How TCU unified advising to create a stronger path to student success

When Texas Christian University set out to transform advising, the mission was simple but ambitious: streamline communication, simplify the student experience, and make degree planning a shared, empowering process. With their decentralized, hybrid model of advising, TCU had several challenges they needed to address to allow the system work at its best. Students who changed majors or advisors often had to start over, repeating their stories and re-explaining their goals. Notes were not kept in a central location, appointment scheduling varied by college, and their SIS, while powerful, wasn’t designed for students who wanted to explore possibilities or plan ahead.

TCU leaders envisioned a better way to support students, one that would unify the advising experience and strengthen collaboration across campus. They were looking for a solution that would:

• Create a single, living advising record that follows each student throughout their academic journey
• Centralize plans, notes, and conversations so advisors can see the full picture in one place
• Empower students to take ownership of their academic paths and make informed decisions
• Make degree planning a core part of the advising process

“Students today are tech-savvy, but even the most confident can struggle with course planning,” said Angela Thompson, Executive Director of Academic Advising. “We needed a tool that would meet them where they are. Something that was intuitive, personal, and made it easy for them to map their path.”

TCU’s implementation strategy mirrored its vision: start with the basics, build confidence, and scale thoughtfully. Advising teams first brought everyday tasks — scheduling and note-taking — into Stellic. With shared notes in one place, handoffs became seamless, and the “reset” moment that once defined advisor changes began to fade.

The next milestone was reached when students gained access to Stellic’s degree planning tools. Suddenly, they could drag and drop classes, experiment with scenarios, and come to appointments prepared for more meaningful conversations. Stellic has now become part of first-year and transfer student orientation, embedding planning into the student journey from day one.

As the platform’s value became clear, TCU expanded access beyond advising. Athletics advisors built saved lists directly from team rosters. TRiO and first-gen specialists tagged and tracked their students more easily. Pre-professional and Student Success teams joined too, using shared notes and context to stay aligned. Each group’s success built momentum for the next.

“However you work today, Stellic fits your style. Time blocks, prompts, saved lists — it complements, not replaces, good advising.”

The platform also helped advisors refine their workflows. Appointment blocks set clear expectations, pre-meeting prompts surfaced the right topics, and customizable queries allowed staff to get insights quickly — no more waiting on IT. Students noticed too. During a sorority workshop, one declared, “I’m falling in love with Stellic!” Another added, “Stellic is my jam.” For the team, those comments confirmed they were on the right track.

Today, advising conversations at TCU look different. Advisors enter meetings already knowing a student’s history. Students arrive prepared, with degree plans mapped out in advance. “I met with a transfer student ready to re-explain three years of history,” Angela recalls. “Instead, I reviewed the notes in Stellic and we focused on what mattered. She left feeling seen, not like she was starting over.”

The results of TCU’s advising transformation are already clear — both in how students engage with their academic planning and how campus partners collaborate to support them. With Stellic, advising has become more proactive, more connected, and more impactful.

Key outcomes so far include:

• 40,000+ student planner actions, showing increased ownership and forward-thinking in academic planning
• An average of three advising appointments per student, helping leaders better understand demand and allocate resources
• Seamless collaboration across campus, with Athletics, TRiO, Student Success, and other partners now sharing information and context in real time

Perhaps most importantly, Stellic has reshaped the culture of advising. Teams now share a common language, make faster decisions, and align more closely around student needs. Students know exactly where to go to plan, schedule, and connect — and they’re empowered to take ownership of their journeys.

TCU’s transformation is ongoing, but the direction is clear. With every new advisor trained and every new student who engages with the platform, the university is delivering on its promise: each student’s story moves with them, and every advising interaction builds on the last.

“Sometimes you forget the good things you’ve done along the way. Then you step back and see the culture you’re building, together.”