Academic support services for students

Exams and assignment deadlines are fast approaching, and with them comes the familiar wave of stress. The following will provide students with information regarding services that might help during this time.  

Victoria College Writing Centre  

Each college at the University has its own Writing Centre. These centres offer tutorial services on an individual appointment basis to help you plan and improve your writing. The Vic Writing Centre recommends appointments be booked two weeks in advance. There is a limit of one appointment per student per week. Students can receive help from writing instructors at any stage of the writing process—from topic selection, to planning and organizing, to writing and revising. Instructors can help with any academic papers, including essays, reviews, lab reports, and case studies.  

Study Hubs and Peer Tutoring  

Study hubs are student-led groups held all around campus. At the beginning of each two-hour session, a student peer mentor will assist in creating achievable study goals for that session. This goal is individual to each student to help with readings, upcoming projects/tests, or regular homework. Study hubs at Vic take place in VUSAC’s back meeting room from 1 pm to 3 pm on Wednesdays. More information can be found under “Tutorial Services” on the Victoria College website or the UofT “Student Life” page.  

Vic offers peer tutoring in chemistry, math, and physics. Schedules and room locations can be found online under “Tutorial Services” on the Victoria College website. 

Learning Strategist and Personal Counsellors  

Victoria College offers students multiple avenues to explore when dealing with academic pressure and/or health complications. Learning Strategists are available to help students with issues pertaining to time management, stress management, reading, note-taking, concentration, critical thinking, and planning for tests and assignments. Appointments can be booked through the Registrar’s Office at 416-585-4508.  

The University of Toronto Health and Wellness Centre (416-978-8030) provides appointments with Vic counsellors (located in Room 122 of the Goldring Student Centre) to deal with any health-related concerns. 

Libraries and Old Exam Repository  

Victoria College houses the EJ Pratt Library and the Emmanuel College Library. Librarians are present to help students with research needs and can be contacted for appointments. There is a large library network through which students can access archives and peer-reviewed articles.  

The Old Exam Repository can be accessed online and has exams from previous years for most classes. These can be accessed through the library portal or through the Arts and Science Student Union page.  

The University of Toronto offers other options for specific fields of study. There are help centres for English, Computer Science, Economics, Math, and Statistics. The Philosophy department also offers an essay clinic for students enrolled in PHL courses. Online tools such as the assignment calculator (accessible from the UofT Library website) can assist in the time management and organizational aspects of projects and papers. Students can input the due date and the type of assignment they need to complete, and the calculator will determine what steps need to be taken in order for the assignment to be completed on time. Another helpful tool is the GPA calculator, which can be found under “Tutorial Services” on the Victoria College website.

Comments are closed.