With hundreds of majors available across campus, it can be hard to determine what to major in. This makes academic advisement important.

With so many advisers on campus, it can be confusing figuring out which one is the best fit for you. In the past, incoming freshmen have started their first school year without having an academic plan.

This created problems down the line, such as prolonged time in college, possible financial aid denial for accumulating too many credits and, in the end, a whole lot of stress.

The Student Success Center is a campus resource for students who do not know what to major in quite yet. It can also assist those who need direction to get to the right place.

Leslie Park, director of the Student Success Center on campus, recommends students get familiarized with their advisers when attending the required orientation process on campus.

“Start with your academic adviser because they care about your success as your number one priority,” Park said. “If you don’t know where to go, come to the Student Success Center. We will get you exactly where you need to be.”

For the students who did not attend orientation, there is an option for finding advisement on the Weber State website. Searching the “Find My Advisor” app can show students which department their adviser is in, set up appointments and access adviser contact information.

According to Park, the website is enough to help a student, but meeting with an adviser in person is always the ideal circumstance.

However, for distance-learning students, this option is one of the best ways to get connected with advisers from any remote location.

Upperclassman — juniors and seniors — typically have an adviser who is specifically for the major they are going into. At this point in the degree, that adviser will take over in place of your general advisement and will help you navigate the completion of your bachelor’s degree.

However, for some departments, specific advisement is necessary from the start.

Rainie Ingram, academic adviser for the College of Engineering, Applied Science and Technology, also advises students. Ingram has seen many people come and go, and she expressed the importance of proper academic advisement to graduate in a time frame best for the student.

“We encourage the Student Success Center to send students to us if they show any interest in our major because many of our major- or prerequisite-driven … students are doing major courses in their freshman semester,” said Ingram.

The EAST department is different than the Student Success Center in that it only specializes in one area of advisement. This is more ideal for students, according to Ingram, because it allows for them to set a clear academic path to get students graduated in a way that fits students’ schedules.

“I usually ask students if they’re working. I always take that into consideration,” Ingram said. “We do let them know that in order to graduate in four years, we have the graduation plan laid out. Not everyone is able to follow that specific plan, but we do recommend that student complete 30 credits in three semesters to stay on track.”

Ingram also mentioned the Utah Futures website, which allows students to look up different career paths. They can view the predicted salary for working in Utah, what the required skill set is and the daily tasks they can expect.

Students are encouraged to visit this website if they are brainstorming ideas for what to go into. However, it is also highly recommended to stop by or contact the Student Success Center for any further questions.

The Career Services Center, another resource on campus, is also helpful if students are looking for other options to determine what type of job they might like to go into.

If students want to find a specific job field, this department can help determine what major or certification a student may need in order to go forward and achieve it.

Students are able to stop by the office and set appointments with advisers in the department and are welcome to check out their website, located at weber.edu/careerservices, for more information.