NOVA Advising
Impact on Student SuccessImportance of NOVA Academic Advising
The student experience starts when prospective students first make a connection with the institution, and it continues until the students complete their goal. Academic advising is a critical part of a student’s experience.
Throughout the educational journey, students interact with college personnel (e.g., advisors, instructors), college structures and systems (e.g., placement/assessment processes, class scheduling, degree planning) and college policies (e.g., rules regarding their academic progress standards, curriculum, and graduation requirements). Each of these interactions makes an impact on whether students will continue in their studies toward successful completion or whether they will drop out along the way. Advising is an important component in improving student success.1 The student engagement with the college and its process, policy, and procedures teaches students how to navigate their success.
The importance of advising is even more heightened in a community college context, where career, transfer, and workforce credential options can create multiple paths to one goal. When students participate in academic advising, such as selecting a program of study, developing an academic plan, discussing academic goals or career ambitions, enrolling in classes, and attending classes, they become more engaged in their education and college community.
NOVA Academic Advising Services
Advising Centers are physically located on all six NOVA campuses and available virtually via chat, email, and video in the virtual lobby. Each month, the Advising Centers serve an average of over 9,000 students with over 50 different advising service transactions and provide over 6,000 academic advising appointments. There is a high demand for the virtual advising format with the majority (57%) of student visits consisting of chat and video.2
110,792
9,233
students served by NOVA Advising Centers, July 2022–June 2023
average number of students served
per month
Virtual Advising
57%
43%
In-Person Advising
NOVA Academic Advising Services
Advising Centers are physically located on all six NOVA campuses and available virtually via chat, email, and video in the virtual lobby. Each month, the Advising Centers serve an average of over 9,000 students with over 50 different advising service transactions and provide over 6,000 academic advising appointments. There is a high demand for the virtual advising format with the majority (57%) of student visits consisting of chat and video.2
110,792
students served by NOVA Advising Centers, July 2022–June 2023
9,233
average number of students served
per month
57%
Virtual Advising
43%
In-Person Advising
NOVA Academic Advising Services
Advising Centers are physically located on all six NOVA campuses and available virtually via chat, email, and video in the virtual lobby. Each month, the Advising Centers serve an average of over 9,000 students with over 50 different advising service transactions and provide over 6,000 academic advising appointments. There is a high demand for the virtual advising format with the majority (57%) of student visits consisting of chat and video.2
110,792
students served by NOVA Advising Centers, July 2022–June 2023
9,233
average number of students served
per month
57%
Virtual Advising
43%
In-Person Advising
ACADEMIC ADVISING IMPACT ON STUDENT SUCCESS OUTCOMES
To demonstrate the impact of Academic Advising on student success at NOVA, data on the students who started in Fall 2022 and participated in Advising Services were analyzed to determine their likelihood to enroll, attempt and earn more credits, make academic progress, improve their academic performance, and demonstrate greater overall outcomes at the end of term.
Specifically, the student population that started in Fall 2022 and participated in an advising appointment or campaign was compared to students who did not participate in advising to determine the impact academic advising services had on their success at NOVA. To assess the impact of advising, the EAB Navigate Intervention Effectiveness Tool was utilized to compare the student success outcomes of students who participated in advising versus the students who did not participate in an advising appointment or campaign.4
THE ADVISING EXPERIENCE
The Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) helps community colleges discover why some entering students persist and succeed and others do not. Focused on the college experience, the SENSE data helps colleges understand the students’ critical early experiences and identify areas in which colleges can improve institutional practices that affect student success. The NOVA 2021 SENSE Survey benchmark, Clear Academic Plan and Pathway, relates to the advising assistance provided to students on academic planning for staying on track and reaching their end goal. NOVA was compared to its peer institutions.5
THE ADVISING EXPERIENCE
The Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) helps community colleges discover why some entering students persist and succeed and others do not. Focused on the college experience, the SENSE data helps colleges understand the students’ critical early experiences and identify areas in which colleges can improve institutional practices that affect student success. The NOVA 2021 SENSE Survey benchmark, Clear Academic Plan and Pathway, relates to the advising assistance provided to students on academic planning for staying on track and reaching their end goal. NOVA was compared to its peer institutions.5
Top Reasons for Advising Services
General Questions
Course Selection
Degree Planning
Academic Probation
Transfer
Out
Program Change
Veteran Advising
Testing
Center
New To
NOVA
Financial Aid Plan
Top Reasons for Advising Services
General Questions
Degree Planning
Transfer
Out
Veteran Advising
Course Selection
Academic Probation
Program Change
Testing
Center
New To
NOVA
Financial Aid Plan
Top Reasons for Advising Services
General Questions
Degree Planning
Transfer Out
Veteran Advising
New To NOVA
Course Selection
Academic Probation
Program Change
Testing Center
Financial Aid Plan
Learn More
Resources for Students, Faculty, and Staff
Meet with an Advisor
Advisors are available on all campuses and virtually to assist students with their academic goals. By exploring academic programs, choosing a major early, and meeting regularly with an advisor, students can stay on track toward graduation and/or transfer. By meeting regularly with an advisor, students are more likely to improve their success outcomes.
