Frequently Asked Questions

• Where are the centers located and what are the center hours?
  • Our Learning Centers are located on each of the four Rutgers–New Brunswick campuses. Hours vary by semester, but our online services are often available for extended hours during evenings, weekends, and breaks when the physical centers are closed.
    
    Find Locations and Hours
• Are Learning Centers services only offered in-person?
  • Most of our student services have both online and in-person options. We also have online learning resources available anytime, anywhere.
• How can I reserve a room in the Learning Centers?
  • Our centers have conference rooms, collaborative rooms, and other active learning spaces to meet your needs.
    
    ​Find Active Learning Spaces
• Are study materials available in the Learning Centers?
  • Each of our locations has textbooks, graphic calculators, model kits, and more for you to use while you study.
• I attended a Learning Centers event for class, who can I contact to get documentation?
  • It’s best to ask the person who is running the event at the time it occurs, but if that's not possible, you can submit a request through our student contact form.

• Are the Learning Centers accessible by wheelchair?  
  • Yes. All of our centers are on the first floor of classroom buildings, which are also equipped with ramps and elevators.
• What do I do if I have an accommodation through the Office of Disability Services that would also be helpful when using the Learning Centers' services?
  • Use our contact form prior to your visit to let us know what your needs are. Each of our programs has different locations and activities, so it’s best for us to know what service you plan to use and what accommodations you require so we can make arrangements if needed.
  • If your accommodations are related to placement testing, please see our placement testing accommodation information and follow the procedures accordingly. We do have quiet spaces and laptops available for you to reserve.
• Are there any assistive technologies available at the Learning Centers?
  • We do our best to provide services that are as inclusive and accessible as possible. We have Surface Pro tablets with handwriting to text capability. We also have large monitors that can be used to magnify visuals as long as there is a digital version available. If you need a specific type of assistive technology to utilize our services, please use our contact form so we can look into options prior to your visit.
  • Online services have all of the accessibility features available through Zoom, including live captioning. Please ask the session leader to turn on that option if it does not launch automatically.
• What should I do if I am trying to use a Learning Centers resource or service and find it is not accessible to me?
  • Use our contact form to inform us. Please include the specific resource or service and the ways in which it is not accessible. It is our goal to enable all Rutgers–New Brunswick students to use each of our services without obstacles. We welcome your feedback and will address the issue in a timely manner, as well as provide alternative formats if needed.
  • If you are having difficulty scheduling online, you can call any of the Learning Centers during open hours and we can schedule a service for you or share the schedule over the phone.
    
    View Locations & Hours

• Am I eligible to receive Learning Centers services?
  • Learning Centers provide free academic support services and instructional resources for all Rutgers–New Brunswick undergraduate students. Select services also are available to graduate students.
• How do I access services on Penji?
  • You can find and sign up for student services at the Learning Centers through Penji. From a mobile device, download Penji for iOS and Android, then create and personalize your account using your NetID.
    
    How to Use Penji
• Where can I find information about the Learning Assistant Program?
  • Explore our Learning Assistant Program FAQs or contact us to learn more about this innovative program.

• What is the difference between group tutoring and one-on-one tutoring?
  • Group tutoring is offered on a drop-in basis at each of our four Rutgers–New Brunswick campus locations and online. One-on-one tutoring is offered in partnership with the School of Art and Sciences Honors Program. In-person and online appointments are available in the fall and spring semesters only and must be scheduled 48 hours in advance, up to four times a week.
    
