The Relationship between Academic Advising and Student Success in Canadian Colleges: A Review of the Literature

Increasing student retention is complex and no one single intervention can independently solve the student success problem; however, academic advising has been cited more prominently in student success literature as a central feature in a comprehensive strategy to improve student persistence, especially on college campuses. This paper explores current literature on academic advising, its relationship with student success, and the current state of the literature in Canada. Findings include that there is very little research showing the direct effect of academic advising on student success, and that only on rare occasion does this research employ rigorous analytical and design methods. It is also argued that the organization and practice of academic advising in Canada is still in its infancy. Implications for future research and practice are also presented.