Higher education is at a crossroads. More students are questioning the value of a college degree and whether their experience truly prepares them for life after graduation. This moment calls for a shift in how institutions approach academic advising strategies. Holistic advising is not simply another model. It is a mindset that places the student at the center of every interaction by recognizing their whole story, not just their course schedule.

I define holistic advising as capturing a 360 scan of a student and using that perspective to help them both discover themselves and succeed in college. Traditional advising often focuses on the transactional what classes to take and what career to pursue. Student-centered advising goes deeper. It seeks to understand what makes each student unique, what motivates them, and how their identity shapes their journey. It asks about the who, the what, the when, and the why.

The power of this approach is not theoretical. I once worked with a student who had experienced a traumatic event. She trusted me enough to share her story because she believed I would listen without judgment. I was able to connect her to the exact resources she needed in a confidential and supportive way. That trust did not come from filling out a degree plan. It came from holistic advising that affirms identity development in college and recognizes the student as a whole person.

Students today face significant challenges in identity development. Many come to college after years of being told how to behave and who to be. Suddenly, they are told to construct their own identity. Without guidance, this can lead to confusion and a lack of self-discovery. Holistic support for college students helps them see themselves beyond the label of “student.” It affirms that their intersectional identities matter and that success does not require becoming someone else.

Advisors play a crucial role in this process. To advise holistically, they must reflect on their own identities and recognize that students may see the world differently than they do. They must be open to the unique strengths, weaknesses, and goals that each student brings. While graduation is a shared goal, many students seek much more from college. Advisors who embrace strengths-based advising help students take agency in their development and leave college not only with a degree but with confidence in who they are.

Institutions also carry responsibility. Advisors are asked to wear many hats, from coach to advocate to mentor. Without training and support, these expectations can overwhelm even the most dedicated professional. Institutions can strengthen advising by offering advisor training and development that includes equity, bias, and coaching strategies. They can also provide tools that help advisors guide students through the complex process of self-discovery and student belonging in higher education.

The cost of not embracing holistic advising is high. Institutions risk losing students who feel unseen and unheard. A single negative advising experience can create a domino effect that influences retention and persistence. On the other hand, investing in equity in advising shifts advising from a performative claim of being student centered to a genuine practice that makes students feel valued.

Holistic advising does not require rewriting job descriptions or creating new offices. It begins with a shift in mindset. Every advisor can start from the belief that students already have the tools within them to succeed. The role of advising is to help students uncover those tools and to guide them in using them well. When institutions and advisors commit to this, they will see not only stronger student outcomes but also stronger students who leave college fully prepared for the lives they want to build.

Holistic advising is not just a philosophy, it is a practice that transforms how students experience college. Institutions that embrace it see stronger retention, deeper student belonging, and graduates who are confident in both their degree and their identity.

This work does not happen by chance. It requires intentional design, advisor development, and equity-centered strategy. That is where I come in. As a consultant, I partner with institutions to build advising systems that are truly student centered, systems that make holistic advising the standard, not the exception.

If your campus is ready to reimagine advising, strengthen student success, and create lasting change, let’s start the conversation. Together we can design advising structures that reflect the future of higher education.

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