Advising

The Academic Advising office at Northwest Vista College is committed to providing quality academic advising services and information about available resources to support students in achieving their desired goal. We will guide students towards completion of a certificate and/or Associate degree and support their transition to a four year institution or the workforce. 

• Advisors do not provide mental health counseling, but will make referrals, when necessary.
• Advisors will not register you for your classes.
• Advisors will not choose your career or your classes for you.

An advisor will be assigned to once you have enrolled for classes for the semester. The advisor assigned to you is dependent on your degree plan or program of study. If a student changes their major once assigned, they will be re-assigned to a new advisor at the end of that semester.

Great tips to follow before an advising appointment to ensure you have a productive meeting with your advisor:

• Create a reminder on your phone or in your planner regarding your appointment date and time.
• Come prepared to talk about: classes to take, transfer planning, graduation planning, goal setting, and any additional concerns you might have regarding your educational and career goals.
• Meet with your assigned academic advisor every semester to ensure you are staying on track- meet with them early to avoid any issues with being able to register for future classes once registration begins. An advising touchpoint means you are required to meet with your advisor at certain points of your degree pathway in order to register for the next semester. This is mandatory to ensure you are staying on track to complete your goals.
• Create your own advising folder to keep you organized with advising-related materials [Example: degree plan, schedule plans, notes from advising meetings] and keep it updated.
• Read your ACES student email regularly; this is how your assigned academic advisor will communicate with you. Keep in mind that any emails sent from your personal email may get caught in our SPAM folder and we will be unable to see them. 
• Personal accountability- it is important that you review your grades and GPS degree plan in ACES at the end of each term.  Grades can impact you in a variety of ways, not just while enrolled at Northwest Vista College, so if you are concerned, please address this with your assigned advisor.

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor at least once per semester preferably prior to the start of registration.

It is imperative you visit with an advisor at any point you are experiencing the following:

• Your cumulative grade point average (GPA) falls below a 2.0.
• You are thinking about changing your career and educational goals.
• You are having trouble in any of your courses.
• You are thinking about dropping out of college.

In order to receive your registration PIN, you must meet with your assigned advisor. A PIN will not be provided to you until you have completed your advising session.

Your assigned academic advisor is available to answer questions that are submitted from your ACES student email. Your e-mails to advisors should always be professional communications, so please include: First name, last name, and student Banner ID number, as well as a detailed description of what you are needing. Advisor will return your message as soon as possible on a first-come, first-served basis. Please keep in mind that your advisor make take up to 48 business hours to respond, so please be patient. If a question is very important and requires an immediate response, it is recommended you visit with your assigned advisor in person. Some questions may require you to have an in person conversation with your advisor therefore they may contact you to schedule an appointment. 

Virtual advising sessions are now available. It offers the convenience of conducting an advising session without coming to the advising office while still getting the same quality advising service. In order to have a virtual advising session, you will still schedule an advising appointment through Navigate, and your advisor will send you a message with a link to log into your appointment through Zoom. You are not required to create a Zoom account, nor are you required to download the Zoom app to your personal device (phone, tablet, or computer) in order to use the link.

If you would prefer not to use the video option, you will use the phone number provided in the message to call into the advising session.

More information is available online at http://alamocolleges.screenstepslive.com/s/19065/m/73845/c/286523

• Assist you with course selection based on educational and career goals.
• Encourage and guide you to define clear and realistic educational plans using your Alamo GPS.
• Ensure that you are part of the decision-making process, provide and understand your next steps.
• Provide you with referrals when necessary.
• Listen carefully to your questions and concerns.
• Monitor and accurately document your academic progress.
• Maintain confidentiality following NVC and Federal Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA)  regulations.
• Understand and effectively communicate the curriculum, degree/school requirements, graduation requirements, and college policies and procedures.
• Provide a safe, respectful, and confidential space for you to ask questions, discuss your interests, and express your concerns.

If you have a quick question you may drop by the Advising Services counter for a short 15 minutes or less session. If your questions require more time than this, please make an appointment instead. Advisors see drop-in students on a first-come, first-served basis. During high peak times (the first week of the semester, registration periods, and deadlines periods) wait times can be considerable.

Drop-In Quick Services include:

• Student Holds
• Pre-requisite overrides
• General Questions

Once walk-in sessions are filled, the advising sign in will close for the day. You also have the option of utilizing our Chat service for quick questions. You may speak with someone online by clicking on the “Chat with Us” link to the right of this page.   

The Advising Communications Center is available by phone to answer general advising questions and provide guidance regarding advising holds. The Advising Communications Center can be reached at 210-486-4100. Advising appointments cannot be scheduled through the Advising Communications Center.

• Academic Dismissal Petitions
• Alternate ID (Registration PIN)
• Assistance with Holds
•  Career Exploration
• Change of Major
• Course Overload Petitions
•  Degree Planning
• Financial Aid Appeal
• Graduation Application
• Individual Success Plan (GPS Planner)
• Prerequisite Overrides
• Transfer Planning

• Bring your advising folder with all necessary materials and paperwork for the session.
• That you will research programs, career options, transfer universities in advance and be ready to review.
• Be prepared to discuss goals and educational plans during your advising session.
• Read all of your email in ACES. This is the official communication method from the Alamo Colleges District for students.
• Be aware of deadlines regarding registration, financial aid and tuition, adding or dropping classes, and application for graduation or petitions for Academic Dismissal.
• Ask questions if something is not clear or you have a concern during the advising session.
• Be open and willing to consider all options and recommendations given during session.
• Be an engaged and active learner in your educational journey.
• Inform your Certified Academic Advisor of important changes that directly affect your academic performance and educational goals.
• Schedule your advising appointment early in the semester. 
• Be courteous and respectful at all times.
• Take primary responsibility for making your own decisions.
• Commit to an academic plan that supports certificate and/or degree completion and/or successful transfer. Commit to Completion.
• Be familiar with and abide by the Alamo Colleges District Student Code of Conduct.

Please understand that your advisor will not make decisions for you during your advising sessions, however your advisor will provide you with the most accurate information available and will work with you to create a realistic plan that will aid you in accomplishing your educational and career goals. The education choices you make are yours and the responsibility for knowing and fulfilling degree requirements rest with you.