Peer Tutoring FAQs

The Learning Center, The Writing Center, and The Speaking Center all operate out of Gleeson Library. Our Front Desk (for all three centers) is located in Room G03, which is on the Lower Level. A Front Desk staff member will direct you to your specific tutoring location once you check in for your appointment in Room G03.

Students are able to schedule their own tutoring appointment via our online scheduling system. The Quick Links menu on our website provides a direct link to the system as well as step-by-step instructions for scheduling. More information can also be found on our Make an Appointment webpage.

The Learning Center provides Peer Tutoring in numerous subjects each semester. Appointments can be booked no more than two weeks in advance and no less than 24 hours in advance.

Appointments are an hour long and go until tutoring is finished or the hour is up, whichever comes first.

Appointments can be booked no more than two weeks in advance and no less than 24 hours in advance.

Peer Tutoring sessions are one hour. Together a tutor and their tutee set and develop strategies to achieve academic goals. Tutoring sessions provide guided practice for students and also provide an opportunity for students to make mistakes and check understanding in a non judgemental environment. Tutees bring to each session class notes and textbooks along with other material relevant to the work at hand. All sessions revolve around the students’ academic needs.

Tutoring occurs on the Lower Level of Gleeson Library, directly outside of The Learning, Writing, and Speaking Centers’ main office (Room G03). Students who cannot make it to campus for their appointments have the option of selecting an “Online” appointment. This preference is indicated during the scheduling process. Online appointments occur through the utilization of Zoom, and students can find instructions to connect with their tutor in their appointment confirmation emails.

During the fall and spring terms, Peer Tutoring will commence in the second week of the semester and end on Study/Reading Day, the day prior to the start of finals. 

Limited Peer Tutoring is available during the summer sessions, and there is no Peer Tutoring during the winter intersession.
 

All current USF students are eligible to meet with a Peer Tutor for courses on our supported-course list, and/or to submit a Tutor Request Form to seek additional support. It is important to note that you must be currently enrolled in a course to receive Peer Tutoring support for that course.

You can meet with a Peer Tutor up to 4 hours in a 7 day period, per subject (i.e. Monday-Sunday, Wednesday-Tuesday, etc.). Additionally, you are eligible to book one appointment per day, per subject. NOTE: Peer Tutoring appointments are typically one hour in length. 

Appointments are limited to one appointment per subject per day. You may however, make appointments for the same subject over four consecutive days.

It is always a good idea to make appointments as early as possible. Depending on the subject and time of semester, appointment times can fill up quickly.
 

It is always a good idea to make appointments as early as possible. Depending on the subject and time of semester, appointment times can fill up quickly.

Appointments must be cancelled from the student dashboard in the Salesforce scheduling system. Log in to the scheduling system, locate your appointment on the dashboard, click on the edit icon next to the word "Confirmed," then select "Cancel Appointment." More information can also be found on our Make an Appointment webpage.

Appointments should be cancelled at least 24 hours in advance to avoid penalty. Cancelling an appointment within 24 hours of the appointment time or missing the appointment will result in a strike. Students receiving 3 or more strikes in a semester will lose their Peer Tutoring privileges for the remainder of the term. More information can also be found on our How to Cancel Subject Tutoring Appointments.

Your tutor is only required to wait 15 minutes before your appointment is declared a "No-Show." If you know you are running late, contact the Front Desk at (415) 422-6713 to leave your tutor a message.

NOTE: A "Late Cancellation" is when you cancel your appointment within 24 hours or less of your appointment start time. A total of 3 No-Shows/Late Cancellations will result in a loss of Peer Tutoring privileges for the remainder of the term.
 

A total of 3 No-Shows/Late Cancellations will result in a loss of appointment-based Peer Tutoring privileges for the remainder of the term. If this occurs, we encourage you to continue using other resources on campus, such as faculty office hours, classmates, and drop-in tutoring, where available.

Contact us at (415) 422-6713 or lwsc@usfca.edu with questions about this information.

Should you find that there are no tutors available for a specified course, you should immediately submit a Tutor Request Form. A link to the request form is included in our scheduling system beneath the availability calendar.

We aim to address tutor requests as soon as possible. If a request is submitted and our current tutors cannot assist you by updating available tutoring hours or courses, depending on the scope of the request we will begin recruitment of new tutors and/or identify alternative resources to support you during the current semester. More information can also be found on our Can't Find What You're Looking For?

After scheduling an appointment, students should receive a confirmation email with the day, time, and location of the appointment. Students may also check upcoming appointments from their Salesforce dashboard or contact the Front Desk for assistance at 415-422-6713.

To best prepare for a tutoring appointment, students should attend class, complete all assigned readings and attempt all homework problems. Students should come to their appointments with course notes, textbooks, and other relevant  materials. Students should prepare a list of questions and topics to discuss with their tutor, and have realistic expectations of what can be accomplished during the session.

The Learning Center, The Writing Center, and The Speaking Center all operate out of Gleeson Library. Our Front Desk (for all three centers) is located in Room G03, which is on the Lower Level. A Front Desk staff member will direct you to your specific tutoring location once you check in for your appointment in Room G03.

No. All tutoring appointments must take place on campus, typically in Gleeson Library, to ensure the tutoring area is conducive to your ability to learn.

Absolutely. During their first semester of employment, tutors are required to participate in 11.5 hours of online and in-person training. Topics include Developing Study Strategies, Taking Advantage of Learning Styles, Understanding Diverse Needs of USF Students, Effective Communication Skills, and others. Training provides tutors with hands-on experience and an opportunity to learn from their peers. Tutors who continue past their first semester remain engaged in 5 hours of training each semester.

The Learning, Writing, and Speaking Centers all hire students as tutors in our various programs and as support staff for our Front Desk. Visit the Employment Opportunities section of our website to find more information and to complete an application.

All Peer Tutors are full-time USF students who have completed at least a semester of study at USF. Tutors are those students who show dedication to their academics and maintain a cumulative and semester GPA of 3.0 or higher. To tutor for a specific course the applicant should have taken the course at USF and received an A- or above, and is also required to produce a USF faculty letter of recommendation. All tutors are required to participate in ongoing tutor training during their time as a Peer Tutor.

To apply, applicants should complete an online application through our Employment Opportunities webpage. If there is a need, the applicant will be contacted for an interview. NOTE: Not all applicants or students nominated or recommended by faculty will be hired.

Our website provides a comprehensive array of relevant information for students, faculty and staff. Please consider visiting our Study Skills & Resources webpage for access to more resources provided by The Learning Center.

You may also contact The Learning, Writing, and Speaking Centers' Front Desk at any time for assistance. We are located in Gleeson Library, Room G03 (Lower Level) and are accessible by phone (415-422-6713) or email (lwsc@usfca.edu) during business hours.

Students can view their appointments on their Student Appointment Dashboard.

They can find this dashboard through their Student Hub. Click on the Appointment button in th left menu. 

If students have further questions or concerns, please contact the LWSC office at (415) 442-6713 or email lwsc@usfca.edu.