Academic Advising’s Hidden Role in Fostering Validation/Belonging Leading to Improved Grades

Abstract

Recognizing the increasing role academic advising has come to play in student success strategies, this quantitative study sought to explore the relationships between advising, validation/belonging, and students’ college grade point average (GPA). The researcher also examined how students’ marginalized status played a role in these relationships. A national sample of 7,211 graduating senior students was used to test a path model. Multiple regression analyses revealed that while there was no direct relationship between advising and GPA, advising had an indirect impact on GPA via students’ experiences of validation/belonging. Moving forward, student success strategies should situate validating practices that foster belonging and validation at the center of advising interventions.