    Learn More About Tutoring
• How are tutoring sessions structured?
  • Learning Centers tutoring is offered as a drop-in service. Simply show up at the location when tutoring is offered for your course, sign in, and bring your questions to the tutor. There may be other students there at the same time, but tutors are trained to work effectively in a group setting.
• What do I do if a tutor subject I want is not listed?
  • If you do not find the course for which you need assistance, please submit a request through our student contact form.
• Where can I find the tutor schedule?
  • Use our tutor schedule to search tutoring sessions by course and filter by campus, date, and tutor name. You can also explore the schedule by course in Penji.
• What is the difference between peer tutoring and peer coaching?
  • Peer tutoring can help you review what you're learning in a particular course, deepen your understanding of the subject matter, or prepare for an exam or assignment. Peer coaching can help you reach academic goals more broadly, develop new study strategies, and build time management and other skills to become a more effective student and learner.
• Can my peer tutor help me with a graded assignment?
  • Tutors will not work on graded assignments unless explicitly permitted to do so by the course instructor.

• What is academic coaching?
  • Academic coaching is a service that takes place one-on-one or in small groups, aimed at helping you learn new skills and develop new strategies that will allow you to reach your academic goals and become a more effective student and learner.
    
    About Academic Coaching
• What is the difference between peer coaching and academic coaching?
  • One-on-one appointments with a professional academic coach provide opportunities to collaborate around the content and structure of sessions, identify your unique learning strengths, develop individual plans for academic support, and promote self-confidence and independence.
    
    Drop-in sessions with a peer coach offer opportunities to learn new study strategies, and develop your time management in groups of six students or less, along with individualized attention to become a more effective student and learner.
• How do I sign up for coaching?
  • You can schedule an academic coaching appointment online through Penji.
• Where can I find information about academic coaching workshops?
  • Learn more about how our Academic Success Workshops can help you reach your goals in college, your career, and life.

• How do I sign up for a study group?
  • You can sign up and join a study group online through Penji.
    
    More About Study Groups
• If I sign up for a study group, do I have to attend every week?
  • Study groups meet once a week for 80 minutes. Up to two absences are allowed before there is a risk for removal to be fair to students on waitlists.

What Can I Expect from the Writing Tutors in the Learning Centers?
At the Learning Centers, our writing tutors will help you strengthen your writing skills as you work on essays, research papers, or personal statements. They will help you learn how to synthesize multiple sources, structure an argument; check for clarity, organization, and flow and identify and correct patterns of error in writing. They will not proofread or edit your writing.

Should I Seek Writing Support Only When I’m Struggling with a Writing Assignment?
No. Writing is an endeavor which requires practice to improve. The best time for you to work on improving your writing skills is when you’re not under a tight deadline. We encourage you to meet with a tutor early on in the semester—our tutors can guide you in the drafting and revision processes and teach you strategies used by effective writers.

How Can I Meet with a Writing Tutor?
You can meet with a tutor:

• in person by appointment
• in person by drop-in
• online via Zoom

To see tutor schedules and make an appointment, click the link and log in to Penji https://web.penjiapp.com/schools/rutgers/communities/lc-writing-tutoring using your NetID credentials. Select your preferred meeting format and the type of writing you want help with. 

• For an appointment, choose from the available appointment times. An appointment confirmation will be emailed to the student.
• For drop-in meetings, look up schedules and locations.

What Should I Bring When I Meet with a Tutor, and How Should I Prepare?
If you have a writing assignment, you should come to your appointment with the assignment details and any drafted text or relevant notes you have. You should come prepared to actively participate in the session. This includes engaging in discussion with your tutor, reading through content aloud, taking notes, etc. If you don’t have a current assignment and want to meet with a tutor to work on your writing skills overall, bring a sample of your writing which exemplifies the writing areas you struggle with.  You and your tutor can discuss the ways your writing concerns can be addressed.

Do You Offer Drop-in Tutoring?
Yes, we offer drop-in tutoring.  Click the link and log in to Penji https://web.penjiapp.com/schools/rutgers/communities/lc-writing-tutoring using your NetID credentials. Select drop-in hours for available times and Learning Centers’ locations.

