College students have a tendency to face challenges. Whether it’s a math assignment, a chemistry lab course, or the writing of a research paper, students face a variety of challenges. However, many students are unaware that they can overcome academic challenges through a DePaul tutoring session. 

DePaul offers tutoring services for all courses offered at each individual college. Tutoring sessions are led by student tutors, and each tutor focuses on a specific subject or course for the sessions in which they are most qualified. Some sessions, such as the writing center, require an appointment, while others, such as the math department, accept walk-ins.

Many students at DePaul take advantage of the opportunities the university offers through each of the departments. Sam Gutterman, senior studying finance has taken advantage of DePaul’s tutoring services.

“They offer help in the concepts as well as students’ homework,” Gutterman said. “I usually go now for sessions for questions about my homework.”

“My first quarter of my freshman year I took trigonometry, it was easy for me, and I didn’t need additional help,” Gutterman said. “In the next quarter, I struggled with a couple of concepts on my homework, and thought of going to the tutoring center for help.”

Sean Hancock, a senior at Dominican University studying to become a high school English teacher, also values tutoring. Tutoring is a great resource to have for any student to succeed in the classroom. 

“Tutoring is a great way to get help in certain subjects and concepts,” Hancock said. “Sometimes a fresh explanation from another student could help them.”

Getting those fresh explanations from a student can be beneficial for the students. Instead of hearing from the professor, they will be hearing the concepts from a fellow student. Professor Peter Elliot, an associate professor of English at Anderson University, teaches practical writing courses for tutors at the university. He believes students benefit from tutoring by hearing the concepts and lessons being told to them by a student rather than a professor. 

“Students get to hear a voice other than their professor,” Elliot said. “Tutors have the advantage of being peers to the students that they are working week.” 

With many students at DePaul taking four or five classes per week and listening to multiple different professors teaching, just hearing a voice that can relate to them and is going through the same schedule with class, can give the student help. 

Unfortunately, some students don’t always seek out the help they might need. Some  feel, according to Elliot, that they should understand the concepts and going to a tutor is basically admitting their shortcomings. If they break this stigma, they can see for themselves the benefits of tutoring. Elliot compares a tutoring session to a doctor’s appointment. 

“There are many benefits of going to a tutoring session for a struggling student,” Elliot said. “They acknowledge they need help and go and get the help they need.”

Hancock has also seen it himself during his time training to become a teacher. He also sees the benefits of tutoring for students success in the classroom. 

“I think that students need to know when they should ask for help if they need it,” Hancock said. “Tutoring can be useful.” 

Students like Gutterman have seen these benefits and have kept the option of getting help in mind.

“My trigonometry professor that I had encouraged our class to go to the tutors for help if we were struggling,” Gutterman said. “I always kept the sessions in the back of my mind for assistance and now it is useful.”

Gutterman is hoping he can help others realize there are several benefits in seeing a tutor. He does not believe fellow students should stress themselves out over not understanding how to solve a problem or difficulty with the concepts they are learning. 

“The peer tutors are there to help you out,” Gutterman said. “It never hurts to get help and have someone look over your work to help you solve the problem.” 

Hancock also agrees with this statement. He always tries to encourage others to get help as well, and is willing to offer extra assistance and give students one-on-one additional guidance to anyone that needs it.