Academic Advising Services

Oakton’s academic advisors are professionals with advanced degrees who are ready, and willing to assist you with your educational needs. Whether you are seeking a certificate to enhance your job skills, a technical/vocational degree to get you into the labor force, or a degree to transfer to a four-year institution, advisors will meet you one-on-one to help you with your academic planning.

Our advisors can help you in the following areas:

• Personalized educational plan.
• Selection of appropriate courses.
• Progress toward goals.
• Transfer process.
• Tools for academic success.

The Office of Advising, Transitions, and Student Success (OATSS) offers a number of advising services for all students: new or currently enrolled, traditional or non-traditional, or full or part-time.

New Students

If you're just starting out at Oakton, meeting with an advisor is a great way to be sure you're headed in the right direction. Please review the steps to admission. You are required to complete your Enrollment Checklist to be eligible to meet with an academic advisor for an Advising and Registration Workshop (ARW) appointment. 

Current Students

Even if this isn't your first semester at Oakton, we encourage you to meet an advisor each semester to make sure you're on track. This can be especially helpful if you must change plans during your time at Oakton or need to adjust your pace or change your course of study.

Adult Learners

If you're an adult learner with a full schedule, our advisors can be instrumental in helping you balance work, home life and your studies. From determining how many credit hours you should take per semester to finding the right kind of class to fit your busy life, our expert advisors have you covered.

Summer Students

Those enrolling as summer-only students must follow specific steps to get started at Oakton. Our advisors are ready to help you navigate the process and select the summer courses you need to achieve your goals.

Schedule Your Advising Appointment

 

Currently Enrolled Students

Schedule an appointment with: 
  • Academic Advisor
  • Athletic Advisor
  • TRIO
  • Writing Tutor
  • Career & Transfer Advisor

If you need to schedule an appointment with one of the following areas, please contact them directly:
  • Health Career Program: healthcareeradvising@oakton.edu
  • ADRC: accessdisability@oakton.edu, 847.635.1489
  • Health & Wellness: 847.635.1885

How to Schedule an Appointment:
  1. Go to the Appointment Scheduler.
  2. Click Schedule in the top right corner of the page. 
  3. If you have been assigned an advisor, their name will appear - if you are scheduling with them, click the arrow next to their name to schedule an appointment. Otherwise, click “Skip” to schedule with someone else. 
  4. What is the purpose of the appointment: Select from the drop down menu 
  5. How would you like to meet?: Select the type of meeting (in-person, virtual, or phone).
  6. What location would you like to meet at? Select Anywhere; Online; Skokie; or Des Plaines
  7. Who do you want to meet with?: Select Anyone to see all availability, or select a specific name from the list to see just their availability. 
  8. Click “Check Availability”
  9. Use the mini calendar to select a date/time. Switch to month view by click the down arrow: If you do not see anyone listed, toggle to other meeting types. 
  10. Click the time slot you want to sign up for. 
  11. Click Schedule 
  12. Any Additional Information? Add a brief note for your advisor about the main purpose of the meeting. 
  13. Click Confirm.
  • Check your email for confirmation. Another auto-generated reminder email will be sent the day before your appointment. 
  • In-Person: Be sure to note which campus you selected.
  • Virtual: The email confirmation will include Zoom or Google meet directions. If no information is provided in the confirmation email, a link will be sent prior to your appointment.
  • Phone appointments: Advisors will call the preferred phone number on the students record at the start of the appointment. 


New Students

Check your Student Profile within myOakton to ensure you have completed all steps to request to meet with an Oakton advisor. Once you have satisfied all the requirement on your Enrollment Checklist, you will then be prompted to schedule an Advising and Registration Workshop (ARW) appointment with an academic advisor. After you meet the ARW requirement, you will be able to register for your first semester.

Hours and Locations

The Office of Advising, Transitions, and Student Success (OATSS) is available to answer questions about academic advising. Email and voicemail are checked throughout the day and messages will be responded to within two business days.

Please include your full name and Oakton ID Number (B#) in any communications.

Des Plaines campus
1600 E. Golf Road, Room 1861
847.635.1700

Skokie campus
7701 N. Lincoln Ave., Room A100
847.635.1400

Email address
advising@oakton.edu

Hours
Monday - Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The College is closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the summer (late May through mid-August.)