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Center for Academic Success & Tutoring (CAST)

About CAST, services for your student, study tips from a tutor...more!

Spring 2024 Hours of Operation

Professional Office:

• Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Cole Hall, Room 149.

Tutoring Center Hours:

• Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Sunday, 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.

All located in Sprague Library, Room 138.

Tutorial Services

Students are encouraged to take advantage of CAST tutoring, covered within their tuition, which fosters active learning, reasoning and critical thinking.

• Meet the Tutors
• Make an Appointment
  • Tip: When your student is making an appointment, when asked “Would you like to share anything else?”, the answer is yes! Filling this box out is what helps the tutors know exactly what the student is coming for and how to prepare.
• Your Student Couldn’t Find Their Course?

Peer Academic Coaches

Personalized, one-on-one meetings with a Peer Academic Coach who helps students develop skills as well as behaviors and habits that will contribute to success in college.

Supplemental Instruction (SI)

Weekly peer-led review sessions for historically challenging courses with high rates of D’s, F’s, and withdrawals. View the Spring SI Schedule. Please Note: The schedule is for student view only. Send it to your student to log in!

Benefits:

• Drop-in sessions, no appointment required.
• Great way to meet other students in their courses.
• Meet upperclassmen who have taken the course who can give course recommendations, professor recommendations, tips and tricks for studying.

CAST Workshops

Workshops on topics related to academic success.

Suggested Workshops for Finals:

• Avoiding Distractions: Sunday, April 21, 5 p.m., Online.
• De-Stress Techniques: Tuesday, April 23, 6 p.m., Sprague Library, Room 044.
• A Guide to Memorization: Thursday, April 25, 3 p.m., Sprague Library, Room 021.

How to Support Your Student Through Finals

• Ask your student:
  • How are you feeling about finals?
  • Have you had time to sit down and create a study plan?
• Tips for your student from a tutor:
  • Take a shot at completing the work before coming in for a tutoring session.
  • When making a tutoring appointment, add a comment about the area of study they are coming in for. This helps the tutor prepare, allocate resources, and create a personalized session.
  • Define your purpose for why you are scheduling an appointment. Is it that you are passionate about the course, need help or extra practice, or to meet other students in your classes.
• How to encourage your student to utilize tutoring services:
  • No matter their background in a subject, tutoring can be a great way to develop themselves academically and socially.
  • Tutors within our center are kind, approachable, and meet every student where they are at.
  • A diverse range of students come into the tutoring center. Students who are coming in because they want an A instead of a B, students who are struggling because the subject is not their strength or they are having a tough semester.
  • Students will be provided with skills, strategies, and resources beyond the tutoring session. For example, additional videos to watch or information to attend their professor’s office hours,
  • College tutoring is different from high school tutoring!
  • Using the tutoring center is a sign of strength, not weakness!
  • Data shows that students who are utilizing Supplemental Instruction perform better in the class over other students and are more confident.
• How your student can avoid distractions:
  • Download an app to help!
    • Forest: Stay focused, be present
    • Cold Turkey: Block websites, games and applications to boost your productivity and reclaim your free time
  • Turn on Do Not Disturb on their phone.
  • Using a different browser or separate profile where they are not logged into social media and entertainment sites.
  • Ask your student when their study time is so you do not interrupt with dinner, chores, and give them their space.
  • Ask them if they have a study spot on campus that is quiet or has the right background noises to help them study effectively.
  • Encourage your student to attend Avoiding Distractions, April 21, 5 p.m., Online. Students will understand where distractions are and how to break away and focus when needed.
• Additional questions to ask your student:
  • What sort of study habits have you been preparing or practicing?
  • Are you taking time away like going to the gym or hanging out with friends?
  • Have you utilized the Counseling and Psychological Services office in this tough time and attending to your mental health?
  • Are you leaving enough time for a full eight hours of sleep?
  • Can you lighten your hours at work for these last two weeks of the semester?

CAST Student Employment

Is your student looking for a campus job that will build their resume as well as reinforce the learning they have already done? Check out employment opportunities within CAST!