I liked helping incoming students make their transition into college smooth with a lot of guidance
What I wish was different
The organization of work between others
Advice
Take great advantage of the peer advisors guidance. They know how the system works & gives the best advice. It’s up to the incoming freshmen & transfers to effectively use it
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Peer Advisor
May - July 2019 • Whittier, CA
What I liked
I appreciated the opportunity to be a part of a team that helps new students get acclimated to college. I liked being there for students if they had any questions about the college and cherished the time I had helping students register for their classes.
What I wish was different
I wish that I could have worked there for a longer period of time.
Advice
This experience will remind you the importance of connecting and collaborating with other people. You are the connection between new students and resources available on campus. Essentially, you are there to make the transition for students as they enter college much easier.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Peer Advisor
May - July 2019 • Whittier, CA
What I liked
You get the opportunity to work with first-year students and help them answer any questions that they may have regarding their transition to college. You also get to work with some transfer students.
What I wish was different
This was the first year that we were using SLATE in order to record the conversation we had with students, and there were some difficulties with it at the beginning but I feel like it was all part of the learning process. Things like this are always bound to happen when you are working with something new.
Advice
Don't be afraid to ask questions. The more you know, the more you can help other students.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Peer Advisor
May - August 2018 • Whittier, CA
What I liked
I had the opportunity to work with incoming first year and transfer students. I helped them learn about resources and navigate through registration.
What I wish was different
Advice
Make sure to put yourself in the students place because as upperclassmen sometimes we forget what it was like to come into college.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Whittier College CAAS Summer Peer Advisor
May - August 2018 • Whittier, CA
What I liked
First and foremost, I helped welcome the Whittier College Class of 2022! I helped students during their first ever college registration process. I enjoyed being able to call incoming first-year students via phone and hear their excitement yet curiosity about college. I helped make sure students completed their placement exams and student checklist to be set to go for registering for fall classes via phone call, Skype, or in person. Of those students that came on-campus, I was able to meet each and every one of them! Ultimately, I liked having been able to be that first Whittier College student they met, and also building a great relationship with the other peer advisors, some of which I had never seen on campus and now we're great friends!
What I wish was different
Certainly, I wish I could have been able to help students directly more 1:1; however, I am not a professor, thus i understood why we could not advise students on actually choosing specific classes. Also, I wish there could have been more male representation in terms of peer advisors working and present on first-year registration labs. We only had one male in our group, and that could make an incoming student a bit hesitate; for example, have them wonder, "Why is it all girls? Are male students here not as successful/not involved?".
Advice
My one piece of advice would be, "Go for it, do it, you do not lose anything from experiencing, learning, and ultimately enjoying it. If you experience it and do not like it, hop onto a new adventure but do not stop!". I was eerie about applying for this position, having known only six students would be selected, but hey I did it and it turns out 12 students ended up getting hired at the end. Had I let that stop me from applying I would not have experienced the wonderful opportunity I had. It did not even feel like a job whatsoever! I had fun!
