RESOURCES & SUPPORT—Academic Support

You, of course, are primarily responsible for your own learning. However, this does not mean going it alone—especially when the going gets tough. Most projects, both at MIT and "in the real world", involve teamwork. Think robot competitions, design teams, even the Mystery Hunt; think the Red Sox. In learning, however, you're not just a player on the bench or the field: you're a free agent managing your own team, selecting teammates and coaches who can help you succeed.

Academic support teams can be both preventive and corrective.

Preventive Support

Early in the term, ask yourself which one or two of your classes seem most challenging. Are you studying a field for the first time? Even in the Science Core, or subjects within your major, are there a lot of new concepts or unfamiliar language? A study group may help you achieve your best in these classes. There may be a study group in your dorm or ILG: ask around. If not, start one yourself. Ask your TA or Lecturer if you can pass around a sign-up sheet in class to recruit three or four teammates for a group. The Study Groups page on How-to-Study.com has a lot of helpful information on starting and maintaining a successful group.

Go to lectures and recitations. Go to office hours. Your instructor and TA are there just waiting to help you. Keep asking questions until you understand the material. After all, you are paying for these services: you might as well use them.

Corrective Support

Every MIT student hits a bump somewhere along the road. Don't worry: it doesn't mean that Admissions made a mistake, or that you're just not cut out for [insert challenging field here]. Take a low grade on a quiz or pset as a signal to reassess your learning strategy. Use the resources on this site to check your time management, note-taking, test-taking, and other study skills—then make some changes.

If you get back two or three psets in a row with low grades, mess up a quiz, or find yourself "just not getting it", call in a coach—a "tutor", an individual who knows the subject well and can help you learn it, too. There are many tutorial services available at MIT. Consider the following people and offices as you evaluate your academic needs:

• Your Subject Instructor
• Your Recitation Instructor
• Science Core Tutors
• Departmental Tutoring and Academic Honor Societies
• Writing and Communication Center
• Tutorial Services Room
• Tutoring within FSILGs and Residence Halls

Make the most of your tutoring sessions by working on the material in advance of your appointment. The more specific you can be about your problem areas, the more focused your session will be. Although working through complex and dense material can be a frustrating and slow process, it is an acquired skill that does become easier with time. Don't give up!

Your Subject Instructor

Take the time to meet your instructor during his or her office hours to discuss how you are doing. Developing a comfortable relationship with your instructor will help you learn the material at hand and further open the lines of communication about your progress. Instructors are happy and willing to address your specific concerns, so come prepared with questions to discuss. (A side benefit is getting to know someone who may become a UROP supervisor or write a letter of reference for you for an internship or graduate school application.)

Your Recitation Instructor

Your recitation instructor is an essential resource for help with individual subjects. Recitation instructors are either faculty members or graduate students known as Teaching Assistants (TAs). They have weekly office hours for students with questions and schedule appointments by request. Check your syllabus or the subject website for your recitation instructor's contact information and office hours. They're waiting to help you: don't disappoint them!

Science Core Tutors

The Science Core subjects sponsor free tutoring sessions taught by graduate students or upper-class students majoring in each field. These opportunities are announced in class and are arranged through each department's undergraduate office.

Departmental Tutoring and Academic Honor Societies

Many undergraduate offices arrange free group or individual tutoring through their department or Academic Honor Society. Visit Academic Societies for a complete list of these organizations.Tutoring hours are generally posted in departmental offices and listed on subject syllabi. Below is a condensed list of services by department (for those subjects outside of the Science Core).

Writing and Communication Center

The Writing and Communication Center (Room 12-132, 3-3090) is available to assist all members of the MIT community (undergraduate and graduate students, staff and faculty members, and spouses of all the above) with all aspects of writing and oral presentations. Professional writing consultants can provide feedback and guidance on a wide range of topics such as writing papers for courses, writing theses, writing articles for publication, writing all types of technical communication, writing application essays and resumes, practicing oral presentations and pronunciation, overcoming writers' block, and taking essay exams. The Center also has ESL experts who provide specialized help to those for whom English is a second language. All the Center's services are free. Go to the Center's web site to schedule an appointment.

Tutorial Services Room

The Tutorial Services Room (TSR) is not limited to its home in 12-124 but reaches out to dorms as well. Both group and individual tutoring is available, along with printed resources like lecture notes, old exams, and problem sets with solutions. Sponsored by the Office of Minority Education, TSR's services are available to all students.

Group Tutoring: All sessions 8 pm - 12 midnight

Individual Tutoring:

Make an appointment by phone (3-8406), or in person (12-124). . For more information, visit the TSR website or talk with student workers at any of the tutoring groups or TSR open hours.

TSR Open Hours in Room 12-124:

Tutoring within FSILGs and Residence Halls

Tutoring is available on a limited basis in some FSILGs and Residence Halls. Consult your FSILG scholarship chairperson or your living group desk for more information.