Undergrad Coaching

What is Undergrad Coaching?

When most people think about coaching, they traditionally think about sports. Coaches help the team develop workouts, create practice schedules, and provide encouragement. The combination of support helps team members prepare for the big game.   

Academic coaches provide the same type of help for your learning fitness. We offer research-based strategies to improve your study techniques, help you manage your time, and offer encouragement along the way.  

As different issues come up throughout the quarter, you might have different topics you want to go over with an academic coach. Here’s a sample of what those themes might look like: 

• Week 1 – “How can I get the most out of lecture?” 
• Week 2 – “I’d like help managing my time so I don’t feel overwhelmed.” 
• Week 3 – “What is the best way to get through all the reading and retain information?” 
• Week 4 – “How can I improve my note-taking skills?” 
• Week 5 – “I have a midterm coming up and I get nervous taking tests. What are ways to combat that anxiety?” 
• Week 6 – “I got my test back and would like to go over it with someone to figure out what went wrong and how I can do better on the final.” 
• Week 7 – “I have a paper coming up and I want help creating a plan that will help me avoid writing it all the night before.” 
• Week 8 – “I need suggestions to help keep me motivated.” 
• Week 9 – “Exams are coming up and I find myself procrastinating. How can I stay productive?” 
• Week 10 – “I’d like to come in and reflect on my quarter to talk about how things went, what skills improved overall, and what I think I still need to work on.” 

This list is not exhaustive and does not have to happen in this order. You might not even be sure what you want to work on but you feel like chatting with an academic coach might enhance your learning experience at Stanford.  

Unlike sports, a lot of people feel like academics should be a solo act. But how absurd would it be if an athlete didn’t do well during a game, and then decided to practice alone until the next match?  

At Stanford, you’re part of a team and learning happens in community. Book an appointment with an academic coach and start honing your study skills today!