Tips for Successful Advising Appointments

Questions for Your Advisor

• Each major may require specific courses: don't assume all students need to take the same courses.
• Keep in mind that there are often several courses that will meet the same requirement. Use the tools/resources your advisor provides to know your options.
• Make sure you are using the tools (list of gen. ed. requirements, etc.) for your own department/major.
• Be aware of limits (i.e. skills credits, applied courses, courses outside of MU, S/U courses).
• Know how each course is counting for you (Is it an elective? Is it counting as an upper level humanities?)
• Don't take the same course twice. Learn about duplicate credit (did you have dual credit from high school? AP credit?).
• Always check prerequisites (courses you should have successfully completed before enrolling in another courses) in the Course Catalog.
• Know the level of the course (e.g., 1000 level courses are intended primarily for freshmen, 2000 level courses are primarily taught at the sophomore level). Make sure the level is appropriate to your experiences.
• Be careful with Writing Intensive (WI) designation. Always check your schedule (available via myZou) just prior to the beginning of the semester because the Writing Intensive (WI) designation can change.
• Remember the Schedule of Courses gets updated regularly. Check back often to see if new classes/sections are being offered or previously listed classes are cancelled.