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Peer Tutoring Program

A student who is experiencing difficulties in a course should first talk with their professor about what study resources are available for that course within the department. Students are expected to take advantage of any group study sessions and all other course-related resources available through the academic department prior to requesting a peer tutor. The Peer Tutoring Program is an academic support system primarily focused on courses at the 100-level. In general, two hours of tutoring per week will be provided per course with consideration of additional hours, at the request of the professor.

Tutoring for all academic departments is coordinated through the Advising, Internships & Career Center. Although potential Peer Tutors are identified by academic departments, the Office of Academic Advising contracts, pays, trains and provides general administrative supervision for the program. Each professor (who has requested peer tutoring for a student) is asked to maintain contact with the Peer Tutors for their students so that clear direction for content of the tutoring can be communicated on a regular basis. As appropriate, departments are encouraged to also offer group study sessions for courses that have experienced high demand for tutoring.

Requesting a Peer Tutor

With the professor’s recommendation, Peer Tutors are available for a variety of courses. To formally request a tutor, the student needs the professor’s signature on the Request for a Peer Tutor form (see below), available online and at the Advising, Internships & Career Center in Biddle House.

All completed forms for tutoring should be returned promptly with a professor’s signature to tutoring@dickinson.edu.  Upon receipt of the form students will be sent a Peer Tutoring Expectation Agreement explaining the details and procedures of the Peer Tutoring Program. The student must return this agreement, completed and signed, to tutoring@dickinson.edu.

Students are encouraged to speak with their professors about their difficulties as early in the semester as possible.

Peer Tutor Request Form

Becoming a Peer Tutor

Students interested in becoming a Peer Tutor must be recommended by a professor of the course (or appropriate academic department chair) and will have successfully completed courses in the subject matter. Grades and references may be checked prior to hiring a student to become a Peer Tutor.

Tutors for all subjects will be hired and trained by the Advising, Internships & Career Center at the beginning of each semester. Tutors are usually limited to accepting no more than four students for tutoring in a given semester. Effective tutors are welcomed and encouraged to return as tutors for additional semesters.

Additional Remarks

To ensure accountability and to develop a more efficient and effective Peer Tutoring Program, each tutoring session will be documented by the tutor and confirmed by the tutee in an application in Gateway under Student Forms called Peer Tutoring Program Tracking. Feedback for sessions will be provided as instructed by the professor of the course.

The Advising, Internships & Career Center welcomes faculty suggestions that will help make the program more effective for professors, Peer Tutors and the students who participate in this program. For additional information about the Peer Tutoring Program, please call 717-245-1080 or send an email to: tutoring@dickinson.edu.