Advising Question?
If you have a question, you can chat with Advising staff by clicking on the green “chat for help” button below. You may also send your question to advise@stolaf.edu.
To schedule an advising appointment with Karina Sierra, Program Director of Advising, click HERE.
Advising at St. Olaf
Our mission is to provide assistance in exploring academic goals within the context of possible career and life-long pursuits. We support advisors as well as their advisees in providing the necessary information and skills to fulfill graduation, general education, and major requirements. Academic Advising also assists students in exploring possible major options, in changing advisors, in using a degree audit, class/lab schedule, and the St. Olaf Catalog for necessary information about fulfilling requirements.
Types of Advisors
Students generally will have at least three advisors during their time at St. Olaf
- Summer Registration Faculty Advisor (during summer registration period, typically June)
The Summer Registration Advisors will assist students with registration the summer before they start at St. Olaf College.
- College Advisor (typically first two years)
The College Advisor will be the first guide to a liberal arts education at St. Olaf. College Advisors will discuss students’ interests and goals, and assist with course registration. Because the role of the College Advisor is to advise broadly, College Advisors will come from all areas of the college and typically are not in a department in which students are considering a major.
- Major Advisor (typically junior and senior years)
Students transition to a faculty advisor within a declared major by the end of their sophomore year. Major Advisors continue the work of the College Advisors while also assisting advisees in selecting courses in the major and introducing students to opportunities in their field of study.
Students may switch to a different College Advisor or Major Advisor at any time during the academic year with the permission of the new advisor and after completing at least one semester at the college. Just click on the “Change Advisor” link below.
See more details regarding the St. Olaf advising model in the catalog (page down to “Advising”)
Policy on Going Up in Catalog
A student admitted to St. Olaf College is considered a degree candidate and registers under the regulations and degree requirements listed in the St. Olaf Academic Catalog for the academic year the student first enters St. Olaf. Academic regulations and procedures may change during a student’s time at St. Olaf, but graduation requirements remain those in effect at the time of entry. Students may choose to go up in catalog under certain circumstances. Contact the Registrar’s Office with any questions.
St. Olaf Policy on Going Up in Catalog
New/modified majors, concentrations, and emphases that were approved during the 2020-21 academic year and became effective in the 2021-22 academic catalog.