Sometimes, college students need a little extra help in order to successfully pass their classes and graduate with a degree and an internship under their proverbial belts. This is why Dean College offers academic coaching for our students.

Through the Morton Family Learning Center, all students can work with peer tutors, professional tutors or faculty members in a wide range of classes and content areas, as well as academic study partners, who are trained peer tutors that provide homework assistance and role modeling for students. These tutoring services are free of charge to help you build skills and reach your academic goals. One-on-one academic coaching is also available for an additional fee, although the skills that are enhanced through it are priceless. No matter which of these services you take advantage of for support, here are some of the many benefits that students will receive through academic coaching.

Better Time Management Skills

Students need solid time management skills in order to get everything done. There are plenty of things to balance when in college, such as classes, labs, studying, homework, meals, sleep, and hanging out with friends. With so much going on, students who don't manage their time wisely may get overwhelmed and cut back on certain things, including sleep. The academic coaching services at Dean can help students learn to set aside enough time for everything and stay on task.

Enhanced Note-Taking Skills

Note taking is a big part of college. Even if professors can provide a set of PowerPoint slides that accompany their lectures, they often don't contain all of the details that were in the lecture itself. As a result, students need to take notes in order to capture as much information as possible. Since there are several different ways to take these notes, an academic coach will go over the various methods with the student and help them develop a system that will work for them.

Overcoming Test Anxiety

One thing that many college students suffer from is test anxiety. This fear of taking tests can be detrimental, as it usually makes a student's mind go blank when facing the test sheet. An overall feeling of panic at the very idea of taking a test may make studying for it difficult. Thankfully, Dean’s academic coaching offers guidance on everything from coping methods to strategies for studying and more. The academic coaches at Dean are skilled at helping students properly deal with their test anxiety.

Improving Study Skills

Good study skills are a key component of success in college classes. On top of looking over the lecture notes and completing the assigned readings, students must be prepared for things like homework, studying for tests, and concentrating on their studies in busy dorms and alongside roommates who may be doing other things. Learning good study skills is another part of our academic coaching services.

Boosting Writing Skills

Another issue that many incoming college students have involves their writing skills. For students who may not feel prepared for college level writing or are struggling to get their papers done throughout their college careers, receiving tutoring support on writing techniques and skills can be beneficial. Completing writing exercises, boosting verbal skills, and working on clarity and grammar skills are all ways that an academic coach can help a student write on the expected college level.

While many students are successful in high school, college academics raises the bar and often requires study skills that many students have not fully developed. Luckily, the academic coaching staff at Dean College is ready to help every student find success in the classroom.