Academic Support Assistance Program provides free tutors for students in dorms
Ever sat in a lecture and wondered, what did my professor just say? Or have you ever wanted to brush up on your skills from those introductory classes you took ages ago? If your answer is yes, the solution to your problems is the Academic Support Assistance Program.
For students living in the residence halls, ASAP provides free tutoring in all subject areas. Students must first fill out a tutor request form, which is available in the residence hall offices. Students are matched up with a tutor who has a corresponding schedule. The tutors are CU upperclassmen who are skilled in an area of study and have been hired and trained to teach students.
“I think it takes students who know the subject material well and presents it in a way to break it down so other students can understand it,” said Andrea Kragerud, ASAP coordinator, about the program.
The fall of 2006 proved to be ASAP’s best semester in three years. The program filled 1,197 requests and tutored around 800 students. The program had 61 tutors on staff who worked an average of six to 10 hours a week.
The program has been running at CU since 1972 and has spread to many different departments over the years. ASAP is part of the Housing and Dining Services and contains the Council on Academic Programs in Residence Halls, Academic Support Residents, the Committee on Learning and Academic Support Services and the National Residence Hall Honorary. Each of these departments work together to help students enrich their academic careers.
ASAP tutor Biftu Mengesha, a senior biochemistry major, has been with the program since fall 2004. She said the best life lesson she has learned is how to work with a diverse group of people. Mengesha also said tutoring has given her strong leadership skills and improved her communication skills.
“This is such a great resource for students living in the dorms,” Mengesha said. “This is definitely a great program to be on at either end. It provides great tools for students to build on throughout their college careers.”
Michael Mazzone, a freshman international affairs major, took advantage of the free tutoring for his biology class last semester after realizing that college was a different playing field than high school. After his first test he decided that he better get some extra help. Mazzone said ASAP helped his grade go from a D to a C+. He is hopeful this semester to keep improving his skills with help from an ASAP tutor.
“Tutoring provided me a different perspective on material, which could be described by a different approach, from a different person, rather than a professor,” Mazzone said.
ASAP believes in tutoring sessions of small groups, no more than five people, who meet twice a week. It also provides free walk-in tutoring from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday in Libby 140 for math, biology, chemistry, physics and applied mathematics. On top of these services, the tutors hold extra exam reviews during finals and major tests.
ASAP’s resources are limited however because of funding.
“We receive no tuition dollars at all,” Kragerud said. “Our funding comes from room and board fee(s), which is only a small percentage.”
This is why the free services they provide are only available to students in residence halls.
“This program is there to support students who are having trouble academically,” Kragerud said. “Also, ASAP, is a great opportunity for tutors to learn how to teach the material and prepare for graduate school or medical school.”
Mengesha said tutoring helped prepare her for MCAT tests this fall.
“Tutoring was like a refresher course for me. It helped cut down my studying,” Mengesha said.
She also said being a tutor helped her in other classes.
“It was nice to be the one person in physical chemistry who remembered things, considering chemistry keeps building,” Mengesha said. “Tutoring supports struggling students and we give you that extra boost to reach your potential. College is hard and everyone struggles through it. It’s better to not go alone through it. Take a hand and hold on!”
The ASAP office is located in Hallett 66 or can be contacted at 303-735-3303 with any questions. They are also currently looking for tutors in various subject areas.
