TLC: Difficult Conversations with Advisees

Presented by Kerry Cantwell, Assistant Dean, Student Support Services

You know this student: she’s been dreaming of being a doctor/nurse/lawyer/accountant/architect/programmer her whole life, but she hates the required classes for her medical/nursing/law/accounting/engineering/computer science degree, and this is the third time she’s not going to pass her calculus/biology/English/accounting/ engineering/ programming class.  Or maybe it’s the student who is determined to go to UNC-Chapel Hill for dental school, but he’s having trouble passing ENG-002 and MAT-003.  Or the one who is not going to be able to get financial aid for any more classes and can’t afford to pay out of pocket.  Or the one who doesn’t understand why he won’t graduate on time. 

What do we say to these students to help them meet their goals without crushing their dreams?  Come learn some approaches and strategies to help turn these difficult conversations into teaching moments and opportunities for new options rather than closed doors.