Academic Advising for Parents and Families

Who We Are and What We Do

Academic advisors help students understand degree requirements, develop and maintain their Student Educational Planner (SEP), select appropriate courses, navigate university policies and procedures, monitor progress toward degree completion, and connect with campus resources. Advisors also provide guidance when students experience academic challenges or are unsure where to go for assistance.

Students are encouraged to develop an ongoing relationship with their assigned academic advisor rather than waiting until registration or until a problem occurs. Parents and family members can support this process by encouraging students to communicate directly with their advisor, regularly check their PVAMU email and Panther Navigate, review their degree requirements and SEP, and seek assistance early when questions or concerns arise.

Through PV Cares, undergraduate students have access to a Care Team designed to support them throughout their PVAMU experience. The Care Team brings together academic, career, and financial support so students know where to turn when questions arise.

Academic Advisor — Supports academic planning, course selection, degree progress, academic policies and procedures, and connections to appropriate university resources.

Career Coach — Supports career exploration and preparation, including career options, résumés and portfolios, networking, internships, employment searches, professional development, and preparation for graduate or professional opportunities.

Financial Counselor — Provides guidance regarding financial aid, billing, financial literacy, financing options, satisfactory academic progress, and other financial matters affecting students.

Students can identify their assigned Care Team through Panther Navigate.

One of the most helpful things you can do is encourage your student to remain actively engaged in their own academic planning. Rather than managing university processes for your student, help them develop the confidence and skills to ask questions, seek assistance, and advocate for themselves.

  • Encourage your student to meet with their academic advisor throughout the semester—not only when registration opens.
  • Ask whether they know how to access and understand their degree requirements and academic plan.
  • Ask your student about their Student Educational Planner (SEP). Students should know how to access their SEP in DegreeWorks and understand the courses planned for upcoming semesters. Encourage them to discuss questions or needed changes with their academic advisor.
  • Remind them to check their PVAMU email and Panther Navigate regularly for important university communications.
  • Encourage them to ask questions when they do not understand a policy, requirement, hold, or process.
  • Help them identify the appropriate member of their PV Cares Team when they need academic, career, or financial assistance.
  • Encourage them to become familiar with the Undergraduate Catalog, Academic Calendar, and other university resources.
  • Allow them to communicate directly with university offices whenever possible while remaining a supportive resource.

Meet the CARES Team

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of students' education records. Once a student attends a postsecondary institution, FERPA rights generally belong to the student. Because of these protections, university employees may be limited in the student-specific information they can discuss with parents, guardians, and other individuals.

Academic advisors can still explain general university policies, academic requirements, procedures, deadlines, and available resources. Students who would like PVAMU to release designated educational information to another individual may submit a FERPA authorization.

Panther Navigate is PVAMU's student success platform and serves as an important connection between students and their support network. Students can use Panther Navigate to identify their Care Team, access their class schedule and calendar, and schedule, request, or cancel appointments with participating campus offices.

Panther Navigate for Students

The Student Educational Planner (SEP), available through DegreeWorks, provides students with a personalized semester-by-semester academic plan based on their degree requirements. Students work with their academic advisor to develop and maintain their SEP as a roadmap toward degree completion.

The SEP helps students understand what courses they should take and when they should take them, allowing students and advisors to plan ahead rather than selecting courses one semester at a time.

Parents and families can support students by encouraging them to:

  • Review their SEP regularly and become familiar with their remaining degree requirements.
  • Meet with their academic advisor to discuss changes to their academic plan.
  • Use their SEP when preparing for upcoming registration periods.
  • Talk with their advisor before changing their major, dropping courses, or making other decisions that could affect their academic plan or anticipated graduation timeline.
  • Remember that the SEP is a planning tool and may need to be adjusted based on course availability, completed coursework, changes in academic programs, or other circumstances.

Some students arrive at PVAMU confident about their intended major, while others need time to explore their interests, strengths, and career goals.

Students who are considering a major or a change of major should speak with their academic advisor to understand how the change may affect their degree requirements, completed coursework, Student Educational Planner, graduation timeline, and other academic considerations. Students are also encouraged to connect with their Career Coach to explore how their interests, strengths, academic program, and career goals align.

Academic challenges can occur for many reasons, and students should seek assistance as early as possible. If your student is struggling with coursework, time management, personal circumstances, finances, or another issue affecting academic progress, encourage them to contact their academic advisor or another appropriate member of their PV Cares Team.

Academic advisors can help students review their academic situation, understand applicable university policies and deadlines, explore available options, and connect with appropriate campus resources. Depending on the situation, students may also benefit from speaking with their instructor, accessing tutoring or academic support services, meeting with their Financial Counselor, or utilizing other university support services.

Students should avoid making changes to their enrollment without first understanding the potential academic and financial implications.

FIRST YEAR — EXPLORE & ESTABLISH
Become familiar with degree requirements, connect with the PV Cares Team, develop a Student Educational Planner with an academic advisor, establish strong academic habits, learn how to use university systems and resources, and explore academic and career interests.

SECOND YEAR — PLAN & CONNECT
Review and update the SEP with an academic advisor, confirm or reevaluate academic and career direction, develop relationships with faculty, and begin exploring internships and experiential learning opportunities.

THIRD YEAR — PREPARE & PROGRESS
Use DegreeWorks and the SEP to monitor progress toward graduation, review remaining requirements with an advisor, deepen career preparation, pursue internships or other experiential opportunities, and begin exploring graduate or professional school when appropriate.

FOURTH YEAR — COMPLETE & TRANSITION
Review DegreeWorks and the SEP with an academic advisor to confirm remaining graduation requirements, apply for graduation by the appropriate deadline, complete remaining coursework, and work with the Career Coach and faculty mentors to prepare for employment, graduate school, professional school, or other post-graduation opportunities.

ACADEMIC PLANNING
Academic Programs • Undergraduate Catalog • Academic Calendar • University Core Curriculum • DegreeWorks / Student Educational Planner • Panther Navigate • PVPlace

ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Academic Advising Services • University Tutoring Center • Writing Center • Testing Services • TSI Information

ENROLLMENT & STUDENT REQUIREMENTS
Admissions • Registrar • Financial Aid & Scholarships • Student Financial Services • Final High School Transcript • Meningitis Requirements

STUDENT SUPPORT
PV Cares • Health Services • Student Counseling Services • Disability Services