In Five Pro Tips for Good Grades, we discussed several ways you can take charge and get A's in college. The fifth pro tip, in particular, bears the advice of utilizing the university's resources. Here at Southern, we have three learning support centers that offer a variety of services. These centers are open for all, no matter if you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior. Oh, and did we mention that they are all free?

• Tutoring Center—Located on the third floor of McKee Library, the Tutoring Center caters to students who want to benefit from the coaching of fellow students who have previously taken the class. Their mission is to assist students in developing the knowledge base, skills, and strategies that will help them to become confident, independent, and active learners.
  There are two programs under this center: Peer Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction (SI). Peer Tutoring offers free tutoring sessions for 57 lower-division courses and 21 upper-division courses by students have excelled in the class. Sessions are 50 minutes long and usually one-on-one or in a small group. They are held on campus in convenient locations, including the dorm lobbies.
  
  Supplemental Instruction (SI) provides free peer-assisted study sessions for historically challenging classes such as General Chemistry, General Biology, General Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, and Statistics. SI leaders teach from experience; they must have completed the course with a B+ or higher. Sessions are held two to three times a week, are 50 minutes long, and include a small group made up of classmates. Just like Peer Tutoring, SI meetings are held on campus in convenient locations.
  
  
• Writing Center—Whereas the Tutoring Center focuses on specific classes, the Writing Center (located on the first floor of McKee Library) provides help for all your writing and research needs, regardless the course or discipline. Writing tutors have experienced peer writers who are CRLA certified and trained in the writing process.
  
  Students can schedule a session that best fits their availability. Each session with a writing tutor lasts 30-60 minutes where the tutor will read and discuss the piece of writing you are working on. They can help with brainstorming at the start of an assignment, organizing your paper, developing and sustaining an argument, incorporating research and sources effectively, citing sources accurately in MLA, APA, or Chicago style, and editing grammar and punctuation.
  
  

• Student Support Services—The Student Support Services is another place that helps our students be the best versions of themselves. Located in Lynn Wood Hall, it hosts a fleet of professionally trained counselors and advisers available to serve you in a supportive, caring, and confidential environment. The resources they provide go further than just classes and projects. In fact, this center offers six specialized services. They include Career Services, Counseling Services, Disability Support Services, First Year Experience Services, Retention and First Year Advising Services, and Testing Services. Here's a summary of what each segment does.
  
  Career Services—Assist student with choosing a major, career counseling, resumé and cover letter writing, and interview prep
  
  Counseling Services—Individual and group counseling services regarding relationships, conflict resolution, career interests, stress and time management, test anxiety, learning differences, personal crisis, depression, selecting a major, value exploration, substance abuse, self-esteem, loss and grief, spiritual concerns, family issues, social concerns, adjustment to college, and referrals for additional services
  
  Disability Support Services—Facilitate equal access to Southern’s learning community for students who have documented disabilities or suspected learning differences
  
  First Year Experience Services—Introduce students to college life through orientations, Southern Connections, and the mentorship program and inform parents of Southern life through parent orientations
  
  Retention and First Year Advising Services—Help new and returning students with their course schedule, choice of major, and other registration and enrollment needs
  
  Testing Services—Administer university-related test programs, coordinate the administration of national entrance exams, and offer students the opportunity to take advantage of assessment for personal, educational, and career planning
  
  

As mentioned above, these services/resources are completely free. It does not matter if you are a biology major or a nursing major or an English major; everyone needs a little help every once in a while. Southern's learning services not only provide temporary academic backing for you for one or two classes, but are designed to help you grow to be a successful student in the long term.

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