The ASSIST Program provides a broad array of services designed to support many aspects of your educational experiences while you are attending NMU. An individual support plan is developed for all participants that identifies necessary services to support advisees in meeting their academic and personal goals.
Student Studying outside

Academic Advisement & Course Selection

ASSIST advisors provide detailed guidance to participants in the area of academic course selection to ensure course requirements are met in a timely manner in your academic major, minor and general education programs. Advisors help to ensure a ‘good balance’ of courses is selected that best assures a student’s opportunity for success.

Student studying in Jamrich Hall

Academic Major and Career Exploration

It’s often common for students to struggle with the decision to declare an academic major. As a matter of fact, the average NMU student changes their major 4 times prior to making a firm and lasting commitment to a specific area of study. Your ASSIST advisor will walk you through this process and provide a variety of tools to help you research specific majors and related careers. Do you want to get a head start?

Check out NMU Resources and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Student with admissions counselor

Assistance with the Financial Aid Process

Students often view navigating the Federal Student Aid system as an intimidating task. Participants in the ASSIST program will work with their advisor to build an understanding of their financial aid options at the federal, state and university levels.  Assistance with FAFSA completion and scholarship searches will also be provided. 

The ASSIST program at NMU has developed an excellent working relationship with our Financial Aid Office. Professional staff in the Financial Aid Office frequently consult with ASSIST advisors and collaborate with us on workshops for NMU Donor-Funded Scholarship Applications

Student studying in The Woods

Financial Literacy information

Each ASSIST advisee has the opportunity to engage in financial literacy education via individualized counseling with their advisor, attending ASSIST workshops, and through referral to seminars, workshops, and lectures sponsored by Northern Michigan University. In your first year as an ASSIST advisee, you will work with your advisor to identify key issues such as:

  • Where is the money to fund my education coming from?
  • Understanding student loans, grants and scholarships
  • How much money will I have?
  • What are my expenses going to be?
  • What’s the best way to begin to manage my expenses?
  • Understanding credit score basics
Students in the Woods kitchen

Referral Services

Although ASSIST provides a great deal of support to its advisees, we cannot provide everything a student may need. In these instances, we provide participants with referrals to appropriate campus and community resources that will help meet their specific needs. Some of these resources include:

Students in classroom in Jamrich hall

Exploration of Graduate School Options

Many ASSIST participants continue their education through enrollment in master’s and doctoral-level programs. Your ASSIST advisor will help you with the exploration of the graduate school experience. This includes identifying careers of interest that require graduate or professional degrees and developing specific goals during your undergraduate experience that will expand opportunities for entering graduate school.  Assistance will also be provided for graduate school searches, completing applications, and identifying sources of financial aid.