To anyone who’s ever had to lock in to finish an essay late at night or study for a big exam (read: all of us), it comes as no surprise that college is hard. Demanding assignments, tight deadlines, high expectations, and career-defining stakes are hallmarks of the college experience.  

However, just because it is difficult does not mean that students must brave it alone. The Learning Assistance Programs (LAP) offer multiple resources to work with students to make sure that students can rise up and succeed in the face of these challenges. 

LAP inhibits a space on the second floor of the library. They offer a variety of services such as individual consultations and academic coaching, peer tutoring, group study and a variety of workshops and collaborations with other Seattle University entities. 

Many students are unaware of the resources that LAP provides, others are aware, but don’t take advantage of the resources. A possible explanation is the stigma that surrounds academic help, as many people are taught to believe that tutoring and other help are only necessary for struggling or unsuccessful students. 

Director of LAP Angelique Jenkins pushed back against this narrative. 

“We try really hard to dispel that myth about who uses our services because we have students who are getting straight As that they want to keep those As, so they’re coming in and getting a tutor,” Jenkins said. 

Peer tutoring is one of the program’s most popular resources. They offer 40 trained tutors in a variety of subjects, giving students support in their 1000–3000 level courses in the areas of languages, science, nursing and math. The program prides itself in its College Reading and Learning Association certification, which means that peer tutors are trained to a high standard, following the association’s standards at every level. 

Mary Jayne Allen, assistant director of the program and facilitated study group coordinator, emphasized the high standards student tutors are held to. 

“We’re aligning ourselves with best practices in our field. It’s not just ‘Oh, let’s find someone who did well in the course and have them work with somebody else.’ We’re really trying to train and support them well,” Allen said. 

Tutoring is offered weekly, and the program works hard to try to accommodate students to find the best time that works for them. 

Assistant Director and Tutor Coordinator Erin Moynihan finds that there are benefits in having a consistent tutor to meet regularly with. 

“You get matched with a tutor and you meet with that same tutor at that time every week. It helps folks develop a relationship which leads to better engagement with tutoring,” Moynihan said. 

The program also offers facilitated study groups, which allow students to learn study skills and prepare for their classes in an environment with like-minded peers and the help of a student facilitator. According to Allen, these groups are not just useful for their immediate effect—they also give students a structure to learn better study skills. 

“Those kinds of study groups help students build a regular pattern of study. It helps you get in the pattern of not just cramming right before an exam or right before an assignment, 
and that participation in those groups is also confidence building,” Allen said. 

Finally, the school also offers individual consultations, where students can meet one-on-one with one of the directors and discuss their academic successes and struggles, and what to do from there. This academic coaching allows students to have tailor-made suggestions for how to handle their academic burden, which can be a huge help to a wide variety of students, including both current and aspiring high achievers. 

“College is hard, so we know there are going to be challenges. [Coaching is] helping to normalize some of those challenges and help them to use those strengths to navigate the challenges,” Jenkins said. 

While coaching is meant to be constructive and helpful, it can also be enriching in other ways. Often, getting overwhelmed with schoolwork can mean struggling alone and becoming socially isolated. Having the opportunity to have someone celebrate your strengths and help you get back on your feet can be both a useful and enjoyable experience for all parties involved. 

“One of my favorite parts of the job is meeting with students individually,” Moynihan shared. 

There are a great deal of students who are on the path to academic greatness utilizing LAP, but there are also many students who could be benefiting from the program who either aren’t aware of its existence or how its services can help them. So, if you feel as though you could use some help with school or think that any of the program’s offerings can be helpful to you, don’t hesitate to reach out and take advantage of all the program has to offer. 

More resources on LAP and the links to schedule an appointment can be found at seattleu.edu/learning-assistance, and students are always welcome to find more information by visiting the program on the second floor of the library.