Current Issues for Your Advisees
This page will be updated frequently to focus on current issues and academic processes that may be affecting your advisees.
Quizzes are being held in the freshman subjects, fifth week flags are soon to be sent, and advisees are committed to extracurricular activities- UROP, varsity teams, musical performance groups, student groups, etc. Your communication with each advisee at this time in the semester can help alleviate their stress.
Click one of the links below to jump to more information on the subject.
- Fifth Week Flags & Beyond
- Registration Changes
- Learning to Learn and Tutoring Resources
- Recognizing Signs of Stress
- Major Exploration
Fifth Week Flags and Beyond
Fifth week flags have been sent to freshmen, so we recommend that you talk to your advisor and check-in with all your advisees to see if you can be of assistance with referring them to the appropriate resources.
Some factors that can effect freshmen academically, include:
- Dorm issues
- Roommate issues
- Lack of time spent with TA or recitation leader
- Illness
- Personal problems
- Family concerns, etc.
For more information on fifth week flags, please see the "Right Now" section of the Class of 2016 site.
Registration Changes: Adding & Dropping Classes
At this point in the semester, your advisees may find the need to make registration changes; either in response to fifth-week flags or to drop a class they have not been attending.
- ADD DATE is Friday, March 8. This is the last day to add subjects to Registration.
- DROP DATE is Thursday, April 25. This is the last day that students can drop a class from fall registrations. Some students will drop a class that is taking too much of their focus away from their other classes. Dropping a class can be very beneficial if it allows for more time on remaining classes.
Late Registration Changes
Any student who misses either Add or Drop Date and needs to add and/or drop subjects from his/her registration must petition the Committee on Academic Performance (CAP). Petitions are available from the CAP website. Petitioning to add or drop a subject does not guarantee that it will pass, and petitions that are approved are subject to a $50 processing fee.
Learning and Tutoring Options
We are at that time in the semester, when exams and quizzes are taking place more frequently, fifth week flags have been sent, and assignments are starting to pile up. As a result, your advisees may be feeling a bit overwhelmed.
There are a number of people and resources who can help, take a look at the Tutoring Options section of the MIT Center for Academic Excellence (ACADEX) website for information on the tutoring resources that MIT has to offer. Also available, tips on time-management, effective study, and test-taking.
Recognizing Signs of Stress
Chances are that you felt stressed out at one point or another during your freshman year and perhaps even this year. You probably have a sense of what some stress symptoms are and how to spot some of the obvious ones (i.e. skipping class, receiving fifth week flags, falling asleep at your seminar meetings/in class, not responding to email, etc.). Other symptoms are less obvious, perhaps manifesting as a failure to engage with their schoolwork, apathy, etc. This means that it is important for both you and your advisor to look for signs of stress among your advisees and address these issues.
Resources for stress related issues:
- Student Support Services (S3) offers general help to students in distress, especially when it impacts their academics.
- Mental Health and Counseling at MIT Medical can help freshmen who are adjusting to life at MIT.
- MIT Together can help students navigate MIT's broad network of support services
- Resources for students with academic problems include their advisor, subject review sessions, departmental tutoring, the Tutorial Services Room (TSR), and the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming (UAAP).
Major Exploration
Freshmen are looking ahead and beginning to ask questions about choosing their major. This is one of the most important decisions that your advisees will make this spring. By thinking back on your own decision and sharing that experience with freshmen, you will serve as a great resource to them.
Encourage your advisees, as well as freshmen in your residential community, to use the Major Exploration section of the Class of 2016 site as a resource. Major information includes, course links, advice from upperclassmen and alums, and information on major exploration events.
