Academics · Adult Learning

Fifteen minutes with an advisor.
Make every one count.

Advising appointments are short, and most of the time goes to finding information you could have brought. Bring the numbers: credits done and needed, what you can take a term and how many hours you work. The organizer works out terms to finish and a realistic weekly load, keeps your questions in one list and flags the ones still without an answer.

Plan a meetingWhat you get
$5one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $5

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Academics Suite pass, $149 for 137 items.

Advising meetings

The worked example is made up: a business student who works 32 hours a week, a pre-nursing student with one question unanswered and a part-time certificate student. Saved on this device only.

Loading the meeting form. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

Academics · Adult Learning$5

What you finish with
A record per advising meeting: date, term, program, credits done and needed, credits planned a term, work hours, four preparation checks, questions with answers and next steps. Works out credits left, terms to finish and a weekly load of work plus about three hours of class and study per credit; flags part-time loads, weeks over 60 hours, unanswered questions after the meeting and missing preparation.
Who it is for
Adults in college or returning to it, and students who work while they study.
Format
Browser organizer with a saved record per meeting. Prints one meeting with its questions, every meeting in a table or a blank prep sheet; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
$5 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the tool opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Academics Suite pass ($149) and the Caveat Suite pass ($299). Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Adult Learning space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Pull your degree audit first.
  2. Check for holds and your aid status.
  3. Write questions before the meeting.
  4. Write each answer as you hear it.
  5. Email the advisor about anything left open.

Plan a meeting

Questions worth asking

Questions worth asking an advisorThis termWhich courses fit mywork schedule?Which are only offeredonce a year?My degreeWhat is left on myaudit?Do my transfer and examcredits count where Ineed them?Money and timeHow does my credit loadaffect aid?What happens if I drop acourse?Questions for an advisorThis termWhich courses fit my work schedule?Which are only offered once a year?My degreeWhat is left on my audit?Do my transfer and exam credits count whereI need them?Money and timeHow does my credit load affect aid?What happens if I drop a course?
Courses offered only once a year are the most common reason a plan slips by a whole term. Ask about them first.

The weekly load

A common rule of thumb for college courses is about one hour in class and two hours of study each week for every credit, so a 12-credit term is about 36 hours a week. Add paid work and family time, and the total shows whether the plan is realistic.

Full-time and aid

At most colleges on semesters, 12 credits is the minimum for full-time undergraduate status. Federal aid also requires satisfactory academic progress, usually a minimum grade average and share of attempted credits completed. Ask your college for its exact rules.

Sources

  1. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 34 CFR 600.2: definition of a credit hour (one hour of instruction and two hours of out-of-class work a week, or the equivalent).
  2. Federal Student Aid. Staying eligible: satisfactory academic progress (studentaid.gov).
  3. NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. Concept of academic advising (nacada.ksu.edu).
  4. Complete College America. Full-time enrollment and on-time completion research (completecollege.org).

The worked example is made up. Your college’s rules on full-time status and aid are the ones that count. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.