By Tamiera Vandegrift

Peer tutoring is one of the most helpful tools to use during your college years. Sometimes you will not have all the answers and that you may need help from time to time. There is probably no better way to get some academic assistance than that from your fellow students. Peer tutors are understanding, helpful, and especially honest enough to help you out through any snags that you could be experiencing.

Expect constructive criticism

This will probably be the most uncomfortable part of the session. Tutors are not being harsh with you because they want to be mean and ruin your existence. We simply want you to be the best of the best of the best to your best ability. The only way for us to ensure this is to be completely honest with you.

Accept that you are not perfect and that you will make mistakes. Feel fortunate that your peer tutor is recognizing your mistakes and giving you a chance to repair them before your professor has a chance to fix your grades for them.

Expect change

You will leave the appointment with a changed perspective on your work and your method of completing it. Every tutor has a different learning style and teaching style that is unique to them, but it is up to you to utilize what they teach you to your best ability.

If a tutor teaches you how to do a math problem in a way that makes sense to you, but is also different from what you have learned in class, you will have to use that method because it works for you. If a tutor edits your paper and advises you to use more active voice, you will find your work in the future to change completely.

Like I mentioned, change is good. It is by no means something to be afraid of. Embrace it!

Expect discipline (sometimes)

Sometimes, we all try to get by with a little less. We are human, it happens. It is nothing to be ashamed of. However, if a tutor notices that you have been slacking off, do not be surprised if they call you out on it. Your tutor wants you to use your potential to do the great things that they know you are capable of.

Expect improvement

Last but not least, expect to improve. Peer tutoring can be difficult and intimidating, but ultimately the goal is for you to improve as a student in a variety of areas. Once you practice what you have learned in the session, you will notice an exponential change in your grades and your learning ability. If you ask me, I think that is completely worthy of an A+.