How Advising Works at VSU

At Valdosta State, you will be advised by a success team, including your professional advisor, your faculty mentor, and team members from Career Opportunities, the Academic Success Center, and Financial Aid. Your professional advisor, located in your college’s advising center, is your partner in planning your progression through your major towards a timely graduation.

Ultimately, advisors provide guidance and support to advance our students both personally and academically. At VSU, advising is a collaborative, mandatory process designed to help students:

  • Succeed academically,
  • Develop an appropriate educational plan leading to graduation,
  • Focus on their life beyond the university, and
  • Play a responsible and proactive role in their own education.

  • Who Advises?

    At VSU, you have professionally trained advisors who are motivated and passionate about advising and helping students succeed. Within your college, faculty advisors are experts in their discipline, connecting routinely with our students; in the classroom, the studio, on the stage, in a lab, and beyond. Students can find out who their advisor is by logging into MyVSU.

  • Why do Students Come to Advising?

    Your advisor can help connect you with information on:

    • Acceptance/admission questions
    • Registration questions
    • Financial Aid questions
    • Change of major
    • Program of Study Questions
    • Course withdrawals
    • Academic Difficulty and Support Resources
    • Answering the question: How do I ___?
    • Academic Standing
    • Career exploration
    • Professional mentorship & more!

  • Do students have to be advised?

    Yes! The VSU Undergraduate Catalog states that all undergraduate and graduate students must meet with their advisor each semester before being allowed to access the registration system and register for classes.

  • What do Advisors do?

    Advisors encourage students to:

    • Explore academic interests and determine an appropriate major
    • Design a program of study meeting individual interests and needs
    • Map out a schedule and prepare for registration
    • Monitor student's academic progress
    • Find activities and opportunities to enhance the academic experience
    • Seek mentorship and career path development
    • Connect with campus support services, such as:

  • What is the Student’s Role in Advising?

    Our goal is for you take an active role in your academic and social success. As a student, you should:

    • Initiate and maintain regular contact with your assigned advisor
    • Schedule and keep advising appointments
    • Monitor current academic progress
    • Read and use VSU's Undergraduate Catalog
    • Know the requirements of the degreed academic program of interest
    • Ask questions, be proactive and engaged!

  • How to Schedule an Advising Appointment

    Schedule your advising appointment with the Advising Appointment Scheduler in MyVSU.

    • Login to MyVSU
    • Under Portals, Select the View All link
    • Select the Advising Appointment Scheduler link
    • Review and complete the New Client Form, select the Create Account button at the bottom of the page, and registration is complete
    • On the same page, select the “Click here” link and the schedule will appear
    • Select your specific COLLEGE.
    • Find your advisor’s name and review availability

    Appointments: The white spaces on the appointment row are available times for appointments. Choose a time that is convenient for you then select the box, fill out the appointment form, and save. An email will be sent to you confirming your appointment.

    Walk-ins: The white spaces on the walk-in row reflects the duration in which the advisor is available for walk-in sessions. For example, if the white space starts at 9 a.m. and end at 11 a.m., then the advisor’s walk-in hours are between 9 and 11. Student may show up during those hours to be advised.

    Administrative Only: Students should disregard the Administrative Only note typed in red below the Walk-in title. It is for our office use only.

    Print Instructions (PDF)


Where Should Students Go for Advising?

Depending on your major, you will be advised through one of seven advising centers. For more information on how the advising process works in each center, please click a center below.