Princeton University

Writer's block is a common illness at Princeton. Fortunately, the Writing Center is a wonderful place to help cure it. The center offers trained tutors -- mostly graduate students -- willing to help you write your paper. They won't play human spellchecker for you, but they will suggest ways to help improve your paper’s structure, content and other elements. Tutoring sessions are 50 minutes, free and private. The center is especially busy during exam times, so make an appointment well in advance online.

Located in 011 East Pyne, the Humanities Resource Center is an indispensable tool for studying a language at Princeton. It houses numerous multimedia recordings, from simple audio for study to popular foreign movies. Be sure to take advantage of this resource if you are fulfilling a language requirement or are just curious about another language.

Stuck on a problem set? Can't understand Latin conjugations? Don't despair: the University provides tutors in many subjects. Fees are determined by a sliding scale that's based on financial aid amounts. You shouldn't feel embarrassed about asking for a tutor. The most successful students are the ones willing to seek help. Ask your professor about available tutors for your class.

Both the residential colleges and many departments sponsor review sessions for several courses in math and science. Look for flyers in residential colleges, or contact your professor for exact times and locations. Review sessions are usually run by graduate students in a very informal way, so don't hesitate to bring up difficult questions.

Don't just study at Princeton -- study smarter. The McGraw Center in 328 Frist offers a range of programs to help students at all levels meet their academic challenges and be more productive overall. Through McGraw's Study Hall@Frist, they provide free tutoring in introductory-level chemistry, economics, logic, mathematics, physics and integrated sciences. And if you'd like to improve your study skills, find ways ways to take control of your time and cut down on procrastination, or get a better sense of how you and your brain learn, you'll find they have plenty of practical advice. Check out the center's website for details about Study Hall, workshop schedules and opportunities for one-on-one conferences.

Getting help
It's important that you don't fall behind during the first three weeks of the semester -- in the whirlwind of choosing classes, adjusting to your new friends and dorm, and finding your way around campus, this is very easy to do. If it does: run, don't walk, to your professor or TA's office hours. Every single instructor at Princeton sets aside time every week for this very reason. If they can't help you right then and there, odds are they'll be able to meet with you again later, recommend a tutor or offer some sort of extension. And if their schedule is especially tight -- try inviting them to a "business" lunch or coffee. So long as they actually get to eat, many professors and grad students are more than willing to talk.

Quick tip
The Academic Support at Princeton website provides an overview of all academic resources, including advisers and course-specific help, courtesy of the Office of the Dean of the College.