Perceptions of Effectiveness and Job Satisfaction of Pre-law Advisors

Abstract

Despite playing an important role, preprofessional advising has received little research attention. For this study, 313 U.S. preprofessional advisors were surveyed in 2015. Drawing on work adjustment and social cognitive career theories, we analyzed the job satisfaction and perceived effectiveness of pre-law advisors. The major findings reveal that advisors having a law degree, the ability to secure more resources, and a commitment to spending significant hours weekly in advising tend to be more satisfied and perceive themselves to be more effective in helping students gain admission to law school and preparing them for academic success than other pre-law advisors. Other factors related to participant self-perceptions on advising future law students are also discussed.

Veterinary Professions Advising Center: an innovative approach to preveterinary advising for Animal Science students

“…Career Centers are intended to help students address professional identity, distinguish next steps for their careers, offer opportunities to explore multiple paths within occupations, aid in resume and interview skill building, and assist in discerning whether a career path suits the individual student ( Lehker and Furlong, 2006 ; Schaub, 2012 ; Garis, 2014 ). Preprofessional advising provides students specialized knowledge related to pursuing careers within a narrower field of study such as law or medicine and focusses on preparing students to become competitive applicants for postsecondary programs ( Richardson, 2013 ; Knotts and Wofford, 2017 ). Integrating career exploration with preprofessional advising assists students with searching for experiential opportunities, relevant course planning, and preparing for the admissions application process ( Knotts and Wofford, 2017 ; Lynch and Lungrin, 2018 ).…”

“…Preprofessional advising provides students specialized knowledge related to pursuing careers within a narrower field of study such as law or medicine and focusses on preparing students to become competitive applicants for postsecondary programs ( Richardson, 2013 ; Knotts and Wofford, 2017 ). Integrating career exploration with preprofessional advising assists students with searching for experiential opportunities, relevant course planning, and preparing for the admissions application process ( Knotts and Wofford, 2017 ; Lynch and Lungrin, 2018 ). However, preprofessional advising does not always encourage students to ask whether the intended career path fits their individual needs causing first-year graduate students to investigate career fit during their postsecondary program ( Lehker and Furlong, 2006 ).…”