During their time at the University, students may find it difficult to cope with the pressures of college-level coursework. That’s when campus tutoring services can provide them with an extra academic boost. Here are a few places where students can find affordable peer tutoring.

Supportive Educational Services

SES, located in room 7 of Strong Hall, is a federally funded program that offers free walk-in tutoring and course-specific tutoring by appointment to eligible students.

Only first-generation college students, students whose families are low-income and students with a documented disability are eligible to use SES services.

“It’s a pretty extensive tutoring program — huge in fact,” Rod Oelschlager, academic coordinator for SES, said. “I hire 30-45 tutors. It varies by semester, but I’ve had up to 50.”

Oeschlager said that the program had existed for more than 30 years, and that 87.6 percent of SES participants were in good academic standing by the end of the 2008 academic year.

Jeffrey Mark Gordon, Houston graduate student, has been a tutor with SES for three years.

“I’ve had lots of fun learning about different styles of learning,” Gordon said. “I have to take the needs of every individual into account.”

To receive tutoring, students must complete an application, provide documentation and interview with a Support Services coordinator.

KU Writing Center

Consultants at the Writing Center in 4017 Wescoe Hall are available for free to help students with any kind of writing, from personal essays for English class to resumes, cover letters and grant applications.

Rian Patrick, Wichita Senior and office assistant at the Writing Center, said students were drawn to the variety of resources the center provided.

“Some come voluntarily, others are recommended,” she said. “And some get extra credit from their professors.”

Writing Center student workers must pass a semester-long training course that teaches them to analyze content and style, proofread and help students brainstorm. According to its Web site, the Writing Center aims to give student writers another pair of eyes, adding perspective on their work.

Academic Achievement and Success Center

The AAAC, located in room 22 of Strong Hall, provides tutoring services along with workshops, consultations and disability resources. Its tutors help primarily with low-level math, science and foreign language courses.

“Our tutors go through rigorous interviews before getting the job,” Kristin Scott, associate director of the AAAC, said. “Each semester, we see growth in this program.”

Students meet with tutors in groups of two to four, for three hours each week in classrooms on campus. The AAAC tutoring program charges students a $60 fee per semester course, which according to the center’s Web site, is less costly than most private tutors. Those who have filed a FAFSA, Federal Application for Financial Student Aid, can apply for fee waivers.

HawkLink

The HawkLink program, located in the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center, focuses on freshmen with diverse backgrounds.

Students in HawkLink meet weekly with a counselor who acts as their tutor and helps orient them to Lawrence and the University.

The program collaborates with several academic departments to present seminars introducing students to various campus resources. HawkLink also supports sophomores with a program called Transitions, and culminates with a special HawkLink graduation.

Tiffany Spriggs, retention specialist for HawkLink, said the goal of the program was to help students of color stay in school for at least two years.

“We started 10 years ago by providing students with pre-101 adviser,” Spriggs said. “Now, to receive tutoring, you have to get involved in the HawkLink program.”

Spriggs said that HawkLink presented students with many opportunities, but that it was their responsibility to make the most of them.

— Edited by Lauren Cunningham