Advising

Advice for classes and registration

Especially for freshmen, transfer students and recently declared Biology majors, the big courses you need to take to get you on track are BI 111, BI 112, CH 111 and CH 112. In your early years of your undergraduate education, don’t fuss so much about getting those general education (liberal studies) courses. I don’t think any undergraduate in Biology has been stuck after four years without being able to take a liberal studies requirement. On the other hand, students who get a slow start in their Biology curriculum often have to cram lots of sciences courses into semesters at the end. Avoid this. Get a good start on those science courses right away.

List of classes: this is available from going to mynmu.nmu.edu and clicking on the “Course Offerings” link

Bigger Planning: Here are some links and notes about important websites you should look over as you plan your courses for the coming years:

• Registrar’s Website for your Bulletin. This is the online “book” that lists the requirements you must fulfill in order to graduate. The specific requirements can differ slightly from year to year, so be sure to select the version of the bulletin that was published the year you first enrolled in school.
• Advising Sheets. The bulletin has the requirements listed in it, but the advising center put together some helpful advising sheets to help you keep track. Follow that link, then choose your bulletin, and then find the sheets for your specific Major (Biology, Zoology, Biology/Ecology, etc.)
• Your Transcript is always available through mynmu.nmu.edu. If you have trouble remembering what courses you have taken, or if you wonder whether transfer credits were counted for you, check your transcript.
• The Academic and Career Advising Center is always a helpful link to use when looking for information.

Letters of Reference

If you are seeking a letter of reference from me, I won't likely decline. For most students who ask, I can write strong letters of reference because I have strongly positive experiences with them. If you request a letter of reference from me, it is best to send me an email with the following information:

• A quick summary of how we know one another.
  • Did you have me in BI111 three years ago? Were you an undergraduate who worked in my or a colleague's lab at some point? The odds are that I almost certainly remember you (at least if you were working in my lab!), but it is always good to give me specifics so I can try to track down information that spans the length of our relationship.
• A quick summary of what you are applying for.
  • Veterinary School Admission? An internship with a conservation organization? Graduate School admission? A summer REU opportunity?
• Due dates and addresses (email, postal, or web addresses) for all letters needed.
  • Be sure to give me at least 2 weeks notice.
• A copy of your CV, your transcript (unofficial is fine), and any sorts of "personal statements" you might also be submitting.
  • These things help me write more effusively about you and your qualifications.

About "waiving your right to review the letter"

Students often have the option to waive their right to review their reference letters. If you haven't thought about this too much, please read on. I don't insist that people waive their rights to review the letter, but I strongly recommend it because I think it is in your best interest (at least when it comes to the letters I write). Here is why:

Letters of reference (when strong) can have the most impact when the candidate has waived their right to review them. Think about it from both the perspective of the referee and from the requester (the institution that wants the reference). A referee might not feel comfortable making any statements of caution about a candidate if the candidate has the option to read the letter later - that is understandable, even if it only affects a referee subconsciously. Now when an institution looks at a strong letter of reference they might say, "Oh sure, the referee said lots of good things about the candidate, and nothing bad about the candidate...but the candidate retained their right to see the letter...so we have to take all those strong statements with a grain of salt."

With that in mind, the main reason I strongly recommend that my students waive their rights to see my letters is because it is in their best interest to do so. I will always be frank with students who request letters - if I have any reservations about a student's ability or fitness, I would let them know before I agree to write the letter. Students will generally know what will be in the letter and so should feel comfortable waiving that right, and thereby improve the perception of my letter by the university or employer that is requesting the letter.