The first time I encountered my advisor was in a large lecture hall with 100 other computer science students. I doubt he knew of my existence at all — and he certainly did not know how to guide me through the four years I have ahead of me.
That’s all the advising there was. A presentation with bare-bones information that was applicable to everyone. Second semester rolled around, and I found myself in the same lecture hall once again, listening to a similarly elementary presentation — but this time with the addition of waiting in a 30-minute line for a minute-long meeting with my advisor.
In the School of Engineering, each major has a group advising session with other students of their major and grade once a semester. For less common majors like electrical or chemical engineering, students may be fortunate enough to receive some more personalized advice, but, in my experience as a computer science major, I was just one student in a sea of others.
Of course, this dynamic is not the fault of the hardworking advisors who are trying their best; it is Vanderbilt’s fault. While my peers in the College of Arts and Science had Zoom calls with their CASPAR advisors to register for classes over the summer, first-year engineering students had to wait patiently until August for their major-specific advisors to be assigned — long after fall class registration. While registering for classes, I had no knowledge of which classes were the best for my goals and my situation, and my cart was filled with anything that seemed remotely beneficial to my uninformed eyes.
The only school-approved resource available for incoming first-years is an example schedule, which briefly mentions how many students may “require some guidance” in schedule selection. Before even setting foot on campus, first-year engineering students are completely left to fend for themselves. Typically, engineering students here essentially copy the example schedule, take a shot in the dark or ask other students for help.
Before I arrived on campus, I emailed the general engineering advisor who is responsible for advising all the incoming first-years prior to major-specific advisors being assigned.
“If I have AP credit and do not want to retake the class, what should I take instead?” I wrote to the general advisor as I panicked over course selection and how to plan for my future.
The reply I received? “Take another course.”
I quickly gave up looking for help from the general advisor, instead hoping that the one-hour Zoom session for engineering students would shed some light. Again, I was disappointed. During this mass webinar, the advisors simply covered the first-year example schedule available online and told us how to access YES. Ironically, information related to course selection was presented to students in an engineering advising meeting after school had already started, long after the information would have been useful.
Although everything turned out okay during my first semester, I still can’t shake the lingering feeling that I am still lost and unprepared.
The only support I received in planning the rest of my college career was “If it passes the what-if scenario, I will release the hold and you’ll be ready to go!” The “what-if scenario” is a feature on YES where you can build schedules and check if courses will meet graduation requirements. My advisor isn’t wrong; if I follow the plan I made in what-if, then I’ll graduate with a degree. However, I do not know if my plan is manageable, if it’s tailored to my future plans or if it is even a good plan at all.
Considering the circumstances, I feel that I fared considerably well fending for myself. However, I would have been much better off had I been able to discuss my future with an advisor. I managed to avoid some of the common pitfalls I saw other students fall into by asking for help from some kind upperclassman. Many engineering students end up retaking classes they do not need to, taking classes that are irrelevant to their interests or setting themselves up for future 18-credit-hour semesters by taking the wrong classes. Although everything turned out okay during my first semester, I still can’t shake the lingering feeling that I am still lost and unprepared.
Vanderbilt’s School of Engineering is clearly failing to guide engineering students. Our advisors cannot be blamed for their lack of responsiveness; they are Vanderbilt professors who already have responsibilities of their own, and having a thorough understanding of the various ins and outs of scheduling is not an easy task. Supporting hundreds of nervous first-years planning out the rest of their lives is a large ask for academics who are working on their own careers. Advisors who have time to meet with students and who can dedicate themselves to understanding the system would be much more beneficial for everyone involved than a professor who already has enough on their plate.
As I near the end of my first year, I am considering taking on another major or pursuing a 4+1 program, but I’m not sure where to start. At best, my decision-making is built on what feels right, and, at worst, I’m acting on a whim, though there isn’t much difference between the two. I can’t say that I’m inclined to email my advisor for help after not receiving replies, and the group meetings for computer science majors are not helpful for specific and personal questions.
One may argue that a student could discover all the information they need for a successful undergraduate program on their own, but unfortunately, with constantly changing policies and webpages, this information is often unavailable or outdated. Moreover, students shouldn’t be expected to do the job of an advisor. We pay a hefty price to gain access to Vanderbilt’s resources. Having knowledgeable advisors with enough free time to support students is necessary to help students access Vanderbilt’s resources and achieve their dreams without dealing with constant roadblocks, stress and doubt. Opportunities are limitless at Vanderbilt, but the resources to direct students to these opportunities are not.
