Academic Programs

Matched Academic Mentoring

Will set you up for success by:

Providing supplemental, small group mentoring to help you develop conceptual understanding of course material, metacognition, study habits, and more!

What is Matched Academic Mentoring?

Matched Academic Mentoring provides supplemental learning opportunities in a small group setting for eligible students in select courses (see list below). Students may be eligible for Matched Academic Mentoring if they:

  • Have experienced challenges in key prerequisite courses
  • Have identified significant gaps in their foundational knowledge of a subject
  • Feel like they are falling behind in a class and are struggling to catch up
  • Are on Academic Probation or Academic Warning

Based on their needs, students are intentionally matched with a mentor for support in conceptual understanding, learning strategies, problem solving strategies, goal setting, and other academic and metacognitive skills.

The Matched Academic Mentoring request form is closed for the Spring 2023 semester.

If you do not qualify for MAM or do not feel that this program is the best fit for your needs, you may wish to utilize the learning Center’s other Academic Programs. If you do not see other resources for the course(s) for which you are seeking support, you can also email learningcenter@wustl.edu or reach out to a Learning Center staff member for assistance.

Things to Keep in Mind

  1. Matched Academic Mentoring sessions may be held in person on the Danforth Campus or via Zoom video conferencing, depending on mentor and mentee preferences and the availability of meeting spaces. Sessions may be moved to Zoom at any time to limit disruptions in support due to individual circumstances or in response to public health guidance regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Regular attendance is required for Matched Academic Mentoring sessions. Groups typically meet for 1 or 2 hours, once a week, and failure to consistently attend sessions can result in removal from a mentoring group. If you know that you will not be able to attend a scheduled session, please inform your mentor as far in advance as possible.
  3. This program is supplemental to the other forms of support the Learning Center offers (PLTL, RPM, Drop-in mentoring) and is intended to provide additional/alternate learning opportunities for students in a small group (1-4 students) setting. Please continue to use PLTL and other drop-in programs if those are offered for the courses for which you are requesting additional support. Our data suggests that students who remain in these programs perform significantly better than their peers who don’t.
  4. It may take up to 10 business days for Learning Center staff to match you with a mentor, depending on the time of year and availability of the mentors. Please place requests at least 2 weeks prior to an exam to allow us time to work with mentors and find you a match.
  5. Please limit your request to two courses. You are not guaranteed to be matched with a mentor for more than one course. The request form allows you to indicate which course is your highest priority for mentoring.
  6. Matched Academic Mentoring is not one-on-one mentoring. If you are the first person to be matched with a particular mentor, please be aware that up to three other students may be added to your group as the semester goes on.

For more information about the Matched Academic Mentoring program, check out the MAM section of our Frequently Asked Questions page or reach out to our Academic Programs Coordinator at backes@wustl.edu.

Which Courses are Supported by Matched Academic Mentoring?

  • Bio 2960/2970: Principles of Biology I & II
  • Chem 105/106: Introductory General Chemistry I & II
  • Chem 111/112: General Chemistry I & II
  • Chem 261/262: Organic Chemistry I & II
  • CSE 131: Introduction to Computer Science
  • Math 131: Calculus I
  • Math 132: Calculus II
  • Math 233: Calculus III
  • Math 217: Differential Equations
  • Math 309: Matrix Algebra
  • Math 2200: Elementary Probability and Statistics
  • Physics 191/192: Physics I and II
  • Psych 100B: Introduction to Psychology (Space is limited!)
  • Psych 300: Introductory Psychological Statistics (Space is limited!)
  • Korean (all levels)
  • Spanish (all levels)

If you are interested in receiving support for a course that is not on this list, go ahead and fill out the request form (closed for the Spring 2023 semester). There is an option to request an unlisted course, and staff will make every reasonable effort to accommodate your request or connect you with other available resources for the course.

What Students Say About the Program

The Matched Academic Mentors are always kind, knowledgeable and helpful. I left every session feeling more equipped than when the session started. MAM really is a gamechanger, not only for your grades, but for your WashU experience as a whole.

Jessica / Biology major, Class of 2022

Before I was paired with my academic mentor I felt hopeless in the language I was studying. As soon as I started working with my mentor I noticed not only a drastic increase in my grade, but also that I was more confident in my abilities in class, more excited about the subject, and more on par with my peers.

Anonymous / English Literature Arts and Sciences, 2023

This program is an excellent resource for anyone struggling with a particular class. My mentor helped me to clarify concepts that I was struggling with, review exam questions, and answer any questions I had about the material. He was super informative and knew the information well. I highly recommend utilizing this program!

R. H. / Environmental Analysis, 2023

Matched Academic Mentoring has been incredibly beneficial for my understanding in hard science classes. The small group setting has allowed me to get the help that I need in order to fully grasp certain concepts so ensure that I will do well on the tests.

Anonymous / Anthropology, 2022
Back to Academic Programs