Advising First-Year Undecided Students: Research, Practice & Policy

KIMBERLY S. SMITH, PhDDirector of Undergraduate Advising

Virginia Tech

Agenda

I. Who are “undecided” students?II. What are the needs of first-year undecided students?III. Which approaches to delivery of advising are appropriate for this population?IV. What are some of the best practices?V. What are the implications for future practice, research and policy development relative to the population?

Who Are “Undecided” Students

Who Are “Undecided” Students

• DefinitionThose students who

are “unwilling, unable, or unready to make educational and/or vocational decisions.”

The Undecided College Student Gordon (2007)

• How do we identify these students?

Undecided IndecisiveExploratoryOthers??

Who Are “Undecided” Students

What other terminology do you use to identify this population of students?

Who Are “Undecided” Students

True or False:Anywhere from 20% to 50% of entering college students are

undecided majors.

Who Are “Undecided” Students?

ClassificationVery

DecidedUnstable Decided

Chronically

Indecisive

Developmentally Undecided

Somewhat Decided

Tentatively Undecided

Seriously Undecided

Gordon (1998)

What are the Needs of First-Year Undecided Students?

Needs of First-Year Students?

• General Population Clarification of

expectations (students and university)

Realignment of pre-college and college educational experience (standards movement)

Movement from external (pressure) to internal motivation

Decrease in parental involvement

Keeling (2003)

Needs of First-Year Students?• Undecided Students

Clarification of expectations (students and university)

Realignment of pre-college and college educational experience (standards movement)

Movement from external (pressure) to internal motivation

Decrease in parental involvement

Needs of First-Year Undecided Students?

Special Considerations… Decision-making Critical thinking and

analytic skills• Likes/dislikes• Strengths/

limitations Academic options

• Careers vs. Establish major(s)

Counseling• Anxiety• Pressure

Needs of First-Year Undecided Students?

Based on your experiences with first-year undecided students, what

additional needs or special considerations have you identified

for this population?

Needs of First-Year Undecided Students?

• Examples of Triggers for Undecided or Exploring Students1. Student registers for course work that does

not correspond to her “declared” major.2. Student declares a popular major without any

explanation.3. Student “declares” a different major at each

advising session.

Needs of First-Year Undecided Students?

• Examples of Triggers for Undecided or Exploring Students cont’d…4. A male student decides not to pursue nursing as a

major despite his interests and abilities because of the perception that it is a career field for women.

5. There is a serious disconnect between a student’s academic abilities, skills and declared major.

6. Student informs advisor that her choice of major is due to parental or peer pressure or expectations.

Steele& McDonald (2008)

What Approaches to Delivery of Advising are

Appropriate?

Delivery of Advising

• Vision, mission, and goals

• Faculty vs. Professional

• Individual vs. Group• Mandatory vs.

Voluntary

Delivery of Advising

Should advising be mandatory or voluntary for first-year undecided students?

What are Some of the Best Practices?

• Academic Advising Handbookhttp://

www.advising.vt.edu/ADVISINGHANDBK_2012a.pdf

• Guide for Advisors of Undecided Studentshttp://

www.stevenson.edu/academics/academic_advising/undecided.asp

• Websitehttp://www.due.uci.edu/uu/prospective.html

What are Some of the Best Practices?

Best Practices

• First Year Experience• Increased use of

technology• Increased

collaboration with Career Services

• Increased collaboration with academic majors

• Other examples?

Best Practices

Describe other best practices in providing advising services to first-year

undecided students.

What are the Implications?

Implications Related to First-Year Undecided Students

• Future Practice High school

guidance counselors

College admission counselors

Academic support providers

Academic Advisor

Implications Related to First-Year Undecided Students

• Future Research… Employing a

longitudinal lens Increased focus on

differences within the undecided population

Examining factors that increase academic success for first-year undecided students

Implications Related to First-Year Undecided Students

• Future policy Recruitment and

admissions Academic support

services Internal transfer

guidelines (change of major requirements)

Conclusions

Conclusions

• Quality academic advising plays a major role in the success of first-year undecided students.

• A variety of approaches and practices must be developed to meet the unique needs of this sub-population.

• Advisors must be aware of, and responsive to, the differences in levels of decisiveness and decision-making ability of students.

• First-year undecided students are best served by services and programs which result from collaborative efforts across the institution.

Questions and Comments

Additional Resources

National Academic Advising Association•State, regional, and national conferences•Undecided & Exploratory Students Commission•Clearinghouse•Advising Special Populations Monograph Series (with a chapter sponsored by the commission)•ListservNational Conference on Students in Transition

Additional ResourcesBrown, K. S. (2009). Factors that Predict Academic Achievement for Students Who are Undecided Majors (Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University).Cuseo, J. (2005). “Decided,” undecided,” and “in transition”: Implications for

academic advisement, career counseling, and student retention. In R. S. Feldman (Ed.), Improving the first year of college: Research and practice (pp. 27-48). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.Gordon, V. N., Habley, W. R., & Grites, T. J. (Eds.). (2011). Academic advising: A

comprehensive handbook. Wiley. com.Gordon, V. N. (2007). The undecided college student: An academic and career advising challenge. Charles C Thomas Publisher.Gordon, V. N., & Steele, G. E. (2003). Undecided first-year students: A 25-year

longitudinal study. Journal of the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 15(1), 19-38.

Gordon, V. N. (1995). The undecided college student: an academic and career advising challenge. Springfield, Ill.: Thomas Publishing.Gordon, V. N. (1998). Career decidedness types: A literature review. Career Development Quarterly, 46, 386-403.

Additional ResourcesLewallen, W. C. (1992). Persistence of the undecided: The characteristics and college persistence of student’s undecided about academic major or career choice. Dissertation Abstracts International, 53, 12A, 4226.Lewallen, W. C. (1993). The impact of being“undecided” on college student persistence. Journal of College Student Development, 34, 103-112.Lewallen, W. C. (1995). Students decided and undecided about career choice: A comparison of college achievement and student involvement. NACADA Journal, 15(1), 22–29.Lucas, M. S.,& Epperson, D. L. (1988). Personality types in vocationally undecided students. Journal of College Student Development,29(5), 460-466.Savickas, M. L., & Jarjoura, D. (1991). The decision scale as a type indicator. Journal of Counseling Psychology , 38, 85-90.St. John, E. P., Hu, S., Simmons, A., Carter, D. F., & Weber, J. (2004). What difference does a major make? The influence of college major field on persistence by African American and White students. Research in Higher Education, 45, 209- 232.

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Kimberly S. Smith, PhDDirector of Undergraduate Advising

kimberly.smith@vt.edu