If you are struggling in a subject, or know you will be struggling soon, you can get help by signing up for a Peer Tutor. Our tutors are Grinnell students who have been recommended by professors for demonstrating expertise in their subject areas. They will meet with you individually, work with you at your own pace and give you help in the specific areas you need most.

As a Grinnell student, you can receive up to 2 free hours a week of tutoring in one or two of your classes. You and your tutor will decide when to meet and every attempt will be made to work around your schedule. Because the tutor has had the class before, you will benefit from his or her experience and focus on the specific requirements of the class.

To obtain a tutor, you must come to the Academic Advising Office, Forum lower level and get a list of recommended tutors from Carol Ahrens (x3702). It is your responsibility to contact the tutor(s) and arrange mutually convenient meeting times. If you and your tutor cannot find a time convenient for both of you, call someone else. If you come to the point where you are unable to find a tutor, stop by the Academic Advising Office to discuss other sources of help.

It is your responsibility to notify Carol Ahrens (x3702) of the person you have selected to be your tutor. It is important for us to have this information so we can keep track of the number of students assigned to each tutor. You will also be given a blue time sheet each month. Keep a record of the times that you have been tutored during the month and submit it to Academic Advising on the 25th of every month. If you do not submit the time sheet, your tutor will not be paid.

An "Identifying Needs" form will be given to you when you ask for a list of tutors. This form should be filled out and returned to the Academic Advising Office when you select a tutor, or you could bring the form to your first tutoring session. The form will help your tutor identify problem areas, and therefore better assist you.

You are welcome to change tutors at any time. It would be polite to inform your current tutor that you will not be needing their assistance in the future. We provide numerous tutors so that you are more likely to find someone with whom you can work successfully.

Tutors will help you find strategies to succeed in your specific class. This may include working on note taking skills, comprehension of basic concepts or key ideas, and organizing materials for the course.

Take home exams. Grinnell's academic honesty policy states that exams should be your own work. Also, any issues that do not pertain specifically to the course for which you are tutored (such as homesickness, roommate problems, health issues) should be brought to the attention of a Student Affairs staff member (SA, RLC, Academic Advising Counselor, etc.) Tutors are not trained in personal counseling.

Have no fear, the tutoring coordinators are happy to answer any and all questions. Carol Ahrens works closely with the tutoring program and would would love to talk with you.