Do You Offer Asynchronous Tutoring?
Yes. We offer an asynchronous option for you to receive feedback from a writing tutor.  The first step is for you to join our Canvas course page. Click the link LC - Asynchronous Feedback on Writing, and follow the on-screen directions to upload your content. A tutor will review and provide feedback on how to improve your paper. Our typical turnaround time is 24-48 hours, but papers of 10+ pages may take a little longer.

Who are the Tutors?
Our tutors consist of advanced undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a variety of major programs across Rutgers’ schools.

Is Writing Support Offered Year-Round?
Writing support is offered year-round in the Learning Centers. During the Fall and Spring, tutors are available in person, online, or asynchronously (see How can I meet with a tutor?). During semester breaks (e.g., Spring break, Winter break) tutors are available online via Zoom and asynchronously through our Canvas course page (see Is there asynchronous tutoring?).

Where are the Learning Centers Located?
We have 4 campus locations to serve you:

• Cook/Douglass (Loree building)
• College Avenue (Academic Building-West)
• Busch (SERC building)
• Livingston (Tillett Hall)

Check our website for building locations and hours of operation:  https://learningcenters.rutgers.edu/about-learning-centers/locations-hours

What Should I Do if I Have to Cancel My Appointment?
You can cancel a meeting up to 24 hours prior to the appointment time.  To cancel your appointment, log in to Penji with your NetID credentials https://web.penjiapp.com/schools/rutgers/communities/lc-writing-tutoring. Select cancel appointment.  Once submitted, you will receive an email confirmation of your change.

For short notice cancellations (<24 hours prior to appointment time), contact the Senior Program Coordinator at [email protected]. To meet the needs of all our student writers, if you cancel with short notice, you cannot reschedule until the next calendar week, but you are welcome to attend any drop-in sessions.

What if I Am Going to Be Late?
If lateness is unavoidable, email the Senior Program Coordinator at [email protected] who will inform the tutor.  A lateness of more than 10 minutes will result in your being marked absent. To meet the needs of all our student writers, rescheduling after a lateness-related absence will be permitted in the next calendar week, but you are free to attend any drop-in sessions.

What Happens if I Miss Two or More Scheduled Appointments?
If you miss two appointments, whether they are lateness-related absences or you don’t show up for your scheduled appointment, you will not be permitted to reschedule for a period of two weeks, however, you can attend any available drop-in sessions.

Where Can I Learn More About Writing Support in the Learning Centers?
If you would like more information about writing support in the Learning Centers or any of our other academic support services, you can visit our website at https://learningcenters.rutgers.edu.

What courses can I receive writing tutoring in?
Writing tutoring is available for any course except those offered through the Rutgers Writing Program (01:355:XXX, 01:356:XXX). Refer to their website for more information https://writingctr.rutgers.edu.  

• Can I apply for student employment with the Learning Centers?
  • Learning Centers offer a variety of paid student peer leader positions including tutors, study group leaders, academic coaches, writing coaches, and learning assistants. You can also apply for office assistant positions and other operational support roles at the Learning Centers through the Federal Work Study Program and other employment programs for students.
• When will I hear back about a job I applied for?
  • This varies by program and time of the semester. You can complete our student contact form to check on the status of your application.
• How do I apply to become a tutor, learning assistant, academic coach, peer coach, writing tutor, or office assistant?
  • Find job descriptions and links to application information on our Student Employment and Training page.
• How do I register for peer leader training or professional development workshops?
  • The Learning Centers offer training and professional development workshops for peer leaders working at our centers and with our partner programs and offices. All peer leaders participate in required training and have access to additional professional development opportunities and workshops as well.
    
    Find Peer Leader Resources

• How can I get learning assistants for my course?
  • If you are interested in the Learning Assistant Program, please reach out to discuss potential opportunities and strategies for partnering with us and utilizing learning assistants in your course to help facilitate active and collaborative learning.
    
    About the Learning Assistant Program
• Can someone from the Learning Centers come and talk to my class?
  • Please complete our faculty support form to request a speaker.