In April 2022, College 101 began contributing monthly articles to the Local Town Pages. Shortly after my first piece appeared, I received a message from Bob Doyle, a local resident and longtime Harvard University employee, who told me he enjoyed reading my work—I was so honored! We’ve been pen pals ever since. Bob held many roles at Harvard, but the one I find most fascinating is that of Academic Advisor. We finally met in person, and I had the opportunity to interview him about a topic close to both our hearts: the importance of first-year college students connecting with their academic advisor.  

What is the Role of an Academic Advisor?

• An advisor helps students navigate both academic choices and personal development. The greater role is not answering the students’ questions, but guiding students to discover answers on their own—skills that last beyond college.  

• Students should seek the guidance of more than just their official advisor - finding an “unofficial” advisor will provide different and valuable perspectives, and maybe even a better fit.  

• Most first-year classmates are experiencing college for the first time, so build a network that also includes upperclassmen and grad students. 

• A good advisor should be approachable, open, and provide opportunities for students to discuss their thoughts, courses, and plans.  

• “Understand the relationship between your area of expertise and the rest of the world” - your expertise could fit into so many different areas.  An advisor can help the student think freely.

What Challenges Do First-Year Students Face, And How Can an Advisor Help?

• The initial challenge is adjusting to unfamiliarity—new people, roommates, spaces, expectations. Students will need to learn to self-advocate for themselves and be responsible for their schedule, tasks, and life.  Join activities to meet people and feel grounded.

• Advisors should recognize the signs of struggle, even when a student won’t admit it. It’s their job to listen and gently offer suggestions—not directives.

• Bob would often tell his first year students they will learn the alphabet, “You already know the letters A and B. You may learn C and D in your first semester.” Students can dwell on disappointment—or figure out what to do next. Talk to their professor or TA.

How Should Students Approach Course Selection?

• Explore. Most colleges allow students to drop/add courses within a certain time period - it is intentional to help students determine course fit. Think of the first few days of a new semester as a shopping period where students attend courses that they are curious about and then make changes. 

• Students should not commit to a major until they have explored their interests and have taken a course(s) in their potential major.  Most schools offer a “minor” which allows a student to balance two areas of interests.

• Approximately 50% of students change their field of study.

• A good rule of thumb in the 1st year is to take 1 general-ed course, a couple of courses in the prospective major, and 1 course of interest per semester.  

How Can Students Build Relationships With Professors and Advisors?

• Go to office hours. Ask questions. Follow up after class. This will help a student expand their knowledge of the fields they are interested in. 

• At large schools, students may meet with grad students. That’s still valuable.

• Aim to build at least one strong professor relationship per year. Eventually letters of recommendation will be needed, and they can only write well about students they truly know.

What Misconceptions Exist About a Liberal Arts Education?

• Many students treat college like a job pipeline. But the original goal of college was to develop critical thinking and understand diverse disciplines.

• Don’t limit yourself to one field. Take courses that connect your major to the broader world.

• For example, a chemistry student took “The Science of Cooking,” expecting to cook. He didn’t—but he learned the science behind heat and he performed research for his dissertation on how to reverse microwave heating.

Good luck and enjoy the journey!   

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