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 The Advisor’s Toolbox: Using the DARS  As an advisor you might hear students say that they cannot understand their DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System). The DARS can be a very effective advising tool, although never a substitute for one-on-one advising. In this “Advisor’s Toolbox”, we want to highlight a few sections of a DARS that advisors can quickly and effectively use before and during an advising session. If you want additional information about DARS and how to use it in advising, attend one of the DARS workshops listed at the end of the article.
- What is the DARS? This document analyzes for each student the degree requirements of the student’s major according to the catalog year the student entered OU. It is a “snapshot” of where a student stands relative to graduation.
- All DARS regardless of major contain the same information on the first page. The first box displays a student’s RAC and registration information as well as other demographic information, i.e., phone number, advisor’s name, etc. When working with new students, advisors will also want to see if a student’s ACT/SAT and high school rank are listed. Low scores in any of these categories may indicate that the student may need additional academic resources to succeed. (See the Faculty Advisors Handbook, www.ohio.edu/univcollege/farmindex.cfm, for information regarding test scores.)
- The second section displays a student’s attempted and earned hours, as well as the grade-point average. Remember that the attempted hours are only those that a student takes for a grade and are used to calculate the GPA. Often for a student in good standing, earned hours will be more than attempted hours because the student may have taken a PED course or a course for pass/fail.
- The next section displays placement test scores (See the Faculty Advisor Handbook, www.ohio.edu/univcollege/farmindex.cfm, for an explanation of scores.) This is followed by Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III requirements. As these are required of all students for graduation, check these boxes to see what a student still needs to complete.
- These sections are followed by the college and specific major requirements, if a student has a declared major.
- Reviewing the final section, “Record of Courses Taken,” is beneficial. This lists all the courses the students has completed and is currently registered for. Ask the student to check the current registration for accuracy. Also, look to see if there are any courses in which the student earned a low grade and may want to retake to improve the GPA.
Reflections on Advising | Faculty Advising Survey | Advisor Profile | Commuter + Adult Student Services | Classlist Service | Registration Availability | Majors Fair | Advisor's Toolbox | DARS Workshop | Regional News | Assistant Registrar | UAAC Highlights |
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