Chapter 9: Students’ Experiences with Academic Advising in a 4-Year Centralized Advising Center

The purpose of this study is to explore how undergraduate students experienced academic advising within the context of a 4-year centralized, primary role advising center at a public research university in the mid-south. This phenomenological qualitative study included a series of focus groups and one-on-one interviews with 13 undergraduate juniors or seniors from the liberal arts college. Participants shared that they wanted quick access to friendly advisors who could give them trustworthy and thorough information and that they wanted to work with just one advisor, when possible. While most participants did not describe academic advising as central in creating a sense of connectedness to the university, they did express that their relationship with their advisor helped them feel supported and valued on campus.