As syllabus week comes to a close and coursework becomes more challenging, University of North Dakota academic advisors are reminding students of the wide range of campus resources available to support academic success throughout the semester. From tutoring and writing assistance to wellness programming and advising services, students have multiple opportunities to strengthen their learning and stay on track.
One of the primary resources advisors recommend is the Tutoring Center, which focuses on increasing comprehension, developing study and learning strategies, and explaining course concepts in multiple ways. The center offers both scheduled and drop-in tutoring options. With scheduled appointments, students work directly one-on-one with a tutor, while drop-in tutoring allows tutors to assist multiple students at the same time.
Advisors emphasize that tutoring is designed to aid the learning process, not replace it. Tutors will not complete classwork for students, and meeting with a tutor does not substitute for attending class or completing required assignments. Students are expected to come prepared with specific questions or topics, actively participate in sessions by asking questions and providing feedback, and take responsibility for their own learning and improvement.
The Writing Center is another key academic support service available to the UND community. Open to all current undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty and staff, the Writing Center works with on-campus, distance, and online programs across all majors and fields. The service is free to use and offers collaborative appointments focused on helping writers improve their projects.
Writing Center staff do not write papers for students, but they assist with identifying revision strategies and connecting writers to additional resources. The center works with writers from diverse backgrounds and supports a wide range of projects, including class assignments, resumes and CVs, job, school, and scholarship application essays, graduate theses and doctoral dissertations, and creative writing projects such as short stories. The Writing Center is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m and Monday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Beyond academic support, the Wellness Center will host multiple events throughout the semester aimed at promoting a healthy and successful academic life. These events are designed to help students process anxiety and develop strategies for managing academic responsibilities and daily tasks.
Academic advisors also encourage students to maintain regular communication with their advising teams, even if their class schedules are already finalized. Meeting with an advisor can help students identify solutions if they are struggling in a course, including referrals to tutoring or other campus resources.
For immediate assistance, students can attend Guidance on the Go hours, where quick questions can be answered without an appointment. While this service does not replace meetings with a primary academic advisor, it provides support for common concerns such as Essential Studies requirements, dropping or swapping classes, submitting eForms, resolving registration errors, changing a major or adding a minor or certificate, scheduling advising appointments in Hawk Central, and understanding deadlines for schedule changes. Anyone interested in Guidance on the Go can head to McCannel Hall, Room 280, on Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
As the semester progresses, advisors encourage students to seek support early, come prepared to engage with available resources, and take an active role in their academic success.
Rachel Held is a Dakota Student General Reporter. She can be reached at rachel.s[email protected].
