Frequently Asked Questions about "Inform Your Advisor"

What is "Inform Your Advisor?"

Inform Your Advisor is an online questionnaire in ISIS for letting your advisor know about what you did during the summer. It is part of an ongoing effort to help students reflect with their advisors on their own college experiences, and to help advisors advise.

What will my information be used for?

It will go to your advisor to help keep up with what you've been doing. Other faculty and staff who advise students on summer and post-graduation plans can see it with the goal of improving their ability to advise you. In rare cases it might be used to ask you more about your experience - for example if we are hoping to regularize an internship opportunity for the future. 

What will aggregated information (not identified with you) be used for?

Aggregated data will help us understand better how our students like to spend their summers so we can improve our support programs (like support for summer research and internships, study abroad, etc.). We hope to use this information as a basis for putting funds we do have where they will do the most good, and for seeking new funds to support summer opportunities. Many students currently cannot afford to take such opportunities because they need to earn money during the summer.

Does this mean that I'm supposed to do an internship or summer research?

No. Many students do internships or research, and many students have regular jobs to earn money. Other students travel, go to summer school, do volunteer work, spend quality time with their pets, or read and comb beaches. You know what's best for you in any given summer; we just want for your advisors to know what that was.

What if I didn't do anything this summer?

Most likely you did something!  After a couple of weeks, sleep gets boring. But if you spent the summer chilling or reading romance novels, that's fine too; you know best what you need. Just check "other" when you're asked for your primary activity. Then when it asks for detail, say "reading romance  novels" or "beachcombing" or if you really want to, "miscellaneous". Remember, you're talking with your advisor.

Will this go on my official transcript?

No way. It will appear on the display of your academic record that advisors see.  It is for internal use by advisors.

Will it be used to publicize the great things that MHC students do?

No. We have plenty of great things without using these responses.

Is it required?

Yes, you need to respond to the questionnaire in order to register for courses (unless you are just entering this spring, or are not enrolled as working toward a bachelor's degree).

What if I think it's an invasion of my privacy?

Please do look at the questionnaire. We think you'll agree that it's not overly personal. If you really want to, you can circumvent it by using the “Other” choice for your primary activity and describing it as "miscellaneous". But we hope you won't. We're trying to improve our ability to advise you.

When is the deadline for entering my Summer 2007 information?

Wednesday, October 31 at midnight.

What if I don’t enter my 2007 information by the deadline?

A registration hold will block your registration until you enter at least minimal 2007 data.   The moment you submit your data in ISIS, the hold will be lifted.  Please make sure to get any holds lifted before the Academic Advising period begins on Monday, November 5.

Can I enter summer information for other years before 2007?

Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors may elect to enter information about last summer (2006) but this is not required.  First-years, please don’t enter what you did in the Summer 2006; that was long before you started at Mount Holyoke!

Where can I go if I have a question about how to enter my information?

The “ISIS Instructions" page on the Registrar’s Web site, which  has a how-to sheet of instructions. The staff in the Registrar’s Office on the ground floor of Mary Lyon are also happy to answer questions and provide help.