# Academic advising at Najran University: when to see your advisor and how to prepare

> **The short answer**: Academic advising at Najran University is the channel that follows your plan, your course choices and your major with you. The best time to use it is in your first year and before you lock in a major: bring your degree plan and a written question about one decision, and leave with one step to take this week.[^1][^2]

**Key takeaways**

- The first year is the most valuable time with an advisor, since mistakes there cost whole terms.
- Discuss your major through questions about courses, not only ambitions.
- Ask about prerequisites before you register.
- Leave with one specific step to take this week.

![Diagram: first-year timeline with a week-three flag](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/najran-academic-advising/najran-academic-advising-cover-en.webp)

A new student sat in a lecture hall in Najran unsure whether the major she had ticked on the form really suited her. A classmate told her: “Everyone goes into it, so go in.” After two terms she found that half its courses lean on the mathematics she had been avoiding. Had she asked her advisor in week three, she would have saved a full term. This story is invented, but it repeats in different forms.

> **tiswa's take**: The most useful advising meeting we can point to is the first, not because it solves a problem, but because it puts a name and a face to someone you know. A student who knows the advisor in week three can write to them without embarrassment in week nine when things tighten. One who postpones the introduction until a crisis meets the advisor at their worst.

## What is academic advising at Najran University and how do you reach your advisor?

Academic advising is organised work in which someone qualified follows your study path and helps you make considered decisions.[^2] How Najran arranges it, who assigns advisors, where you find a name and how you book a time depend on the college and the term, and we assume none of them. Start from the official university website and the student portal, then ask your department or college for your advisor’s name and the approved way to reach them.[^1]

If your plan begins with a foundation or preparatory year, ask: is my advisor in this year the same one I will have in my major, or does it change? The answer tells you when to build a relationship and when to carry it forward.

## How do you do well in your first year at university with an advisor?

The first year runs into three repeated risks: a timetable stacked with hard courses in one term, prerequisites you did not understand, and asking for help late. An advisor can help with all three if the student comes early.

1. **Read the plan before the meeting**: Open your degree plan and underline the courses whose place in the term you do not understand. These are your real questions.
2. **Name one or two courses you fear**: Do not ask “what is hard?”. Ask “should I put these two courses in the same term?”
3. **Ask about prerequisites**: Which course locks the ones after it if I fail? Write the answer beside the course in your plan.
4. **Ask for the warning signs**: When should you come without waiting? For example after the first quiz or after repeated absences from a course. Agree the signal that fits you.
5. **Leave with one step**: A step you can take this week, such as registering a course or checking a drop-and-add date. Write it down in front of them.

![Five steps for a first-year advising meeting](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/najran-academic-advising/najran-academic-advising-inline-1-en.webp)


These steps are a way to prepare, not a regulation. Some departments require a particular meeting before registration, so ask yours whether that applies.

## How do you choose a major in university with your academic advisor?

A student who asks the advisor “which major should I choose?” usually gets a general answer. It may help more to ask narrower questions: what are the courses in the first two years of this major? What leans on mathematics, writing or labs? And what do I do if I find after a term that it does not suit me? The last one matters most, because knowing the way out before going in lowers the worry.

| What worries you | A direct question for the advisor | What you do with the answer |
|---|---|---|
| I fear mathematics | How many courses in the plan depend on it? | Count them in your plan and compare with your current confidence |
| I do not know what comes after graduation | Where do graduates of this major usually work? | Check the answer with a second source such as the careers office |
| I want a different major after a term | What is the official transfer route and when? | Read the [university transfer guide](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/university-transfer-guide/) and ask your department |
| Too many courses wear me out | Can credit hours be spread over more terms? | Find the minimum and maximum hours in your regulations |

![Four worries and the question for each](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/najran-academic-advising/najran-academic-advising-inline-2-en.webp)


The table questions are for thinking only. Rules come from the college and the university, so do not build a decision on a spoken answer without asking for confirmation.

For a wider base for the choice, read [how to choose a major](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/how-to-choose-a-major/) before the meeting, then go with a shortlist of two majors, not one. Comparing two options gives the advisor something to work on.

## What do you ask your advisor before drop and add?

The drop and add period opens two doors: one to correct your timetable and one to calm your nerves. The risky part is that it ends, and after it, backing out costs more. Before it starts, ask: which course can I drop without delaying graduation? What is the minimum number of credit hours I must keep? Is there a course offered next term in a better section? For more detail see the [drop and add guide](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/drop-add-guide/).

## Should you withdraw from a course or a term if you are struggling?

Withdrawing from a course or a term affects your GPA and your length of study and sometimes entitlements tied to your status, so do not decide before you know three things: the last date, what is recorded on your record, and your plan afterwards. Read the [semester withdrawal guide](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/semester-withdrawal-guide/) and ask the advisor to write down the figures that apply under your regulations.

And do not carry the decision alone. Some students stop attending in silence because they are embarrassed to admit they are struggling, and one course turns into a lost term. A talk with the advisor on the day you feel squeezed is cheaper than disappearing for three weeks.

## How do you calculate cumulative GPA before you meet your advisor?

The advisor will ask about your GPA, and you are better off arriving with a number you have checked. Multiply the grade points of each course by its credit hours, add the results, then divide by total credit hours. Compare the answer with what the portal shows, and if they differ, ask why before the meeting. For detail see [GPA calculation](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/gpa-calculation/).

In your first year you need a laptop and software for writing and presenting, and some have student discounts. Look through the [student discounts in Saudi Arabia](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/) before you buy, and compare them with what the university already gives you free. [Browse student deals](https://tiswa.app/en/join/)

## Questions

### How do I do well in my first year at university?

Read your degree plan, pair one hard course with lighter ones, meet your advisor early, and ask for help at the first slip rather than after results.

### How do I choose a major in university?

Compare two majors, look at the first two years of courses, check what each depends on, and ask your advisor about the way out if it does not fit.

### How to calculate cumulative GPA?

Multiply each course’s grade points by its credit hours, add the results and divide by total credit hours. Then compare with the student portal.

### How do I reach my academic advisor at Najran University?

Start from the student portal, then ask your department or college for the advisor’s name and contact route. We assume no fixed procedure.

### Do I have to see my advisor before registering?

Some departments may require it, so ask yours. Even where it is not required, it is the most useful time to go.

### When should I withdraw from a course or term?

Only after you know the last date and the effect on your GPA and study length. Ask your advisor to write the figures from your regulations first.


## Sources

[^1]: Najran University: official website, https://www.nu.edu.sa/
[^2]: NACADA: Concept of Academic Advising, https://nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Concept-of-Academic-Advising-a598.aspx
[^3]: Saudi Ministry of Education, https://www.moe.gov.sa/ar/Pages/default.aspx