How a Student-Centric Approach to Academic Advising Advances Institutional and Student Success

April 23, 2025 |

To meet the diverse needs of their students, institutions are used to the pressure of needing to deliver more—better outcomes, higher retention, and streamlined operations. Meeting these demands requires more than incremental tweaks; it calls for smarter, more student-centered strategies across every level of the institution. One of the most impactful, yet often underleveraged, strategies to improve student outcomes is academic planning. No longer just a back-office task or a degree audit checkbox, academic planning—when done right—can be a transformative force that empowers students, improves advising, and aligns student goals with institutional success.

Why Academic Planning Needs a Rethink

Traditional advising models often center around course selection and checking off graduation requirements—ensuring students register on time, fulfill gen-ed credits, and eventually complete their majors. While important, this approach is typically reactive, kicking in only when a student seeks help, runs into a scheduling issue, or risks falling behind. In this regard, academic planning is transactional, not transformational, and in today’s world of personalization and tailored experiences, this model of academic planning isn’t enough.

Students are entering higher ed with diverse goals and complex lives. As demographics shift, many students are also first-generation students who are juggling jobs, transferring from other institutions, or returning after stopping out. These students, in particular, are looking for more than just scheduling advice—they want guidance that feels tailored to their journey and helps them see a clear path to their future.

At the same time, institutions are under pressure to improve retention, reduce time-to-degree, and deliver a more personalized student experience—not just for the sake of student success, but because these outcomes are tied to funding, accreditation, and institutional reputation. With advising offices stretched thin, schools need tools that can do more of the heavy lifting—supporting both students and staff in a smarter, more strategic way.

This is where reimagining academic planning comes in.

A 'Student-Centric' Academic Advising Approach

The difference between traditional advising models and a more student-centric approach is that traditional advising models (the checklist-style check ins), can lack context, continuity, and connection to a student’s longer-term learning goals.

In contrast, a student-centric approach reframes academic planning as an ongoing, guided experience—one that provides intentional, personalized advising and empowers students by giving them agency to actively shape their academic journeys. A student-centric approach equips students with modern academic planning tools that enable them to:

Visualize their full path to graduation by mapping out requirements and progress across multiple terms.
Align academic choices with long-term goals, such as graduate school, certifications, or career outcomes
See the impact of changes in real time, such as switching majors, dropping a course, or adding a minor.

Advisors, in turn, shift from schedulers to strategic partners. With better insight into student plans and progress, they can step in as coaches and help students make informed choices, navigate challenges, and stay aligned with their goals, both academic and personal.

The Institutional Payoff

Empowering students through intentional academic planning doesn’t just help individuals succeed, it advances the institution’s core mission: to deliver meaningful educational outcomes, support student persistence, and operate efficiently in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Institutions that invest in modern academic planning strategies are seeing measurable impact, including:

Improved Retention and Graduation Rates: When students have a clear, personalized plan and an understanding of how that plans helps them achieve their goals, they’re more likely to stay enrolled and complete their programs.
Smarter Resource Allocation: With access to student plans and projected course needs, institutions can better anticipate demand, reduce course bottlenecks, and schedule faculty more effectively.
Higher Student Engagement: When students feel ownership over their academic journey, they’re more motivated, more satisfied, and more likely to build lasting connections with the campus community.

In short, when academic planning is done well, it becomes a shared strategy that aligns student ambition with institutional priorities, creating wins on both sides.

How to Deliver a Student-Centric Academic Advising Experience

Transforming academic planning into a student-centric, strategic experience doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentional alignment between strategy, culture, and technology. These three elements need to work together to support students more proactively and personally.

Here are three key components that make student-centric academic advising possible:

Advisor Enablement: Shifting from a transactional model to a coaching model requires more than just goodwill—it requires training, time, and tools. Institutions must equip advisors with the insights and resources they need to have meaningful, forward-looking conversations with students, not just reactive check-ins.
Modern Academic Planning Platforms: Platforms like Jenzabar One provide students with an intuitive, comprehensive view of their academic journey, from term-by-term planning to graduation requirements, milestones, and long-term outcomes. This empowers students to take ownership of their education and chart a path that aligns with their personal goals. Jenzabar One also supports faculty by offering full visibility into students’ progress, enabling them to identify potential challenges early on and provide tailored support. This comprehensive approach ensures that no student is left behind, while also enhancing the ability of faculty and advisors to collaborate more effectively.
Proactive Data Use & Early Alerts: With the right analytics in place, institutions can spot signs of disengagement, missed milestones, or other signs of trouble early. Interventions become timely, targeted, and more effective.

The other thing to remember is that student needs and expectations evolve. Institutions must regularly gather feedback—from both students and advisors—to refine processes.

Getting Started

Academic planning is no longer just an administrative necessity—it’s a strategic opportunity. By reimagining the process through a truly student-centric lens, institutions can unlock better outcomes for learners and stronger performance at the institutional level.

With the right tools and approach, like those offered by Jenzabar One, colleges and universities can empower students to take charge of their education while building a more agile, data-informed, and student-ready campus.