What Do I Do If I Am Alerted?

Keep in mind, being Alerted is NOT a punishment. It indicates that someone cares about your success and wants to let you know that you need additional help to be successful. You will most likely find out that you have been Alerted when you receive a phone call, note or e-mail from your advisor.

If you are Early Alerted:

• Respond now. Immediately make an appointment with, e-mail or call your advisor to find out what is going on. If you choose to ignore your advisor, you may well wind up with more Academic Alerts.
  
• Find out who Alerted you and why. If that person is your professor, immediately make an appointment with him or her to discuss your situation. Many students hesitate to do this because they fear being “yelled at.” Most professors who participate in Early Alert are happy to see students who come in for help because they want to see them improve. Remember, if your professor really didn’t want to help you, he or she wouldn’t bother to Early Alert you.

Here are some things to keep in mind when you have this meeting with your professor or advisor:

• Professors are too busy to spend time overreacting. If your professor is worried about you, take it seriously. They have seen enough student behavior over time to know when to be concerned.
  
• Don’t justify your behavior. You may be inclined to say “Well, I only missed three days,” or “That assignment is only 20% of my grade anyway,” but don’t forget that you are not the expert on what it takes to be successful in college—your professor is.