Academic Advising and Success Coaching
Academic Advising and Success Coaching
Academic Advising and Success Coaching are integral to a student’s academic journey. The Advising, Retention, and Academic Coaching department provides guidance in academic planning and the selection of majors and minors. Services provided by the department also include first-semester registration of all new students (freshmen and transfer), academic progress reporting, and assignment of advisors. Staff advisors are trained academic coaches and emphasize the coaching and advising relationship as a catalyst for developing strong academic and career goals. Staff advisors also provide advisement services in the absence of the primary advisor.
Upon entering Gardner-Webb University, the student is assigned an Advisor/Success Coach. Students are encouraged to view the advising and coaching relationship as a partnership for success, which continues throughout their studies at Gardner-Webb University. The Success Coach remains a student’s primary advisor until the completion of at least 30 credit hours and registration for the following semester. Students will be assigned their selected major based on responses in their Gardner-Webb application. After admission and throughout their time on campus, students may submit an official major change form to change their major. After an initial period with their staff advisor to understand the advising process, the student will be assigned to a Faculty Major Advisor in the department/school of their chosen major. At that time, the Faculty Major Advisor becomes the primary advisor, and the Success Coach becomes the secondary advisor. Transfer students are encouraged to officially declare a major early in order to move to a Faculty Major Advisor after fall advising is over.
Each student is required to meet with their primary advisor to review degree progression each semester prior to registration. However, students are encouraged to meet with their advisor during the semester as needed. The Success Coach and the Faculty Major Advisor collaborate to help each student toward graduation. Academic Advising offices are located in the Division of Student Success suite on the third floor of the Tucker Student Center.