Fellows Faves: Advising Session Tips
A cornerstone of 12 Plus’ program model has always been 1-on-1 advising. In fact, seniors who attend a 12 Plus partner schools receive an average of 16 individual advising sessions before they graduate! (The national average is only 22 minutes.)
As Aissi wraps up her Fellowship year, she reflects on and shares some key advising tips that have made of those 1-on-1 sessions impactful with her students.
Meet Aissi
Aissi is a fellow at W.B. Saul High School. Her first year as a fellow was both rewarding and insightful. Next school year, she will continue her impactful work as a College & Career Coordinator at 12Plus. She is also pursuing her Master's degree in Human Resource Development at Villanova University. Aissi has a strong passion for student success and is dedicated to the mission of 12Plus.
One of the first things I've learned about working with high school students is that they really enjoy snacks, sweet treats, and hot chocolate. Before starting each session, I always offer refreshments and snacks. This is one of the aspects students appreciate most about our space! Since I start my day with coffee, I can understand why students need a little caffeine and a sweet treat to help them open up. I'm always happy to turn on our kettle and prepare the station for students to make tea, hot chocolate, or coffee. Then they grab a snack before meeting me at my favorite spot.
It's important to find a comfortable space in the center or school where both you and your students feel at ease. We are discussing massive decisions that students will plan and make after graduation, so it's important that they feel they’re in a safe environment. My favorite spot in the center is our lounging area! Students always know where to find me when they come in. This is our first year at W.B. Saul High School, and our goal for the center is to create a safe space where students can come in, talk to us, and work on their post-secondary plans. When the weather is nice I enjoy having my advising sessions outside in the courtyard.
At the beginning of my sessions, I take some time to connect with my students and understand where they are at in their academic journey. Sometimes they share with me the classes they are struggling with, and we go over their assignments together. Other times, they share their summer plans or accomplishments. Recently, many students have shown me their prom pictures, and I love to compliment how great they all look! I usually leave it open for them to decide, and then we jump right into filling out applications, FAFSA, researching pathways, and more.
Another helpful advising tip is to create a list at the end of each session. I love making lists because they keep me organized and help me remember the steps I need to take, especially since I can occasionally be forgetful. I do this for my students so they have a physical copy of the tasks they need to complete. They appreciate the reminders we give them, whether it’s reminding them in the hallways when we run into each other or emailing them and adding their parents or teachers. This approach helps all of us stay on track; it truly takes a village for the work we do. Creating lists is important so that students know who they need to reach out to for letters of recommendation and what documents their family members need to collect to complete the FAFSA.
My favorite goal in my sessions is to make sure that students leave feeling motivated and empowered. Over the summer, I wrote a quote on our whiteboard that says, "I trust the next chapter because I am the author." I want students to understand that they have the autonomy to shape their next steps. Some people may think it's unrealistic, but I want them to know they can achieve anything they set their minds to. We are here to help them plan their post-secondary pathway! You may think that all Saul students are interested in agricultural pathways, but that isn't true. I've advised students interested in various pathways. For example, one student in my cohort wanted to become a wrestler, so I connected her with a professional who trains in the industry. No career path is too unconventional as their advisors.
My final tip is to do it all over again! I strive to be very intentional when advising because of the impact we have on students. I give them my full attention and guidance. We are their mentors, advocates, resources, and cheerleaders, and they deserve for us to show up for them every day.
Bonus: My favorite project during my fellows year was organizing an alumni panel with another Saul fellow for the underclassmen during our career day!