Tutors come to the rescue

It's 11 p.m. Your chemistry lab report is due in the morning, and you're still stuck on the second page of data. Your English 129 professor scribbled an ominous note on a draft of your paper. Your Math 120 midterm is tomorrow, and you think you're coming down with the flu.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, or if you just have a few (hundred) questions about your courses, Yale has a variety of resources that can help you. Your residential college Dean is the first person to see when you need academic guidance. He or she can advise you on choosing courses or settling on a major. Not only can college Deans set you up with a specialized academic tutor, they can also issue a Dean's Excuse, which allows you to postpone an exam or paper due to extenuating circumstances.

If you find you just can't hack it in a certain class, Yale College Student Tutors are available to help any student with a C or below. These friendly students are paid by the University to help their peers.

But what if you just have a quick question or want someone to read the rough draft of your paper? Yale also offers tutors you can visit on an informal, drop-in basis.

Math and Science Tutors: Old Campus has two math and science gurus who work with freshmen. They won't provide the answers, but they will help you work out the problems. Both tutors are usually available for a five-hour stretch one night per week.

Each residential college also has a math and science tutor who is accessible to any Yale student during regular office hours. "Students can get personal attention that may be unavailable in their classes, and many students like it because tutors are completely separate from the grading process," former math and science tutor Aimé Fournier, GRD '90, explained. He said that his students ranged from the "totally confused" to those seeking an extra challenge and a different perspective on their coursework.

Writing Tutors: Each residential college has a writing tutor, offering similar assistance for all types of writing with flexible hours. These tutors offer more than just remedial help—whether you're working on a novella or a rough draft of a paper, they'll look it over. "People come in at all stages of the writing process," TD writing tutor Diane Charney said. "Some people come to polish up, some people come because they can't get started. Writing tutors have tricks to get people over the hump."

So when that assignment starts to worry you, or when you just want advice, don't forget the valuable resources at your disposal. Yale academics might sound intimidating, but there is plenty of help available when you need it.

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