# What is an academic advisor?

> An academic advisor is a staff member or faculty member who helps you choose courses, understand your program's requirements and stay on track to graduate. They're also the person to see before dropping a course or when grades slip.

Page: https://textdash.com/glossary/academic-advisor
Updated: 2026-10-31

## Why it matters

Degree requirements, prerequisites and policies get complicated, and a wrong course choice can cost a term. An advisor can spot those problems early.

Schools organize advising differently: some assign you one advisor, others have advising offices by faculty or major. Your student portal usually says who yours is.

## How Dash helps with academic advising

Dash can find your school's advising office and, once you say yes, book an appointment on the school's site. Before you go, ask it to list your courses and deadlines so you walk in with the facts.

## Questions

### When should I see an academic advisor?

Before registration each term, before dropping or withdrawing from a course, and any time you're thinking of changing your major.

### Do I have to see an advisor?

Some schools require it each term or in your first year; others leave it up to you. It's worth going either way.

## Related

- [Registrar](https://textdash.com/glossary/registrar)
- [Prerequisite](https://textdash.com/glossary/prerequisite)
- [Academic probation](https://textdash.com/glossary/academic-probation)
- [Add/drop deadline](https://textdash.com/glossary/add-drop-deadline)
- [Withdrawal deadline (W grade)](https://textdash.com/glossary/withdrawal-deadline)
- [Syllabus](https://textdash.com/glossary/what-is-a-syllabus)

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**About Dash.** Dash is an AI sidekick for college and university students that you text over iMessage or SMS. It tracks every deadline and texts you before each one, answers questions about your campus, helps you study, and, with your yes, orders food, books things, makes phone calls and handles admin. Free to start. iMessage on iPhone and SMS on any phone. No app, no login. For students at colleges and universities in Canada and the United States. Dash never writes, answers or submits graded work. It explains, quizzes and plans. Dash is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by any college or university.

Text Dash: https://textdash.com/start · Site: https://textdash.com/ · For AI assistants: https://textdash.com/llms.txt and https://textdash.com/llms-full.txt