Academic advising and support
Advising at Earlham is a supportive and systematic connection between students and members of the Earlham community that empowers students to intentionally map their journey through Earlham and beyond.
Our vision of advising is to empower students to explore the academic, student affairs, career preparation, and community engagement opportunities that align with their goals as they create their EPIC Journey through established safe and effective advising relationships.
Advising values
Academic audits
An Academic Audit outlining outstanding General Education and credit requirements for degree completion is available to students and advisers in DegreeWorks. The audit informs the student of their standing in terms of graduation requirements, indicating which requirements have been completed and which are still in need of completion. Students are advised to pay very close attention to the audit, and to remember that it is, finally, a student’s responsibility (not the academic advisor) to fulfill all graduation requirements in a timely way
Pre-Law Advising
First-years and sophomores are encouraged to meet with the faculty pre-law adviser early in their undergraduate careers. The pre-law adviser can assist in thinking about courses and internships you might want to add to your four-year plan, with an eye toward making a decision about whether to pursue a law degree by the end of your junior year. The adviser can also provide you with general information about the law school admissions process, as well as discuss the law school experience and the legal marketplace. As your senior year approaches, the pre-law adviser can provide suggestions as to which law schools are most likely to grant admittance with particular academic records and LSAT scores. Most importantly, the pre-law adviser helps to overcome the myths affecting aspirations to attend law schools.
Health Careers Advising
We’re proud of the health pre-professional students at Earlham who are looking toward careers in various aspects of the health sciences: in professions that range from audiology to medicine, to dentistry and specialized areas of veterinary science, adding up to more than 175 different career paths!
As a pre-professional student, you can major in any academic discipline, from art to psychology. The choice is really yours as there is no “correct” major for a health career path. The variety of disciplines among Earlham students interested in a health career results in a comprehensive representation of almost every academic field. Earlham students interested in health careers study on campus in Richmond and at our off-campus study locations around the globe, including Kenya, Galapagos, Southwestern U.S, Ecuador, Bahamas, London, Oak Ridge National Lab, The University of Aberdeen and numerous other sites.
On Earlham’s campus, you will learn in a liberal arts environment where you are exposed to the intellectual contents and methodologies of the social and physical sciences, languages, religion and philosophy, fine arts, humanities, sports and physical fitness. Academics at Earlham are rigorous and challenging, and you will learn that much can be accomplished by cooperative learning within this community of scholars, where you, your peers and faculty learn together.
Broadly trained individuals with cooperative learning skills are the types of persons that the professional schools are looking for in successful applicants. The health career path is a challenging one, and Earlham, through its counseling and supportive services, works with you to meet you career goals. We are glad that you are interested in this path of study. Let us help you reach that goal.
If you are interested in a career in a health profession, talk to a member of the Health Careers Advisory Committee:
- Michael Deibel — Co-director of the Center for Global Health, President of the National Association for the Advisers of Health Professions & professor of chemistry
- Peter Blair — Co-director of the Center for Global Health & associate professor of biology
Epic Advising
At Earlham, you will have an Epic advising team helping you to navigate your career and maximize your Epic journey. This advising team of three to four faculty members works with you in all aspects of your college career, integrating your academic coursework with development of leadership skills and experiences.
Your Epic advising team offers one-on-one advice and counsel throughout your four-year career complemented by our leading edge AdviseStream digital technology that enables you to develop your plan, incorporate key learning and milestones along the way and document acquired skills and abilities for life after college.
Even before you arrive on campus, you will be assigned a faculty adviser and a transition mentor. These two advisers will help you learn more about Earlham, navigate the start to your college career and develop a plan for how to take full advantage of Earlham’s Epic opportunities. In addition, you will have access to a career coach who will work with you throughout your four years to discern your career interests, build tangible skills and gain “stand out from the crowd” job experience. A fourth specialty adviser may also be assigned to students with specific interests or focus (such as health, law or business).