Abstract
Maintaining effective undergraduate academic advising programs that meet the needs of students is an ongoing challenge for universities across the country. Using expectancy violations theory as a lens, this study argues that student satisfaction with advising is linked to alignment between student expectations of the advising process and perceived advisor behaviors. Advising approaches are classified as either prescriptive, in which the advisor assists students with course selection and other logistical details, or developmental, where the advisor takes a holistic approach in providing advice related to academic, career, and personal goals. Results indicate student satisfaction with advising increased when perceived advisor behaviors aligned with students’ prescriptive or developmental expectations. Developmental advising, while favored in previous research, may not be appropriate for all students; instead, advisors should strive to meet students’ expectations, whether prescriptive or developmental. Further, results suggest student expectations of advising are not being met at the university under study. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Anderson, Whitney; Motto, Justin S.; and Bourdeaux, Renee
(2014)
"Getting What They Want: Aligning Student Expectations of Advising with Perceived Advisor Behaviors,"
Mid-Western Educational Researcher: Vol. 26:
Iss.
1, Article 3.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/mwer/vol26/iss1/3
