When struggling in a tough class, Texas A&M students have seemingly endless tutoring possibilities that include free University services offered on campus.
These services range from tutoring at the Student Learning Center, the University Writing Center or various help-desks associated with specific classes.
Kylie Novak, an undergraduate consultant at the Texas A&M University Writing Center and senior education major, said that the purpose of the University Writing Center is to teach students how to become better writers by altering the way they go about constructing a paper.
“Through face-to-face and online consultations, writing center consultants are able to provide students with the personalized writing help they need,” Novak said. “As a consultant, my goal is to help my peers become better writers rather than simply ‘editing’ each paper that a student shows me. I also help students with their public speaking assignments.”
Novak emphasized the importance of acknowledging every student as an individual in the one-on-one tutoring process.
“The University Writing Center is student-oriented,” Novak said. “The director and consultants work together with Texas A&M faculty toward one comprehensive goal: to help the student become an active, independent learner. The University Writing Center can help students with any kind of communication project — at any stage of the creative process — written or oral.”
Phi Eta Sigma, an academic honor society, is another free, on-campus tutoring option offered to students. This program is unique because there are no restrictions to the classes that can be offered.
“Phi Eta Sigma offers tutoring to all Texas A&M students, for any class,” said Adele Kurt, Phi Eta Sigma president.
A spreadsheet of the members that currently offer tutoring is on the Phi Eta Sigma website, pes.tamu.edu, under the “Tutoring” tab. The list changes each semester, as do the classes tutored.
Additionally, since the tutoring service is independently run, there is great flexibility in the options.
“Usually, tutoring sessions are one- to one-and-a-half hours long and are set up on an individual basis,” Kurt said. “The tutor’s information is located in the online spreadsheet and it is up to the student to contact the tutor and set up a time that is most convenient for them.”
Kurt also added that the tutors are qualified to teach the subjects listed, as the ability to offer a particular class is based on the grade that the tutor made in the course.
“All of the tutors have succeeded very well in each class they are offering tutoring for,” Kurt said.
Penny Harris, senior biology major, said that for her, the on-campus help desks were particularly useful for her science classes.
“Help desks are just that — helpful,” Harris said. “I would have fallen behind or done horrible on a few tests if they hadn’t been available.”