classes) on top of your degree requirements. However, most minors will allow you to ‘double count’ up to two courses to go towards both your minor and your major, assuming that the minor courses fit into your major’s degree plan.
- Academic Advising Services – If you are in the process of switching majors, or perhaps just undecided about the best academic path for you, the advisors in Academic Advising Services can help. They provide general advising for the university and are well-versed on the different majors that NC State offers.
- Transfer Course Equivalencies – Find out how college courses taken at another institution will transfer to NC State.
- GPA Calculator – To help you calculate your current semester and cumulative (overall) grade point averages.
- University Tutorial Center – Academic assistance for many 100- and 200- level math, chemistry and physics courses, as well as writing and speaking support.
- Grade Exclusion Policy – Undergraduate students may select up to two NC State courses with posted letter grades of C- or below to be excluded from calculation of their cumulative grade point average.