Advising Centers
| The Advising Centers provide integrated academic and career services to students. Through collaborative teaching and learning, the advising process empowers our diverse student populations to explore and navigate their academic and career pathways. Our teams are committed to providing quality academic advising services and information about available resources to support students in achieving their desired goal, whether that be the completion of a certificate and/or Associate degree and support their transition to a four-year institution or the workforce. |
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Out of an abundance of caution, Palo Alto College and the entire Alamo Colleges District have made temporary changes to the way we provide instruction and operate in light of the concerns related to the coronavirus. Our teams are ready to provide assistance remotely. Please contact them via phone or email to get started. Starting Aug. 31, Academic Advising will have "Remote Drop-in Hours" via Zoom every Monday from 1-5 p.m. Click on tabs below for respective Zoom links. |
BOLD (Business Opportunities Leadership Demand Occupations) Advising Center
The BOLD Advising Center assists students who are studying programs in business, landscape, logistics, and other career and technical education degrees and certificates.
Phone: 210-486-3366
Remote Drop-in Hours
Monday: 1–5 p.m.
Carmen Velasquez-Avila College Tip: Do something today that your future self will thank you for |
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Mako Ivory College Tip: You cannot “wing-it”, plan adequate study time for every class. |
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Christina Barrera College Tip: Make today the perfect day to be AWESOME! |
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Selso Casares College Tip: Never be afraid to ask questions at Palo Alto College, we are here to help you succeed. |
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Elena Olivo College Tip: The start of your journey is full of unknowns, the middle of it is hard work, the end of it is gratification. |
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Rafael Sayago College Tip: In college as in life, a positive approach will lend strength to challenging days. |
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SEED (Service Education Empowerment Diversity) Advising Center
The SEED Advising Center assists students who are studying programs in education, criminal justice, kinesiology, fine and performing arts, communications, psychology, and social work.
Phone: 210-486-3131
Remote Drop-in Hours
Monday: 1–5 p.m.
Nidia Lopez College Tip: Be present, ask questions, take notes and study! |
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Elizabeth Garcia College Tip: It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop! |
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Nora Arredondo College Tip: Sometimes in life we fail, but never give up, that is where our greatest lessons are found. |
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David Mancha College Tip: Always strive to do your best, and never be afraid to ask questions! |
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STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Advising Center
The STEM Advising Center assists students who are studying programs in the science, technology, engineering, and math areas.
Phone: 210-486-3660
Remote Drop-in Hours
Monday: 1–5 p.m.
Maria Diaz-Viesca |
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Nancy Gonzales College Tip: Always back up your assignments to a spare flash drive when our technology gets a little glitchy. |
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Danielle E. Medina College Tip: Get involved on campus- Join a college club, sport, community service, volunteer for a campus event, etc. Don’t be afraid to be active on campus. |
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Jennifer Huebenthal College Tips: Invest in yourself and your dreams, your worth it! |
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Shawn Melendes College Tip: Try to soak in as much information as possible and use the resources that are available to you. |
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Adam Rodriguez College Tip: College can be difficult mentally, physically, and emotionally. You will face new challenges and will start to question things that you previously knew. Do not fear these changes; rather embrace them! Change is the only way we can become better people and create a better future. Understand that you are not alone in this journey. Seek advice from those that have been in your same situation and that are here to help you succeed. |
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Malorie Vallejo College Tip: Always believe in yourself, and you will be unstoppable. |
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Jose Vega College Tip: Little by little will soon become a lot. |
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Veterans Affairs
The Office of Veterans Affairs assists students who are receiving VA benefits or Hazelwood Exemptions. Your assigned advisor will assist you with processing your benefits, developing a degree plan, registering for courses, completing a financial aid appeal, exploring careers, and researching transfer opportunities.
Remote Drop-in Hours
Monday: 1–5 p.m.
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Disability Support Services
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College Tip: Be your own advocate! |
Advising FAQs
What is (Remote) Academic Advising?
Academic and career advising are a series of ongoing and intentional conversations among students, faculty, and staff that establish a pathway to the realization of educational, career, and life goals. Each student is assigned a certified advisor who will assist in developing a degree plan, registering for courses, completing a financial aid appeal, exploring careers, and researching transfer opportunities.
Remote advising provides the same quality advising service virtually via Zoom. To schedule a virtual advising session, you will still request an advising appointment through AlamoNAVIGATE. Your advisor will send you a message with a link to log into your appointment via 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) to use the link.
What is not considered Academic Advising?
- 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.
How am I assigned an advisor?
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.
How do I schedule an appointment to meet with my advisor?
All students can schedule an appointment with their assigned advisor through AlamoNAVIGATE via their ACES portal. Appointment times fill quickly; please plan accordingly.
Appointments are scheduled for 30-45 minute periods and must be scheduled 24 hours in advance. Same-day appointments are not available. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please contact your advisor via phone or email to reschedule as soon as possible. Arrive on time (in person or remotely) and check-in at the Advising Center. If you arrive 5 minutes or later for an appointment, you will be asked to reschedule. Bring all necessary documents (i.e. your Progress Report) and a valid photo ID to your appointment.
Need help? View this Step by Step Guide to schedule an appointment in AlamoNAVIGATE.
Can an advisor assist me via email?
Your assigned academic advisor is available to answer questions submitted from your ACES student email. In emails to advisors, please include your first name, last name, and student Banner ID number, as well as a detailed description of what you need. Your advisor will return your message as soon as possible on a first-come, first-served basis. Keep in mind that your advisor may take up to 24-48 business hours to respond, so please be patient. If a question is of high importance or requires more time, we recommend you set up an appointment with your assigned advisor though AlamoNAVIGATE via ACES portal.
What are some advising best practices?
To have a productive meeting with your advisor, please consider the following:
- Create a reminder on your phone or in your planner with your appointment date and time.
- Prepare for your meeting by creating a list of topics you want to discuss, such as classes to take, transfer planning, graduation planning, goal setting, and any additional concerns regarding your educational and career goals.
- Meet with your assigned academic advisor every semester to ensure you stay on track. Meet with them early to avoid any issues with registering for future classes once registration begins.
- Create an advising folder to keep yourself organized with advising-related materials [Example: degree plan, schedule plans, notes from advising meetings] and keep it updated.
- Check your ACES student email regularly, as 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.
Contact Information
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Michael Ximenez Brenda Espinoza Phone: 210-486-3300 |
Summer Hours (June-July) Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m.–7 p.m. |
Regular Hours (Aug.–May) Monday: 8 a.m.–7 p.m. |