Academic Programs

Drop-in Mentoring Programs

Will set you up for success by:

Providing content support for a variety of foundational courses, all in a flexible and collaborative learning environment.

GET HELP WITH YOUR COURSES

Set Yourself Up for Success this Fall!

During the Fall 2023 semester, the Learning Center will be offering primarily in-person drop-in mentoring with some remote options via Zoom. You can view upcoming sessions and learn of any updates, special sessions, or cancellations by visiting our mentoring session calendar.

Types of Programs

The Learning Center offers two drop-in mentoring programs: Residential Peer Mentoring (RPM) and Academic Mentoring (AM).

The primary role of Residential Peer Mentoring is to create a successful academic community of students in a University living environment. RPMs facilitate group learning hours for Calculus and General Chemistry courses throughout the week in classrooms and other public spaces in residential colleges on the South 40. All WashU students are welcome to visit a RPM session in any residential college, regardless of where they live.

Academic Mentors also hold drop-in mentoring sessions. The main difference between AMs and RPMs is that AM sessions are offered for a wider variety of foundational courses, and are typically held in academic buildings on the Danforth campus (though sometimes sessions are held on the South 40, as well). Just like with RPMs, any student is welcome to attend an AM session.

To meet our RPMs and AMs, visit our mentor directory.

Click here to view the calendar of public mentoring sessions.

 

Interested in Becoming a Mentor?

Click here to find out how!

I prefer [RPM hours] to office hours because it isn't as intimidating to ask questions from other undergraduate students [...] I've used RPM sessions to answer questions I have on general concepts, specific worksheets, and lecture content and rarely leave unsatisfied.

C.R. / Cognitive Neuroscience, 2024

Academic mentoring is a low-pressure way to get any of your questions answered [...] I also appreciate getting ideas from not only the mentor but other peers in the session. It's overall a non-judgmental, productive, and helpful environment.

Courtney L. / Environmental Biology and IAS, 2023

Every Sunday I pencil in to my calendar to attend [a] physics help session. No matter where everyone is in solving the homework, [the mentor] manages to both show us how to do it and answer specific questions, for every problem that week.

Anonymous / Biology, 2021

FAQs

For which courses is drop-in mentoring offered?

Lots of them!

Most of our programming is geared toward supporting students in large, lecture-style introductory courses, but our offerings are continually expanding!

Residential Peer Mentoring

  • Chem 105/106: Introductory General Chemistry I & II
  • Chem 111/112: General Chemistry I & II
  • Math 131: Calculus I
  • Math 132: Calculus II
  • Math 233: Calculus III

Academic Mentoring

  • Art History 113: History of Western Art, Architecture & Design
  • Art History 215: Introduction to Modern Art, Architecture & Design
  • Bio 2960/2970: Principles of Biology I & II
  • Chem 261/262: Organic Chemistry I & II
  • CSE 131: Introduction to Computer Science
  • Math 217: Differential Equations
  • Math 309: Matrix Algebra
  • Math 2200: Elementary Probability and Statistics
  • Math 3200: Elementary to Intermediate Statistics and Data Analysis
  • Music 121C/122C: Classical Theory
  • Music 121J/122J: Jazz Theory
  • Physics 191/192: Physics I and II
  • Psych 300: Introductory Psychological Statistics
  • Spanish (all levels)
What's a drop-in session like?

The short answer? It depends.

The number of attendees at a session can vary considerably based on the time of year, the size of the course, and the proximity to an exam or major due date. So, some sessions might see a handful of attendees, while others (like exams review sessions) could have dozens. Our mentors are trained to provide a productive and collaborative learning environment in either case.

In general, you can expect the mentor to be available to answer questions, help with homework, and promote group learning. However, each mentor has their own facilitation style, and certain sessions tend to attract more attendees than others, so sessions may develop their own ‘personality’. We encourage you to ‘shop around’ for a session that best suits you and your needs.

Also, keep in mind that you are welcome to stop by at any time during a session, and can leave at any point. However, you should probably stop by early if you have a lot of questions.

What can a mentor help me with?

Just about anything!

While our drop-in mentors spend most of their sessions helping with homework or answering questions about course-specific content and concepts, they are also trained to provide academic skills support, such as advice on study tips and test-taking strategies for that course or academic discipline. If you are looking for dedicated academic skills support, check out our peer coaching program.

Is there any support offered for CAPS courses?

Yes! To learn if mentoring support is available for your course, contact your instructor or Elizabeth Fogt, Director of Advising and Student Services, at efogt@wustl.edu.

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