MATC is catering to students and getting their advice before hand, having made specific days where it’s just about the students and their preparation. Days where advisers and students will come together, to better each other as a whole, and increase the retention rate in the school. Students will have the opportunity to meet with their advisers, and get some individual work done during these Advising Days.
“Advising Days is a time period for continuous students to meet with their advisers and plan out their next semester worth of classes,” said Walter J. Lanier,  director of Counseling, Advising and Career Planning. This is an avenue for continuous students to learn about their faculty adviser, if they haven’t already, and also to learn, what may be ahead in their future classes.
“Research is saying that a lot of students are taking classes that are not with their major and that’s not good,” said Dorothea Macon,  Student Services specialist. Advising Days helps students understand the needs of the program, which classes to take, and how many classes to take for their semester. This helps the students not overload themselves with school work or get involved in the same or wrong classes, which puts a burden on their financial obligations. “Taking wrong classes
takes from students’ financial aid,” said Sonia Harps, Student Services specialist.
Technically, every day is an advising day because a student has the opportunity to meet with their faculty adviser on any day, considering that adviser’s schedule.
“Students, you’re here, you’re on board, already flowing, already moving, now it’s time to meet with your adviser ‘early’ and plan for your next classes in summer or fall. Not too close to final exams so the school is here to focus on you,” said Lanier.  The goals for these special days are, to get students to identify their advisers, pick out classes for their next registration, and also to get advisers to reach out and show the students that they are there for them. For continuous students and non-veterans, Advising Days are March 24 through 31 and April 7 for our veterans.
Overall, these advising days, are a great idea for  students to  better prep for their future, according to their standards, which gives advisers a better understanding on how to deal with that student and a student that may have similar circumstances. More hands on work brings more understanding and more cooperation from each other, and brings everyone together.
The school definitely has a full plate, with all its daily operations, so it feels good to know that the college is willing to help someone else get a piece of the pie. Get your piece.