Some Smart Ways to Be Smart: Guide to UR Resources
The University of Rochester offers a myriad of academic resources to help you with your course work. Being aware of these resources and taking advantage of them to the fullest can help you complete your classes with flying colors!
The first person you seek for answers to your questions is your Teacher Assistant (TA). The TA is an undergraduate student that has excelled in the course and has become a teaching assistant in order to help the next wave of students to perform to their fullest potential in the same course. They know the best way to help you and can give you key studying tips that has helped them to succeed. Going to the professor’s office hours can also be a huge resource. Even if you got all of your own questions answered, stick around for a little bit longer because another student may ask a question that you haven’t thought of. Some professors encourage their students to come to office hours even if they don’t have a specific question as it would be a great opportunity for students to bounce ideas off of each other.
The biggest outside-of-the-classroom resource available to all University of Rochester undergraduate students is meeting with a Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL) tutor. You can easily make an appointment with a CETL tutor either through Blackboard or through the CETL tutoring website. You can make a one-time appointment, or you can talk to your CETL tutor and set up weekly tutoring sessions with them. CETL tutors have mastered the course material and would love to help you succeed. Please make sure to attend every appointment that you make as these CETL tutors are all undergraduate students themselves with their own tight schedules. There are also drop in tutoring sessions available; CETL tutors are available every Sunday 4–8 pm to provide support for the high-demand subjects such as chemistry, math, physics, and computer science. No appointment is needed, so this is the perfect opportunity for you to pop in and ask a quick question or work through your homework with a knowledgeable CETL tutor right next to you!
Another resource available to you is The Writing Speaking and Argument Program (WSAP). Essays, research papers, laboratory reports: these fellows and consultants can help you with any writing assignment, including preparing for oral presentations!
The Gwen Greene Career and Internship Center is also a place to ask your academic questions. This center mainly helps you with academic planning (especially helpful if you need to plan for graduate school!). The center can also help you prepare for internships and jobs by offering interview practice, resume editing, and networking assistance. As a new service, they have also started a Career Clothing Closet. The Closet provides students with professional outfits for interviews, presentations, internships, and more! With suits, dresses, jewelry, dress shoes, belts, the Career Clothing Closet can help you dress your best.
These are just a few of the amazing resources that Rochester offers; make sure to take advantage of all of them (and there are even more that Rochester offers)! Everyone can benefit from receiving help; not only are all of these resources free, but they all want you to reach your academic goals!