Where to Go for Academic Help

By Ian Acosta on July 16, 2017

College can sometimes be overwhelming for some. Between the limited amount of time, school jobs, and other projects and such, it is natural for some to struggle in classes. The time and energy expounded on so many other aspects of college can cause your academic performance to flounder a bit.

However, there are numerous resources all over your campus and online to help combat the need for a little academic help. Here are a few methods to consider when in need of some academic support.

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Office hours

Teaching assistants and professors themselves are there for you. Office hours are the most readily accessible way to get academic help from the people teaching you the material. Be sure to take note of when office hours are when you start the semester and schedule that around your other activities, jobs, etc. to at least attend one or two sessions a week or until you feel caught up.

What is the best way to prepare for going to office hours? There are a couple different ways. First, if you are struggling with concepts, this is the time to go over them. Concepts are the building blocks for your class. If the struggle is with grasping the material, make it a point to have a discussion during office hours with the TA or professor to help shore up the material. If you have questions about a particular homework or exam, they will more often than not work out a couple practice problems with you to get your background for trying to tackle the problem. This can help on homework and exams immensely and better apply the concepts you’ve learned.

Academic advisor

By going to your academic advisor through your department, you can get a much more customized and detailed plan for how to go about seeking help in your classes. They can provide you access and information on all the resources you have or may not have known about on your campus.

Additionally, you can set up a regular schedule for when to check back in with your advisor to track your progress. Your academic advisor is your biggest advocate on campus to help you stick to your plan. If you ever need help getting back on track, your advisor is the best place to start.

Online tutoring

Just as helpful in real life, online tutoring can help you get over your academic hump in a huge way. With the advent of webcams and online classes, tutoring online is rapidly becoming a way to teach students. Moreover, access to online resources can be utilized right in your tutoring session to further help you understand and learn a topic.

However, while it is a “one-on-one” type of relationship, it is not in person. Also, it may not even be over video. It could be in a chatroom style format. If convenience is a huge factor for you, online tutoring may be the way to go. Although, if you value learning in-person, it would be wise to seek out in-person help.

Tutoring

Tutoring is a natural part of college. Some associate a negative stigma with seeking out tutoring because some may see tutoring as a weakness or as a sign of not having intellect. This is simply not true. Seeking help or clarification on a topic or idea is, rather, a sign of willingness to succeed and of persistence.

There are various forms of tutoring such as the online form I just touched on. Additionally, there is the most common form of tutoring and that is one-on-one tutoring. One-on-one tutoring allows for the tutor to get the most direct sense of the area of study where you need help. Also, it allows you to set the pace of tutoring, assuming you have a few regular appointments set up.

Everyone learns at a different pace. Tutoring is no different. If your tutor goes over something and you are still having trouble comprehending it, ask to spend more time on it before moving onto another topic. Try and seek out one-on-one tutors through your major’s department for more specific tutoring. If anything, there should be a tutoring center on campus you can go to for general help as well.

Friends/roommates

These people are the ones you interact with on a very regular basis. They have your back and can help you in a tough spot. If you are fortunate enough to have a friend or roommate in the same classes as you that you might be having a hard time in, ask them for some extra help. I am not ashamed to admit I have done that in the past and it paid off. You may feel uncomfortable or like you are pestering, but your true friends will do their best to help you through your struggles and get you back on track in class.

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