Academic Advising
Academic advising is a process that helps students map out a plan for academic success and ensure their goals are met. During advising, the student becomes eligible to register using West Texas A&M University’s online registration system, Buff Advisor, through a process called "greenlighting."
Scheduling an Appointment
To schedule an advising and greenlighting appointment with Advising Services, please call (806) 651-5300.
All undergraduate students must be advised and greenlighted every semester to be eligible for registration. Some programs recommend, and a few require, all their major students regardless of the number of hours completed to be pre-advised in the department before being greenlighted by Advising Services.
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Students with fewer than 30 hours, undecided majors, most BGS (Bachelor of General Studies) majors and most BAAS (Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences) majors must visit Advising Services.
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Students with 30-45 hours may visit Advising Services or their major departments, as determined by departmental preference.
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Students with more than 45 hours visit their major departments.
| Advisers expect student to . . . | Student can expect Advising Services and/or adviser to . . . |
| ALL SEMESTER: | |
| Accept responisibility for decisions and actions that affect your educational goals. | Provide a welcoming and open-minded environment to address student questions and concerns that may affect your academic success. |
| Be aware of all academic deadlines including drop, payment, midterm and finals. Plan accordingly for advising and greenlighting appointments. | Communicate important dates and processes relevant to your major. |
| Check WT student email DAILY, practice proper communication etiquette, and have realistic expectation or response times. | Acknowledge student's communication within 24-36 hours. |
| WHEN HELP IS NEEDED: | |
| Be self-advocates and ask questions for clarification. | Connect you with appropriate University resources and contacts to address student concerns outside of Advising Services' scope. |
| Seek help before a situation becomes a crisis; ask instructors and advisers for help when you need it. | Provide one-on-one appointments for: advising and greenlighting, changing your major, academic success coaching, and related academic concerns. |
| FOR ALL APPOINTMENTS: | |
| Be respectful of scheduled appointment time; arrive early and prepared. Showing up 10 or more minutes late may result in a reschedule. | Honor appointment time and allow the allotted time scheduled, if the adviser is running late. |
| Be an active participant in the appointment; including providing honest and transparent information for the appointment to be most effective. | Be a responsive listener and advocate while supporting the development of your own self-advocacy, decision making, accountability, and responsibility. |
| Be open and responsive to recommendations made by the adviser. | Provide guidance for students to address various concerns, questions, or conflict with other departments, faculty/staff, and/or students. |
| FOR ADVISING AND GREENLIGHTING APPOINTMENTS SPECIFICALLY: | |
| Know where to find assigned adviser and faculty contact inforamation. | Work with colleges to maintain assigned advisers and contact information. |
| Know how to use Student Planning and understand general degree requirements (this includes having at least the upcoming semester courses planned). | Provide and maintain content on how to use Student Planning and the resources available for academic planning. |
| Come prepared with questions, concerns, and goals to discuss with the adviser. | Advisers will be well-versed in University policy, procedures, and curriculum. |
Currently Enrolled Students:
- Log in to your Buff Advisor account.
- Make sure to have your Degree Checklist and Curriculum Guide.
- Select Student Planning from the students menu. If you need a tutorial, we have two formats available for you to review:
- Go to View my Progress and review.
- For programs with a pre component, you must change the program. For example, if you are currently in the Pre-Social Work program you must select BA/BS Social Work.
- Click on Plan and Schedule, then select Timeline.
- Using your Degree Checklist, Curriculum Guide, and My Progress, tab to select your tentative courses and add them to your Summer and/or Fall semester.
- Schedule a tentative plan for the semester. You and an adviser will review for accuracy during your advising appointment.
B.A.A.S. and General Studies Majors:
- Please review your degree plan and bring it with you to your advising appointment.
New and Returning Students:
- If you are not currently enrolled at WTAMU, you are not required to have a tentative schedule on Student Planning.
Registration
Students who have not met all Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements, regardless of the number of credit hours completed, must register in Advising Services; they are not eligible to use Buff Advisor for registration until TSI is completed. The TSI-affected student with 45 or more hours must first be advised and greenlighted by the major departmental adviser and then further advised in the Office of Advising Services regarding TSI compliance.
Students with 45 or more hours who have not been assigned an adviser, who wish to change their adviser or who wish to change their major should contact the department of their major and request an appointment to complete a change of adviser/major form. Once completed, the form should be taken to the Office of the Registrar for updating of the student record. For a list of the bachelor's degrees conferred at WTAMU, please refer to the degree and program offering page.