Kent State seniors will be seeing a registration pin added to their schedules starting the 2015-2016 school year.

Starting in Summer 2012, Kent State freshmen and sophomore students were placed into a cohort that required them to meet with an advisor before scheduling.  After meeting with an advisor, the pin added to their schedules would be removed.  Juniors were added to the cohort in Fall 2014, and now seniors will be added in Fall of 2015.

Steven Antalvari, Director of University Advising, said adding seniors to required advising will be beneficial to the students.  Advisors can help seniors make sure they have applied and met all of the credentials for graduation.

“When I think about required advising for seniors, it’s not just registration and we’re starting to try to break that stereotype,” Antalvari said. “We want to talk to you about life after KSU.”

With 120 advisors spread out among Kent State and its eight regional campuses, there are about 300 students to one advisor as of Fall 2014 according to Antalvari.

“We want to make sure we are meeting your needs, and we want to do it to the best interests of the students and making sure you’re successful in all that you do,” Antalvari said. “They can have that meaningful relationship and not make it feel like a revolving door.”

Katie Levels, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Programs, said there are many differences between advising freshmen and seniors. With freshmen, advisors are more focused on the transition into college and connecting with the university, according to Levels.

“With seniors, we’re making sure that they’ve gotten the experiences that they need to be successful in their next step,” Levels said.

Antalvari also said that students enrolled beginning in Summer 2012 have been required to meet with their advisors since their start at Kent State so it shouldn’t be much of a change.

Laura Roch,  junior human development and family studies major, said her advisor has had a big impact on her college career.

“She’s always been really helpful in helping me figure out what I want to do concentration wise in my major,” Roch said.

Antalvari believes that adding seniors to the cohort of required advising will not only improve retention rates, but help improve the student experience overall.

“Advising isn’t just ‘come in if you need me I’ll help you with classes’, it’s ‘I want you to come in so I can develop a relationship and know what you need to get you connected in all 4 years,” Antalvari said.

Contact Kate Schwanke at [email protected].