Advisors' perceptions of community college advising

The purpose of the following dissertation was to gain understanding of community college advisors' perceptions of the community college advising process. A constructivist approach was utilized to develop a general description and understanding of what influences advising perceptions from qualitative data collected through interviews with sixteen advisors. The study provides a voice for advisors in a community college setting to explore how they perceive the advising process. This study found that several factors influence the advising process from the advisors' point of view. Advising setting and context, advising styles, advisors' perceptions of student characteristics, and advising experiences all play prominent roles in influencing the advising process at the study site. This study provides greater insight into the advising needs of community college students through the eyes of the advisors. Findings have implications for practice and policy in how advising services are changed and delivered within a community college setting.