Mission & Purpose
Mission
The University Academic Advising Center assists students in developing meaningful educational plans that are compatible with their life goals. Using an intentional approach to academic advising based on advising theories and knowledge of counseling, the Center staff will:
- Provide information about academic programs and resources;
- Provide assistance to students in refining goals and objectives, understanding available choices, and assessing the consequences of alternative courses of action;
- Reinforce the philosophy that the ultimate responsibility for making decisions about educational plans and life goals rests with the individual student.
This mission is consistent with the Academic Advising Standards and Guidelines of NACADA, the National Academic Advising Association.
Purpose
The University Academic Advising Center focuses on health professions advising and general advising beyond college-specific issues.
General cross-college advising includes help with the following topics:
- Choosing a major/minor
- Double-major planning
- Transferring between schools
- Study skills
- Test-taking strategies
Health professions advising includes:
- Preparation for the health professions and the application processes
- A Recommendation File Service that facilitates the collection and transmission of letters of recommendation related to the application process
Background and History
The UAAC was established in 1999 to enable undergraduates from all six Northwestern undergraduate schools to seek help from a centralized resource for academic advising beyond college-specific issues. In 2001, the Center was given the added responsibility of providing health professions advising. The UAAC is under the auspices of the Office of the Provost. While independent from Northwestern's undergraduate schools, the UAAC advisers work closely with academic advisers within each of the schools.
