I went through the first half of my freshman year without
knowing what Academic Enhancement’s, The Study was. People all around me were
talking about this free tutoring program, but I had never been to any type of
tutoring before. I was intimidated to think about going to get tutored. To me, tutoring
meant that you were failing a class or falling behind and you were required to
go get help. I learned later that the Peer Tutoring Program was very different
from my original thoughts about tutoring. The goal is to
enhance students' academic experience as early and as often as possible.
The Study is a place where students go to use tutoring proactively in order to
stay on top of their grades and avoid failing altogether.
When my first Chemistry exam didn’t go as I’d hoped, I
decided it was time to venture to The Study. Since I lived in the dorms on
south campus, it wasn’t too far of a walk. I was anxious going for the first
time. It was like walking into the cafeteria as a new student and not knowing
anyone. There were tables full of students everywhere, and when I walked up, a
girl sitting at the desk asked me to sign in with my student ID. I fumbled with
my backpack to find my ID and then I signed in for Chemistry. I had no idea
where I was going and the desk worker sensed my confusion. She gave me exact
directions to get to the Chemistry tutors, and I easily figured out who the
tutors were because the tutors were all wearing bright green shirts with “STAFF”
on the back.
My first visit was all it took to make me a regular at The
Study. I sat down with one of the Chemistry tutors and they helped me finish
all of my homework on time. Instead of just telling me what the answers were,
the tutors helped me work through each of my problems, and I actually learned
how to do them. All of the tutors that work at The Study have gotten either an
A or B in the course at UK that they are tutoring. This really helped because
the tutor knew exactly what the homework looked like and gave great tips on how
to study for the exam. Plus, it was such an easygoing atmosphere that I felt
comfortable staying for hours to get my work done. In fact, I came back to
receive tutoring every week for my other subjects, and my grades really started
improving. After that one visit, it was
no longer intimidating to go into tutoring, and I knew exactly what to do when
I came in and where to go. I even started coming and doing my homework by
myself, just in case I had any questions while working on it. It became a study
space for me, and not just a place to get tutoring. Learning from my
experience, I don’t want students to be intimidated by the prospect of going to
The Study just because they have never been before.
Over the years I have grown to love The Study, I would go
regularly to receive tutoring, especially my freshman and sophomore year. I
loved the atmosphere of The Study, and the tutors always seemed to really enjoy
their jobs, so I applied to be a tutor. I was hired as a MA 111 tutor and
worked as a tutor for two semesters. I really loved helping people learn and
improve their grades. Then when it came time for me to start applying for
internships, I of course decided to stay in the Academic Enhancement family,
and I am now a marketing intern here. The Study is such a familiar place to me
now, and I want to make sure other students aren’t afraid to use this great
resource.
What to Bring:
In order to provide the most efficient
and effective tutoring, we suggest that students who are seeking our services
have access to and bring the following items to their tutoring sessions:
- Student ID to sign in (if you don’t have your ID, you can use your student ID number)
- Any homework that you have questions about
- Course content you are struggling with
- Technology needed to complete homework or view content (laptop, tablets)
The Study actually has its own copy of class textbooks for
most subjects, but just in case, you may want to bring your book the first time
to see if it is available. There is also a limited supply of calculators to
borrow during your tutoring session, and plenty of paper and writing utensils. As
I said before, The Study is very laidback. All of the staff is more than happy
to help and answer any questions you may have.
How To Find Us:
The Study is located on South campus in 306 Complex Commons.
When you first walk into Commons, you are going to walk toward the Starbucks, but
will go upstairs before you reach Starbucks. There will be a set of clear
double doors to your right with “The Study” decals on the doors. Go through
those and up the stairs.
There is a desk at the top of the stairs and a desk worker
will always be working during tutoring hours. This is where you sign in. There
is a touch screen computer located at this desk where you will be prompted to
select your subject, then your specific course number and then swipe your ID to
log in. For example, if I needed tutoring in MA 111, I would first select
“Mathematics,” then “Math 111” and then I would swipe my ID. If the first desk
in the promenade is too busy, there is always a second desk in the grand
ballroom that you can sign in at, with another desk worker. The desk workers
are also UK students and are very helpful and will be happy to walk you through
the sign in process, answer any questions you may have and show you where your
subject is located. There are also plenty of signs hanging from the ceilings
and walls, to help you find your subject.
Once you find your subject area, I’d recommend sitting at a
table where you have ample room to take out your computer, notes, and book, if
the subject isn’t too busy. Then if you have a question or problem you can
either raise your hand or call for a tutor by name (the tutors wear name tags!).
The Study is busiest right before an exam and the day that homework is due for
that specific course. Evening hours are also very popular with students. That
being said, I recommend coming early, especially your first visit. If you come
early and a couple days before an exam or your homework is due you will get
more hands on tutoring since the subject won’t be too busy!
Once you are finished with your tutoring session, just sign
out before you leave. To sign out, go to either of the desks in the promenade
or the ballroom and use the touch screen computer. At the bottom of the touch
screen, there will be a place to rate your visit from 1-5, with 5 being an
excellent visit. Once you choose one of the options, you will be asked to swipe
your ID or enter your ID number again. Then you will have successfully
completed your first visit to The Study!
To view our tutoring hours and to see what hours your specific
subject will be available, you can visit our website at www.uky.edu/AE. Also be sure to check out our Going
to The Study video.
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