One of the most special parts of Montrose is the advising program.  Depending on a student’s age, advisor’s are assigned or requested, and most students form unique relationships with their advisors.  Each advisor-advisee relationship is different based on the needs of the student, but overall an advisor is available to deal with academic, social, and faith related situations.  I recently anonymously surveyed a group of Montrosians from each grade and got their real thoughts on the Montrose advising program.

Q: What is one of your best memories from advising?

A:

• “My advisor made me cupcakes for Christmas.”
• “When I was in seventh grade, my advisor and I walked out to the brook and she brought a bunch of games.  She encouraged me to talk because I was a quiet kid, and I still appreciate that years later.”
• “Going to Honey’s before it closed down.”
• “De-stressing from school with a chat outside.”
• “My advisor bought me mac & cheese after my friend died.”
• “My advisor gave me an analogy for when I was struggling with a lot of things: Life is like swimming in an ocean.  If we don’t have something to anchor us, the waves will toss us everywhere.”

Q: What’s one thing that your advisor does that makes your advising meetings special?

A:

• “Remembers that we are meeting.”
• “My advisor makes the time special by showing me that I can talk to her about anything.  She’s like my ‘school mom.’”
• “It’s just us but that’s kind of the point anyway.”
• “She’s very sincere and makes our meetings more like a conversation by talking about herself too.”
• “She always remembers what’s going on in my life and asks about it.”
• “She sometimes gives me candy.”
• “She makes me feel like I’m a priority and my issues matter.”
• “This is kind of weird, but she looks into my eyes intently and smiles.  When my advisor looks at me intently, waiting for me to speak, rather than forming any expectations of what I am going to say, I feel like she is actually going to listen to me and understand me.”

Q: What advice would you give to a new advisor:

A:

• “Food is always a great way to break the ice.”
• “Ask your advisees how often they would like to meet, and make the advising sessions genuine.”
• “Show your advisee your love.”
• “Don’t pull me out so often.  I don’t think they should take time from our precious studies unless we specifically ask for that.”
• “Don’t just focus on school.”
• “Take the time to get to know your student.  She is very unique and is going to need you. A constant loving and supportive presence is always nice to have.”
• “Listen to the advisees and give them the best advice you can.  Ask them all their subjects one by one, so you force them to talk.”
• “Don’t be afraid to ask the difficult questions and don’t make your advisee feel like your time to meet with her is too limited.”

Q: How often do you meet with your advisor?

A:

• “I just go into her office and continually update her on my life throughout day.”
• “Once or twice every two weeks.”
• “Every three weeks.”“Twice a month.”
• “Once every cycle.”

Q: Are your advising sessions scheduled or random?

A:

• 52.2% of students responded that their advising sessions are random.
• 47.8% of students responded that their advising sessions are scheduled.

Q: Based on your answer to the previous question, do you prefer scheduled or random sessions?

A:

• 65.2% of students responded that they preferred their advising sessions to be scheduled.
• 34.8% of students responded that they preferred their advising sessions to be random.

Q: What do you do to contribute to the success of your advising session?

A:

• “Mutual respect for one another.”
• “I openly talk about my life and ask for advice in specific situations.”
• “I try to keep us on topic.”
• “I remember I have advising.”
• “Academic, social, and spiritual issues are the best places to start discussion.”
• “I am always honest.”

Q: When you’re having a problem, what’s a way your advisor helps you solve it?

A:

• “She just sits there and listens to me until I finish and knows me well enough to give the advice that would best help me in the situation, even if it is not what I want to hear.”
• “We talk it through and she encourages me to approach the person I’m having the issue with.”
• “She gives me tips and situations that apply to my situation.”
• “Meet with my teacher and work harder.”
• “We talk and go for a walk.  She always makes time for me if I need to talk more often.”
• “Determine the root of the problem, how significant it is, how I should deal with it emotionally, and how to act to solve it as soon as possible.”

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

A:

“Without my advisor, I would be completely lost.”

• “Even though you don’t get to pick your advisor in middle school, you get to see which advisors work for you and which ones don’t.  When high school comes you are better able to decide and use other people’s sources to pick a good advisor who will become a friend and mentor.”
• “My advising sessions are the absolute best way for me to slow down during a stressful school week.  By the end of a session, I walk out refreshed and motivated and have plans for next steps to solve any issues.”
• “Get an advisor that works for you.  Don’t be afraid to switch because it is your experience at stake.  If you’re not getting what you need from advising, say something.”

While each response is unique from another, it is clear that Montrose students love the advising program and their advisors.  Hopefully the anecdotes from these students help enrich advising sessions and improve overall relationships with advisors. Thank you to all the advisors at Montrose and all that you do!