Featured Advisors:
Jarvis Chen, Advising Dean (Alpha Dean, last names L-Q), School of Arts & Sciences
BA in Political Science, University of Vermont; MA and PhD in English and Political Science, Northeastern University
"You want to have a sense of play and wonder. The point of a liberal arts education is to learn multiple things and build relationships with other students and faculty across majors and departments—that’s a full college experience.”
Leah Gadd, Associate Dean of Academic Advising & Undergraduate Studies, School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA)
BFA in Studio Art, Parsons School of Design; MFA in 3D, Mass Art
"Advisors are part of a 'constellation of support' tailored to each student's needs and interests."
John O’Keefe, Senior Advising Dean, School of Engineering
BA in Urban Studies, Columbia; PhD in American Studies, Harvard
"I'm inspired by our students who are working to solve real world issues in very practical ways."
Q&A:
Why is it important/required for students to meet with their advisor prior to class registration?
JC/A&S: Advisors help students navigate the academic requirements for their major, assist with selecting courses, and make sure they’re well prepared for registration, before lifting the advising hold on their SIS account each semester. Major advisors also sign off on their major checklist before graduation.
LG/SMFA: Our degree requirements and academic policies are complicated so it’s important to check in regularly with someone who understands them so if a student is getting off track, they have time to get back on track.
JO/Engineering: All students are required to meet with their advisor before their advising hold is lifted. It’s also a chance to have a conversation about their careers with faculty advisors who are all engineers and to build relationships with them. In fact, many students will have a class with their major/faculty advisor at some point.
What advice do you give to students to prepare them for class registration?
JC/A&S: Don’t wait to get your hold released the day of registration. Give yourself and your advisor time and space to meet so you can have a real conversation about what classes you want to take. Also, have a robust list of courses (first choices and backups) in the "shopping cart" within your SIS account.
LG/SMFA: Don’t lock yourself into what type of artist you want to be. Allow yourself to make bad work and to take risks. You need to make a lot of work to be better; it's about the practice. Also, I advise students not to go on the waitlist for studio classes because we don’t see a lot of movement in those classes; find a class that engages in the same media, approach, or has the same faculty.
JO/Engineering: Be attentive to your registration and pre-registration times and make sure you know what classes to register for on which day. And think creatively about your major and course choices. There’s always a chance to explore things you want to know more about through the arts and sciences courses that are available at Tufts.
What would you like parents and families to know about their student’s class registration process?
JC/A&S: The same things we tell students we would like parents to know as well...Your students are here for four years; they have the opportunity and responsibility to have a well-rounded liberal arts education, which means taking classes in multiple fields and being flexible to try classes outside of their major requirements.
LG/SMFA: Understand that your student may not always get into their first-choice classes/studios, especially in the beginning, and recognize that there’s a lot of opportunity in not getting their first choice. We talk about this as “productive disruption.” Encourage your student to try things and to keep track of what they like and don’t like. (To stay tuned into deadlines and opportunities for students, parents can follow us on Instagram @SMFAAdvising.)
JO/Engineering: It's more than a one-day process so remind your student not to panic. It feels like there’s a lot at stake on registration day but we work with students, and there are lots of mechanisms to troubleshoot. We are going to get your student into the courses they need to graduate.
Good to know… Students who have questions or need technical support during registration, can connect with Student Services. Engineering and A&S Advising will have Zoom support rooms during registration, and the links will be shared with students through their Academic Essentials/Canvas courses.
