Good grades are a concern for most students.

Yes, some people may be more academically gifted than others, but you shouldn’t rule out tutoring if you need extra help.

Especially new college students, who may have more difficulty in their classes. NIU’s tutoring programs are well-suited for this.

The programs offer primarily 100- and 200-level courses, said Hillard Hebda, ACCESS assistant director for Peer Assisted Learning.

There are tutoring centers in Grant Towers South and Douglas and Lincoln halls.
Tutors are available for help in math, biology and English courses, among others, and tutoring is free for NIU students.

Despite this variety, many students don’t take advantage of these opportunities.

“From summer of 2006 to spring 2007, 1,600 students [came to tutoring], about 10,800 tutoring hours were provided to students,” Hebda said.

I have several friends who have never seen a tutor. I’ve witnessed them struggle, and seen them settle for average grades – sometimes below average. It makes sense to at least try tutoring.

For me, math tutoring works the best and is the most effective use of my time. I’m not alone, apparently.

“Two-thirds to three-fouths of the tutoring that we do is primarily for math or math-related courses,” said Hebda.

Of course, the variety of tutoring available makes it easy for any student to find the help they need.

Freshmen enrolled in English composition courses might want to visit the University Writing Center – before their eight-page paper is due. The center is located in Stevenson Towers South.

There are also Supplemental Instruction Leaders who you can sign up to see for one-on-one tutoring, a good option for more intensive tutoring.

For more information on these tutoring programs, visit www.tutoring.niu.edu/.

If you’re not sure about tutoring, try talking to your instructors. Ask when they are available to help you.

Last year, I had teachers who told our class that no one showed up for help during their office hours. That’s unfortunate.

With these on-campus options for tutoring, there are fewer reasons why good grades can’t be a reality. Find a way that works for you.

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