Dornsife Undergraduate Academic Advising

Parents Guide to Dornsife Advising

What is Academic Advising?

Advising is an ongoing process between academic advisors and students through which students clarify, pursue, and reevaluate their goals; navigate their academic journey; and engage with their campus community. In an effective advising partnership, students and advisors play active roles, including the following:

ADVISORS WILL	STUDENTS WILL
→ Support academic and career exploration	→ Read and respond to emails
→Explain degree requirements and policies	→ Be mindful of important dates and deadlines
→ Assist with course planning	→ Prepare for advising appointments
→ Connect students with faculty, resources, and opportunities	→ Follow-up on referrals
	→Communicate with advisors and support system

When is Academic Advising?

Academic advisors connect with students throughout the school year. To discuss academic progress, explore goals, learn about opportunities, and plan for future semesters, students can reserve individual appointments with their Academic Advisor through Advise USC.

Weeks 1 & 2	Weeks 2-5 & 13-15	Weeks 6-12
Finalize Registration Optional appointment with Academic Advisor to discuss registration changes and questions.	Explore & More Optional appointment to explore opportunities, multi-semester course plans, and more.	Pre- Registration REQUIRED appointment to prepare for next semester. To register when permit opens, complete this in advance.

Weeks 1 & 2

Weeks 2-5 & 13-15

Weeks 6-12

Finalize Registration

Optional appointment with Academic Advisor to discuss registration changes and questions.

Explore & More

Optional appointment to explore opportunities, multi-semester course plans, and more.

Pre- Registration

REQUIRED appointment to prepare for next semester. To register when permit opens, complete this in advance.

Partnering with your Student

In accordance with the federal Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act, Academic Advisors share student information with individuals outside the university only if that student grants their permission. Students can give this permission by visiting MyUSC> OASIS> Other Services > Establish Guest Access and completing the prompts.

However, there are many ways parents can partner with their students, such as downloading the

Parent Guide to Dornsife Undergraduate Academic Advising

MONTH	IMPORTANT STUDENT DATES	HOW PARENTS CAN SUPPORT
OCTOBER	Schedule and attend Pre-Registration Advisement with advisor; do so before permit to register opens Tues, 10/8: Dornsife Major/Minor Fair Thurs, 10/10-11: Fall Recess	Listen and be supportive as your student navigates midterms and the stresses of the semester Encourage your student to make their Mandatory Pre-Registration Advisement appointment with their advisor
NOVEMBER	Schedule and attend Pre-Registration Advisement with advisor; do so before permit to register opens Spring 2025 registration opens by permit to register Fri, 11/15: Last day to drop classes with an official transcript “W” Wed, 11/27-12/1: Thanksgiving break	Discuss plans for Thanksgiving and Winter Recess Recommend that your student join academic and social events

Helpful Resources

Campus Support & Intervention

Campus Support & Intervention (CSI) is an office within Campus Wellbeing and Crisis Intervention. They are a team of professionals here to assist current students, faculty, and staff in navigating complex issues.

Trojans Care 4 Trojans

USC Trojans Care for Trojans (TC4T) is an initiative within the Office of Campus Wellbeing and Crisis Intervention that empowers USC students, faculty and staff to take action when they are concerned about a fellow Trojan challenged with personal difficulties. This private and anonymous request form provides an opportunity for Trojans to help a member of our Trojan Family.

USC Parents and Families

The USC Parents and Families website is a one-stop shop for information regarding Financial Aid, Safety, Housing and much more!

FERPA For Parents

At the postsecondary level, parents have no inherent rights to access or inspect their child’s education records. This right is limited solely to the student.

However, many students do wish to share this information with their parents or other family members, so USC provides an easy way for students to grant permission for relatives to view education records, such as registered courses, the list of books required for courses, final grades, restrictions on the student’s account, and reports of progress toward degree completion.