Advising Hours

Students advised in OSDS have two options available for advising assistance: Schedule an appointment with your first-year advisor or utilize drop-in hours with peer advisors.

In-Person Drop IN hours with Peer ADvisors
Scheduling an Appointment with your First-Year advisor
Advising for non-college of Engineering Majors
Virtual Drop-in Advising

So which should you choose?

Peer AdvisorsFirst-Year Advisor

Peer Advisors are a tremendous resource for quick questions and clarification on most common registration topics. Examples include:

– Registration Questions
– First-Year Progression Requirements
– Summer Classes & Transient Study
– Understanding your Academic Plan of Study and DegreeWorks

See below for drop-in hours!
You should schedule an appointment with your First-Year Advisor for assistance with more complex topics, such as:

– Changing/Declaring a major
– Discussing academic and/or personal challenges
– Dropping or withdrawing from a course

See below for directions on how to schedule an appointment with your first-year advisor!

Peak advising times are from the beginning of October through the beginning of November and the beginning of March through April. This means meeting with an advisor will be in high demand. Students who cannot find an advising appointment are encouraged to check weekly for new advisor availability or drop in with a Peer Advisor during open drop-in hours in Smith 228.

Important note: Advisors are intricately involved in Summer Orientation programs from mid-May through mid-August, so they cannot consistently hold Advising Hours over the summer.

Virtual Drop-In Advising

During peak times in the semester, first-year advisors will offer Virtual Drop-Ins through Connect. When drop-ins are not available, OSDS students should utilize drop-in hours with peer advisors or email their assigned advisor directly for assistance.

When you sign in for virtual drop-ins, you will be added to a waiting queue for the first available advisor. Drop-ins are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Virtual Drop-In Schedule December 11 – January 2

Thursday, December 11**8:30am – 10:00am, 12:15pm – 1:30pm
Friday, December 12**9:00am – 10:30am, 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Monday, December 151:00pm – 4:00pm
Tuesday, December 1610:30am – 4:00pm
Wednesday, December 1710:30am – 12:00pm, 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Thursday, December 1810:30am – 2:30pm, 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Friday, December 1910:30am – 12:00pm, 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Monday, December 221:30pm – 3:00pm
Tuesday, December 231:30pm – 3:30pm
Wednesday, December 24 –
Thursday, January 1		University Closed
Thursday, January 210:30am – 4:00pm

**In-person drop-in advising also available December 11 & 12 in Smith 228. Students coming for in-person drop-in advising on these dates should check in at the computer upon arrival and an advisor will be out to get you when they are available.

Steps to Check-In For Virtual Drop-In Advising

  1. Log into Connect
  2. Click “Appointments”, then “Make an Appointment”
  3. Select “View Drop-In Times”
  4. Under “Service”, select “Academic Advising”
  5. Select “Find Available Times”
  6. Select the location, “Engineering/Engineering Technology (OSDS), Virtual Drop-Ins”
  7. Click “Check-In for First Available”

Once an advisor removes you from the queue, you will receive an email with a Zoom link to join their drop-in meeting. You will have 5 minutes to join the Zoom meeting. If you do not join within 5 minutes, the advisor will close your session and you will need to follow the steps above to rejoin the queue.

In-Person Drop-In Hours with Peer Advisors

Peer advisors are available to answer general registration questions, assist with course planning by provide guidance/explanation of Academic Plans of Study and DegreeWorks, as well as answer other questions about being a student in the College of Engineering.

Spring 2026 Drop-in Hours:

These are standing hours. If a Peer Advisor is unavailable, you will find current, up-to-date hours in the Smith 228 office on the Drop-In Hours calendar.

Spring 2026 Peer Advising Schedule coming soon!

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Steps to Check-In for In-Person Open Advising Hours

  1. Go to Smith 228 and check in at the Advising Kiosk
  2. At the Kiosk, type your Student ID in the box and Click Submit
  3. Select: I’m Here for Drop-In Services
  4. Select Option to Wait For The Available Person
  5. Click Okay, got it!
  6. Have a seat! Students will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis.

To Schedule an Appointment with your First-Year Advisor:

Note: Advising availability will be limited during pre-registration advising seasons (October – November and March – April)

  1. Log in to Connect
  2. Click ‘Appointment’ (in the left menu)
  3. Click ‘Make an Appointment’ (blue button at top right)
  4. What type of appointment would you like to schedule? Select ‘Academic Advising’
  5. Service: Academic Advising
  6. Select a Date that works for your schedule and click ‘Find Available Times’
  7. Select a Time that works for your schedule (right side of the screen)
  8. After choosing a time, select the “Location” drop-down to select in-person or virtual (Zoom)
  9. Provide comments or questions you wish to discuss
  10. Review Appointment Details and click ‘Schedule’ (bottom of page)

Scheduling an Appointment in Connect How to Video

Advising for Non-College of Engineering Majors

Students who are currently in a non-College of Engineering degree major can meet with :

  • Dr. Cricket Bonnetaud, Director of Transition Advising
    Students are encouraged to schedule an appointment by emailing Dr. Bonnetaud at cdbonnet@charlotte.edu.
  • A Peer Advisor during Drop-In Hours
    Peer advisors are also available to assist with general questions during their listed drop-in hours.

Please Note: The OSDS front desk staff cannot answer specific questions about registration or course requirements.

General First-Year Advising Questions?

Email: osds-advising@charlotte.edu