Tutoring and academic support
Student Learning Center (SLC)
As the primary academic support center for students at Cal, the SLC provides free academic services to help you excel. The SLC offers an array of services including one-on-one tutoring, study groups, and credit-bearing courses in the following areas:
Math and Statistics
Sciences
Social Sciences
Study Strategies
Undergraduate Course Facilitation
Writing
Support for non-native speakers of English
The SLC’s staff, tutors, and instructors are dedicated to fostering academic excellence, and are driven by the philosophy that students working with students promotes academic and personal success (slc.berkeley.edu; Cesar Chavez Student Center, Lower Sproul Plaza; 510/642-7332).
Residence hall academic centers
Academic Services gives residents access to higher-end computers, tutoring, advising, courses, study skills workshops, and faculty programs, such as the Last Lecture Series where professors deliver their hypothetical last lecture.
Six centers serve students who live in the residence halls. Most offer:
Classroom space
Academic courses
Microcomputing facilities
Multimedia tools
Internet access
Laser printing
Quiet study areas
Advising
Tutoring
Study groups
Faculty programs
Learning skills workshops
The centers are located at:
Clark Kerr, serves Clark Kerr Campus (CKC) (CKC Building 1; 510/643-0917).
Foothill, serves Foothill, Stern, and Bowles (Foothill Building 7; 510/642-2907).
Unit 1, serves Unit 1 (Unit 1 Central Building; 510/643-3420).
Unit 2, serves Unit 2 (Unit 2 Central Building; 510/642-8673).
Unit 3, serves Unit 3 and Cleary Hall (Unit 3 Central Building; 510/642-1727).
University Village, serves University Village (University Village Computing Center; 510/642-4357).
Athletic Study Center
Student athletes may receive assistance with academic advising, exam preparation, and tutorial support (asc.berkeley.edu; 169 Cesar Chavez Student Center; 510/642-8402).
Academic Achievement Programs (AAP)
AAP provides advising and academic support for program-eligible, first generation college, low-income students who are interested in community service, becoming involved in undergraduate research, and/or going on to obtain a graduate or professional degree. Check here for further information.
Student Support Services
The Student Support Services Scholars Academy (SSS Scholars Academy) is designed for students who show exceptional promise based upon academic excellence, leadership potential, and a desire to participate in undergraduate research and/or to obtain a graduate or professional degree. Students accepted into the program receive academic support, career guidance, and preparation for research programs and graduate schools. Emphasis is on individual advising, academic skills assessment, and enhancement classes and workshops. Program participants will gain unique networking opportunities with faculty, staff, and representatives from undergraduate research and graduate/professional school programs (see Academic Achievement Programs).
Other programs
The George A. Miller Scholars Program provides outstanding community college transfer students with a two-year scholarship. Miller Scholars spend one academic year creating support networks and developing a research or community service project. They conduct their project under faculty mentorship during the summer between their first and second year at Cal. During their second year, Miller Scholars explore graduate schools and career options, present their projects, and serve as mentors.
The Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program (see here).
The Posse Program: The Posse Foundation identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes. Those Posse Scholars who are admitted by UC Berkeley are awarded a four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarship. Posse Scholars graduate at a rate of 90 percent and make a visible difference on campus and throughout their professional careers.
For further information, contact AAP (www.aap.berkeley.edu; 2515 Channing Way; 510/642-7935).
The Julia Morgan Engineering Program (JMEP)
JMEP strives to help students achieve their full potential in careers as engineers and leaders by providing educational materials and academic support, such as academic and career advising, workshops and financial aid and scholarship opportunities. The program also provides seminars on summer internships and research programs, as well as tips on applying to graduate school. JMEP is open to all students (coe.berkeley.edu/cues/jmep; 222 Bechtel Hall; C. Beatriz Lopez-Flores, cblf@berkeley.edu, 510/643-6443).
Publications include:
Engineering News, the biweekly newsletter of the College of Engineering (coe.berkeley.edu/news-center/publications/engineering-news/).
Summer Bridge
The Summer Bridge Program is an intensive six-week academic residential program. It offers a selected group of entering freshmen academic workshops, summer session courses, residential life activities, and seminars to ease the transition from high school to college. Students form a supportive network of peers, staff, and faculty, and are prepared to meet the academic and social demands of their first year at Cal (summerbridge.berkeley.edu; New Student Services, 2610 Channing Way; sbridge@berkeley.edu; 510/642-5983).
Be an academic peer mentor
Academic Achievement Programs (AAP) sponsors several classes that encourage participants to hone their own academic skills while assisting their peers (www.aap.berkeley.edu; 2515 Channing Way; 510/642-7935).
The Honor Student Society provides extensive peer tutoring (81 Cesar Chavez Student Center; hss@berkeley.edu).
The Student Learning Center (SLC) offers students the opportunity to work as tutors, discussion leaders, and peer mentors in a variety of disciplines. Students participate in weekly training seminars where they examine theories of and approaches to tutoring and facilitation, gain leadership skills, and provide a valuable service by working directly with Cal students. Paid and for-credit positions are available. All tutor-for-credit courses may be applied to the undergraduate minor in Education.
Tutors work one-on-one with other students, as well as lead workshops and study groups in Mathematics, Science, Statistics, Social Science, Study Strategies, or Writing.
Discussion Leaders for English 95 (Other Voices) or History 98 (Ethnic Perspectives) facilitate discussion sections, meet with students and respond to their written work, and help design the lecture series and activities for the course.
Contact the SLC for more information (slc.berkeley.edu; Cesar Chavez Student Center; 510/642-7332).
Tutoring kids for credit
Check the Volunteer activities section for information on tutoring local school children.
Lecture notes
ASUC Lecture Notes Online supplies top quality detailed lecture notes from a variety of classes at Berkeley. Experienced note takers, who have already taken the class and earned an “A,” take notes in 25-40 classes each semester. The notes are delivered online to subscribers the day after class by 5pm. Hundreds of sets of archived notes are available as well, and can be delivered immediately online. If enough students want notes taken in a class, let ASUC Lecture Notes know, and they’ll do their best to find a note taker. Professors must approve the service in advance. Approximately 50 students are hired as note takers and editors each semester. The non-profit, student-supported service charges a nominal fee for each subscription (about a dollar or two per lecture). Free notes are available to disabled students if they qualify through the DSP office, and discounted notes are available to large groups. ASUC Lecture Notes Online also offers editing and transcription services (lecturenotes.berkeley.edu; 410 Eshleman Hall; notes@berkeley.edu; 510/705-2794).
Editing services
Editing.berkeley.edu is an online editing service where students, faculty and staff at UC Berkeley can submit term papers, reports or other documents for editing by professional and student editors. Documents to be edited should be submitted online to notes@berkeley.edu. The documents will be reviewed and an estimate given for editing services. Editors can work with students in the office or online. Information and a rate card can also be found at notes.berkeley.edu, click on Editing Services (editing.berkeley.edu; 410 Eshleman Hall; notes@berkeley.edu; 510/642-1946).