Advising vs Counseling

Academic Advisors and Counselors

When to Meet With Advisor

Academic advisors assist students with their academic planning through graduation. They assist students with the interpretation of policies and procedures and assist them with short and long-term goal setting.

The following are reasons why you would want to meet with an academic advisor instead of a counselor.

Plan Your Path

  • Determine educational goals: associates degree, certificate or transfer to a four-year institution
  • Verify Courses Eligible for Financial Aid 
  • Placement Testing 
  • Update degree plan or anticipated graduation date 
  • Transfer to or from HCC


Get back on Track after Early Alert 
The Early Alert program is a collaborative effort between professors and advisors to help students who are at risk of failing one or more of their classes at HCC. Faculty members submit an early alert through the Student System to an Academic Advising Office. The early alert will then be assigned to an academic advisor who will make contact with the student to provide services to improve students' performance and success in reaching educational goals.


Apply for graduation  
Graduation means you have fulfilled the requirements for your degree or certificate. Commencement is the event to celebrate your accomplishment.

In order to receive a degree and have it reflected on your transcript, students must apply for graduation. For more information about graduation, please click here. 

 

When to Meet With Counselor
At HCC, advisors and counselors have different roles and cover different topics of information. Visits with a counselor are by appointment only. Visit the Counseling webpage for additional information.
 
The following are reasons why you would want to meet with a counselor instead of an advisor.

Academic Counseling

Academic Probation
Academic Suspension
Required counseling by:

  • Financial aid appeals
  • Student judicial review
  • Dean
  • Faculty

Career Counseling

  • Changed degrees several times and are still unsure of the best one for you.
  • Plan for career transition

ADA Counseling

  • Set appropriate accommodations with approved documentation
  • Locate HCC resources for accommodations

Brief Personal Counseling and Workshops

  • Academic anxiety
  • Managing responsibilities
  • Adjusting to or from college
  • Self-esteem
  • Motivation
  • Assertiveness
  • Managing stress and anxiety
  • Crisis management
  • Basic Needs Resources