Academic Advising Portfolio - Division of Continuing Education ...

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Response to Case Study 2
Brandon is an advisee who, on paper, seems to be an ideal student: involved, active,
getting very good grades. He comes to his advisor now in search of perhaps affirmation of his
decisions and reassurance that he will land on his feet if his plans do not work out. He is not
presenting to you in academic crisis, per se, but rather at a moment in time when looming
changes in his life are creating stress and internal conflict. The goals of the advisor working
with Brandon at this point in time are to help him examine his decision‐making process, support
his self‐esteem, consider his athletic‐identity, and possibly determine his career maturity and
goals. The shape of advising sessions will further be informed by sensitivity to Brandon’s
multicultural development and identity.
Student Development Theory – Schlossberg’s Transition Theory
Astin’s (1984) student involvement theory asserts that student satisfaction and
persistence can be influenced and related by how much a student has become engaged with
their college environment. As a student‐athlete, Brandon has already invested a lot of physical
and psychological energy in the college and its prestige through the swim team. He seems to
enjoy his experiences at the College and has worked hard for his grades. To this point he has
not expressed dissatisfaction with the College or with his program; rather, his dilemma seems
pointed inward at the impending decisions he perceives he needs to make. In essence,
Brandon believes he is facing a decision whether or not to stay in engineering and to stay on
the swim team. This anticipatory anxiety allows the advisor to use Nancy Schlossberg’s
Transition Theory to structure advising approaches with Brandon.