A Guide to Academics and Student Success at Xavier
This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by MacGregor Yates, Admissions Counselor at Xavier University, in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.
What’s Covered:
Student Resources at Xavier
As a Jesuit institution, Xavier University emphasizes the importance of developing students both inside and outside of the classroom. This means that from the moment they arrive on campus, Xavier students are provided with numerous resources to help them reach their academic and professional goals.
All students have the support of Xavier’s student success team, which is composed of various members of the Xavier campus and alumni community. These individuals will make sure you’re successful from the time that you step onto campus until the day that you graduate.
Your Academic and Financial Aid Advisors
All students are assigned an academic advisor who is a tenured professor in their field of study. If you’re a marketing major, for example, you’ll be paired with a marketing professor who can help you select your courses, track your progress against the required credits, and ensure that you’re ultimately able to graduate on time.
Your financial aid advisor, or financial aid counselor, will help you manage the finances of your education. From assisting as you fill out the FAFSA each year to finding additional scholarship or grant programs, your advisor can help with any questions that you may have about funding your education.
Student Success and Career Coaching
Your student success coach will help you through the transition from high school to college. They’ll guide you as you begin your classes and get involved with clubs and organizations. They are there to encourage you to make the most of your Xavier education.
Your career coach will support you during the second half of your Xavier studies as you begin to plan for life after graduation. Whether you’re searching for internships, full-time job opportunities, or graduate-level programs, your career coach will serve as a resource for your career goals. They’ll help you with resume building, mock interviews, career fair preparation, and more. As a bonus, all Xavier graduates can leverage the career development centers at any of the other Jesuit universities or colleges across the United States.
Mentorship at Xavier
Students will also be paired with a peer mentor during their first year. Peer mentors can be sophomores, juniors, or seniors and are teamed up with first-year students to give them tips and advice from a fellow student’s perspective.
In addition, students will have access to a professional mentor who is a Xavier alumnus currently in the workforce. Students can be paired based on their professional interests and preferred industry, so they can learn about potential career paths and things to keep in mind regarding their professional goals.
Academic Life at Xavier
Xavier has more than 90 undergraduate degree programs for students to choose from. While some students may arrive on campus with a major in mind, you can apply and enroll without declaring a major in your first year. You have the option to use your first two years on campus as an exploratory major, choosing different classes and developing your interests so you can ultimately land on a major that you feel comfortable and confident about.
The average class size ranges from 25 to 30 students per class. While no classes will be in a 200- to 300-person lecture hall format, you’ll have courses that are even smaller than the average class size as you progress in your studies. With a 12-to-one student-teacher ratio, Xavier students receive a great deal of face time with their professors. More importantly, you’ll always be taught by a professor and never a teaching assistant or student teacher.
All full-time professors hold office hours throughout the week. So, if you need to meet about an exam or discuss any questions, you can use this time to meet with your professor. The faculty at Xavier are deeply invested in your success and will serve as a resource for both your academic and professional growth. It’s not uncommon for a professor to email their students to let them know about events, internships, or other opportunities that they know of outside of the classroom.
Do you want to learn more about life at Xavier University? Check out this post for more information about living on campus, getting involved, and service opportunities at Xavier.
