Academic advising as a formalized process has been an integral part of higher education for decades, emerging along with the elective system at the turn of the century when students were no longer forced into proscribed curricula, but instead were faced with discipline and course choices and, ultimately, career decisions.

From a retention perspective, good academic advising is critical. Academic advising provides institutions with the opportunity to personalize education and to engage students in their own learning. Through advising, advisors help students to become integrated into the academic and social fabric of the institution; this integration has proven to contribute to student persistence and success (Tinto, 1993).

Reference
The Importance of Academic Advising. Retrieved August 10, 2006 from University of Southern Maine Academic Advisor Handbook.