Navigating Rutgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Student Advising Resources

Rutgers University is dedicated to empowering its students to achieve their academic and professional aspirations. To that end, the university offers a wide array of advising resources designed to support students at every stage of their academic journey. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the advising services available to Rutgers students, enabling them to navigate their academic paths effectively.

The Importance of Academic Advising

Academic advisement is a collaborative process between students and their advisor. A student’s relationship with their advisor is key to their academic success and offers an opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss options, and discover answers. Advisors engage students in conversations about their education and life goals and want to learn about how individual students thrive and ultimately succeed in their degrees and careers. They are partners in meeting the essential learning goals that support student success. It is a process in which it is the responsibility of the student to take the lead and responsibility for their academic career.

Rutgers is committed to helping hardworking students achieve their goals regardless of background or situation. Many offices offer personalized academic advising to help navigate enrollment, major changes, and more, and stay on track.

Academic Advising vs. Faculty Office Hours

It is important to distinguish between academic advising and faculty office hours. Academic advising is a collaborative process between students and their advisor.

School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) Office of Advising and Academic Services (OAAS)

The School of Arts and Sciences Office of Advising and Academic Services (OAAS) helps students create and follow individualized academic paths while exploring SAS's many opportunities, courses, and resources. OAAS monitors students’ academic progress to provide timely support, and their dedicated academic advisors are available to guide students in their critical thinking and empower them to make informed decisions on their journey toward academic success. Office Hours are Monday - Friday, 9:00 am-4:30 pm.

Mason Gross School of the Arts Office for Advising and Student Success

The Mason Gross Office for Advising and Student Success is made up of a team of experienced academic advisors/student success counselors who specialize in helping students achieve their goals, understand their options, connect to resources, and identify their personal path to a successful academic and professional career.

PharmD Program Academic Support

The Office of Academic Services provides academic support to all PharmD students with a special emphasis on advising students in the first two pre-professional years of the PharmD program.

Business School Advising

Upon declaring their business major, students will be given a suggested sequence in which they should take their business courses. It is strongly recommended that students follow this scheduling sequence since this procedure allows for the orderly progression through the Business School program and a reduction in difficulties students ordinarily have during registration.

Students admitted as first-year students may declare their business major and begin taking business courses as long as they have completed the six pre-business requirements. Students admitted as transfers into the junior year will be automatically registered for business courses (as long as they have completed the six pre-business requirements) for the fall semester in which they begin their business studies.

The courses which students take to complete their majors follow a relatively consistent pattern. There are certain Junior (300) level courses that students must take in order to satisfy prerequisites for upper (300 and 400) level courses. Students may not add courses for which they have not successfully completed the necessary prerequisite. Students may change into new sections or add additional courses to their schedules if space is available in the sections desired. Given the limited availability of Business School-New Brunswick courses, special permission is not granted for closed courses or sections of courses. Courses that are considered to be electives in the programs will be selected by the student during the appropriate semester. Students may take major electives any time they have the necessary prerequisites.

Read also: ACT Requirements for Rutgers

Academic Advising ZOOM Drop-In Hours for Business Students

To best assist you, the Office of Undergraduate Programs-New Brunswick will offer Academic Advising ZOOM Drop-In Hours on Tuesday mornings (10 am to 12 noon) and Thursday afternoons (2 to 4 pm). During peak periods like the Add/Drop period or pre-registration weeks, the Zoom drop-in hours will change to 9:30 am to 12 noon, Monday through Friday of those peak times. These Drop-In hours give you an opportunity to reach out to our Advising Team. Drop-In Advising Hours are meant for quick questions and troubleshooting only. You will be provided their booking link so that you can self-schedule. Zoom drop-in hours are NOT offered during summer or winter break.

Senior Review for Business Students

For our Seniors, we strongly encourage you to have a Senior Review of your academic progress to ensure that all your academic requirements are being met for your anticipated graduation date.

Class Year Definition

Class year is determined by the predicted year and month of graduation. Students are classified according to whether they have declared their major and the year in which they will graduate.

Senior: January, May, or August 2026
Junior: January, May, or August 2027
Sophomore: January, May, or August 2028
First Year: January, May, or August 2029

*Student will rise to the next class year in August of each year. Students are reviewed for graduation eligibility based on their declared class year and graduation month. Therefore, students must keep the Office of Undergraduate Programs-New Brunswick apprised of their anticipated graduation year and month. You can update your graduation date by filling out a Reclassification form.

Additional Resources and Support Systems

Beyond academic advising, Rutgers offers a wide array of resources to support students' overall well-being and success.

Absence Reporting

Attendance is essential for academic engagement and learning. The course syllabus outlines requirements for attendance, deadlines for submission of assignments, and dates of exams. Missing class or the submission of required work can impact your grade, regardless of the circumstances. For multi-day absences, or when a major course requirement is missed during the one or two-day absence, instructors may request students obtain an Absence and Verification Notice (AVN) from the Dean of Students-Advocacy, Outreach, and Support.

Student Involvement and Leadership

The Student Involvement and Leadership team serves over 500 student organizations and their student leaders through advisement, organizational development programs, and support services. In collaboration with the other areas of Student Affairs, they facilitate interactions among students, faculty, and staff that focus on student growth and development, students as partners in the creation and implementation of co-curricular activities, and participation in student organizations and their events. Student Involvement and Leadership Peer Advisors are here to assist you!

Online Resources

In a digital world, online tools and resources play a key role in supporting your academic experience, both in and out of the classroom. This is a variety of learning spaces and tools to support the way you study, collaborate with peers, and engage with course material. From individual study areas to group settings, you can reserve or find drop-in options all across campus.

Study Spaces

Spots to study on campus, makerspaces, labs, reserving smart boards…

Comprehensive Support System

Set yourself up for success at Rutgers-New Brunswick with resources, tools, and support every step of the way, from living on campus to managing your classes, finding a community, and planning for the future.

Food, housing, how to get around, how things work here…
Physical and mental health, fitness, wellness, spiritual well-being…
Financial aid, emergency assistance, managing finances, and jobs…
Emergency services, safety concerns, crisis support…
Meeting with advisors, managing classes and absences, rights and responsibilities…
One-on-one and group tutoring, study groups, study tips, writing assistance…
Developing skills like time management, study strategies, and goal setting…

Whether you're a first-year student, a transfer, or simply exploring resources for the first time, this is your go-to spot for answers. From getting your ID card to finding the best places to eat to enhancing your academic skills, we've got you covered.

Ablution Space

An ablution space is located in the Livingston Lounge.

Confidentiality/FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, commonly referred to as FERPA or the Buckley amendment, is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of a student’s educational record. FERPA applies to all educational agencies or institutions that receive federal funding for any program administered by the Secretary of Education. FERPA also applies to private entities that contract to perform services for the University that it would otherwise undertake to perform on its own; in such cases, the private entity must observe the same FERPA protections applicable to the University.

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