How to Take Advantage of Academic Coaching

Remember in high school when a teacher would ask a question and a few painful seconds (minutes?) went by and…crickets? No one wanted to raise his or her hand for fear of looking as if he or she didn’t know the answer. It’s difficult to admit when we don’t know something and need help.

As a Student Services Advisor, I spend much time talking with students who are struggling academically. The reasons may vary, but some of the more common issues include time management or not understanding the coursework. This latter problem is often exacerbated when students are afraid to ask for help.

When students are struggling with content, the first thing I advise they do is, of course, go to their instructors. Your instructor can’t know you need extra help unless you ask for it, which is exactly why they hold office hours. During that time, instructors are available to tackle student questions one-on-one and discuss assignments in more detail. However, some students may want additional time to work with an expert on their coursework.

Herzing University offers free online tutoring (academic coaching) to all students, and there are many reasons why students should take advantage of this valuable resource:

1) School can be Intense!

Juggling school with work and families is tough. On top of finding a work-life balance, many students soon realize that after being out of school for a while, they need to brush up on basic academic or technical skills. Academic coaches are a great resource for students to get the extra help they need.

2) Individual attention

Academic coaches are Masters-level experts in their fields who have access to Herzing course materials and can help explain and illustrate various topics to enrich understanding. Students are able to schedule one-on-one time with coaches for an average of an hour at a time (sometimes more upon request) to work closely on individual assignments.

3) Flexible availability and convenience

Online academic coaches offer availability that aligns with your schedule. This is great news for busy working adults who may not be able to add more to their plates outside of their regular study hours.

Convinced? Then the next step is to go ahead and schedule your tutoring session. Herzing students can schedule an appointment a couple of different ways:

1) The easiest method is to click on the Academic Coach Info link located on the left-hand menu within each course on Blackboard. This link will take you directly to the academic coach who works with a particular class. After clicking on the link, read through and follow the directions to schedule an appointment. First, you’ll be directed to a page that asks you to agree to the Tutoring and Writing Center’s (TWC) policies and guidelines. Then you will see a page that gives the individual academic coach’s availability, followed by a space to fill out your own information and preferred time. After you submit a request, the academic coach will respond to you through the email address you provide in the form.

2) The second place to find your academic coaches is through the TWC tab at the top of your Blackboard home page. Clicking on this tab will bring you to a page that shows all of the different subject areas in which academic coaches are available. After selecting a subject area, you follow the same process described above.

We all need help from time to time, so make sure to utilize the resources available to you to get the most out of the new school year.

Jenna Sims Gray is a Student Services Specialist who supports students taking online classes through Herzing University’s Akron and Orlando campuses.