Advisement Services Center
The Advisement Services Center (ASC) serves undergraduate students at the University through direct advisement services and by assisting faculty who work with students in an advising relationship. The primary responsibility of ASC is to provide for the academic advisement of freshmen, all students who have not yet declared a major, and those undergraduates not yet accepted into restricted majors.
In addition to providing individual academic advisement, ASC currently has the following responsibilities:
1. Serving as an academic advisement resource center for all undergraduates, faculty, and staff;
2. Providing pre-professional (law and health careers) advisement and support services;
3. Coordination of 3+3 Albany Law program, 3+2 engineering programs, early assurance medical program, and early admission dental, optometry, physical and occupational therapy programs.
Students who need assistance regarding their academic concerns are encouraged to contact the Advisement Services Center, LI-36 (518-442-3960), or visit their web page at www.albany.edu/advisement.
Academic Advisement
Academic advisement services for undergraduate students are coordinated by the Advisement Services Center. Freshmen, students who have not declared a major, and students intending to pursue a restricted major are advised either by the staff of ASC or by the staff of the Educational Opportunities Program (EOP). All students who are admitted to the University through the Educational Opportunities Program receive academic advisement from EOP counselors until they graduate.
Freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to work closely with their academic advisors. ASC advisors are in regular contact with the University’s academic departments and programs to insure that advisors have pertinent and up-to-date information about school and college offerings. The advisor is therefore able to assist each student to plan and select a course of study that is consistent with the student’s abilities, interests, achievements, and future plans. Information about courses, academic study at other institutions, interpretation of the University’s academic policies, and referral to other University Offices and persons for assistance with the student’s concerns are part of the services provided by academic advisors.
Students may “declare” their major at any time after earning 24 credits and completing any other requirements for admission to that major. It is easiest to complete all requirements if a major is chosen by the end of the sophomore year. Some financial aid programs require that a student declare a major by the junior year. Once a major is declared, students receive academic advisement from the major department.
Students are required to meet with their academic advisor prior to registering for courses each semester. In addition, students are encouraged to meet with their advisor on a regular basis. Together the student and advisor can evaluate the student’s academic experiences and goals, and formulate appropriate educational plans.
To complement faculty advisement, ASC serves as an advisement resource for both faculty and students needing clarification or interpretation of University academic policies, procedures, and programs.
Health Careers Advisement
Approximately 80-100 students from the University apply annually for admission to medical, osteopathic, dental, optometry, podiatry, chiropractic, and veterinary schools. There is little variation in the basic requirements for admission to the professional schools. The majority of these schools require the General Biology sequence and one full year of study in chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, mathematics, and English. Many health profession schools now strongly recommend or require that students complete humanities and/or social science courses as well. There is no special major for pre-professional health careers, and the requirements for admission can be met through a variety of majors available at the University.
The Pre-health Advisor in the Advisement Services Center is available to meet with all students considering health professions preparation. Guidance is provided in regard to curriculum, admission requirements, extracurricular opportunities, and the application process.
Resource materials, admission statistics, admission test applications, and procedural information are available for University students by contacting the Pre-Health Advisor in the Advisement Services Center, LI-36, or by checking the pre-health website at www.albany.edu/advisement.
Pre-Law Advisement
There is no single “best” program of study in preparation for law school, and students are encouraged to consider a variety of alternatives. The Association of American Law Schools recommends a broad-based liberal arts curriculum and considers the prescription of particular courses unwise.
Students interested in law school should watch for meetings of the Student Pre-Law Association and on-campus visits of law schools. Additionally, the Pre-Law Advisor maintains a listserv for all pre-law students to disseminate timely information about workshops, tests, guest speakers, etc. Special seminars are offered each semester to provide assistance on applications, test preparation, and planning for law school financing.
Written information, such as law school catalogs, The Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools, LSAT applications, and admission statistics for Albany students, is available in the Advisement Services Center, LI-36.
