EMSC 302
Orientation to Energy and Sustainability Policy

Advisers & Advising, cont.

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Advisers & Advising: Communicating with your Adviser

There's no such thing as a dumb question or "being a bother". Your adviser needs to hear from you so that they can help you. If you have an advising-related question, email using your Penn State email account (Outlook) or schedule a time in Starfish to meet. Either are preferraable routes of initial communication, because that way your adviser can have some time to look up your record and better understand your situation. If you call and ask a question, it may be harder for your adviser to give you a thorough response. Starfish and; email interactions allows advisers to keep an accurate record of communications and it also gives you something to refer back to if needed.

At a bare minimum, you should check in with your adviser before every semester, so they can confirm the courses you intend to take will keep you on the most efficient path to graduation.

In your emails/communications with your adviser, you should:

  • Always include a clear and relevant subject line (e.g. "Question regarding SP19 scheduling" or "Update on my transfer courses from HCCC")
  • Address your adviser as instructed. (for some reason people think it's okay to address emails unprofessionally, like "Prof" or "Hey" -- hint: it's not okay)
  • Use a greeting, punctuation, and capitalization. Always.
  • Use full course names or numbers when referring to classes. When you say things like "That EGEE course I'm taking" that is not enough information.
  • Be clear, specific, and to the point.
  • If you'd prefer to talk on the phone or on Zoom about the matter, state such in your email.
  • Be patient. Every adviser has other advisees that are equally important, therefore a same-day response may not be possible.

Other items to consider:

  • Advisers are usually very responsive to their advisees, typically responding within 24-48 BUSINESS hours. If it's been a few days, and you haven't heard from your adviser, please feel free to follow up!
  • Check your Penn State email regularly. At least 3 times a week.

Penn State World Campus Academic Advising
Hours (Eastern Time): Monday–Friday: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday: Closed
Make an appointment in Starfish(link is external)
Phone: 814-863-3283
Academic Advising contact form(link is external)