To meet with an advisor or set-up an advising appointment, visit: http://www.nvcc.edu/advising/index.html.
Career Services
Career Services offers a variety of resources to help students explore career paths and reach their academic and career goals. Students can participate in career assessments, receive feedback on resumes and cover letters, practice interview techniques, and attend on-campus job fairs and career events.
Learn more about Career Services upcoming events at: https://www.nvcc.edu/student-resources/career-services/index.html.
Workforce Development
NOVA Workforce offers continuing education and professional development training for today’s workforce. Learn new, in-demand skills, or prepare for industry credentials, and advance your career. No matter your learning goals, we’re here to help you succeed.
Learn more about Workforce Development at: https://www.nvcc.edu/workforce/index.html.
Transfer Services
Transfer Services offers Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees to students who plan to complete their freshman and sophomore years of college work at NOVA and then transfer to a four-year college or university to complete their junior and senior years of a bachelor’s degree.
Learn more about Transfer Services at: https://www.nvcc.edu/transfer/.
Citations
- Oriano, A. (2013). Academic advising: The key to student success (T. O’Banion, Ed.). Community College Press.
- QLESS Reports—Service Transactions by Queue.
- Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2018). Show me the way: The power of advising in community colleges. Austin, TX: The University of Texas at Austin, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, Program in Higher Education Leadership. https://www.ccsse.org/nr2018/Show_Me_The_Way.pdf
- CCSSE: Results of Spring 2017 Survey, Research Report No. 65-18, December 2018, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success, Northern Virginia Community College.
- Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) 2021: Benchmark Scores and Aspects of Student Engagement, No. 16-22, April 2022. https://www.nvcc.edu/osi/oir/report/Home/Report?id=1141.
- EAB Navigate Reports—Appointments.
- Oriano, A. (2013). Academic advising: The key to student success (T. O’Banion, Ed.). Community College Press.
- QLESS Reports—Service Transactions by Queue.
- Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2018). Show me the way: The power of advising in community colleges. Austin, TX: The University of Texas at Austin, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, Program in Higher Education Leadership. https://www.ccsse.org/nr2018/Show_Me_The_Way.pdf
- CCSSE: Results of Spring 2017 Survey, Research Report No. 65-18, December 2018, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success, Northern Virginia Community College.
- Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) 2021: Benchmark Scores and Aspects of Student Engagement, No. 16-22, April 2022. https://www.nvcc.edu/osi/oir/report/Home/Report?id=1141.
- EAB Navigate Reports—Appointments.
Learn More
Meet with an Advisor
Advisors are available on all campuses and virtually to assist students with their academic goals. By exploring academic programs, choosing a major early, and meeting regularly with an advisor, students can stay on track toward graduation and/or transfer. By meeting regularly with an advisor, students are more likely to improve their success outcomes.
To meet with an advisor or set-up an advising appointment, visit: http://www.nvcc.edu/advising/index.html.
Career Services
Career Services offers a variety of resources to help students explore career paths and reach their academic and career goals. Students can participate in career assessments, receive feedback on resumes and cover letters, practice interview techniques, and attend on-campus job fairs and career events.
Learn more about Career Services upcoming events at: https://www.nvcc.edu/student-resources/career-services/index.html.
Workforce Development
NOVA Workforce offers continuing education and professional development training for today’s workforce. Learn new, in-demand skills, or prepare for industry credentials, and advance your career. No matter your learning goals, we’re here to help you succeed.
Learn more about Workforce Development at: https://www.nvcc.edu/workforce/index.html.
Transfer Services
Transfer Services offers Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees to students who plan to complete their freshman and sophomore years of college work at NOVA and then transfer to a four-year college or university to complete their junior and senior years of a bachelor’s degree.
Learn more about Transfer Services at: https://www.nvcc.edu/transfer/.
Citations
- Oriano, A. (2013). Academic advising: The key to student success (T. O’Banion, Ed.). Community College Press.
- QLESS Reports—Service Transactions by Queue.
- Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2018). Show me the way: The power of advising in community colleges. Austin, TX: The University of Texas at Austin, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, Program in Higher Education Leadership. https://www.ccsse.org/nr2018/Show_Me_The_Way.pdf
- CCSSE: Results of Spring 2017 Survey, Research Report No. 65-18, December 2018, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success, Northern Virginia Community College.
- Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) 2021: Benchmark Scores and Aspects of Student Engagement, No. 16-22, April 2022. https://www.nvcc.edu/osi/oir/report/Home/Report?id=1141.
- EAB Navigate Reports—Appointments.
