In high school, you may occasionally find yourself falling behind in some of your classes. Maybe the teacher is moving too fast, or the work is harder than you expected. Or maybe something’s going on at home that makes studying difficult. Whatever the reason, it’s important to know that there are many free resources available for extra help.

The same goes for college. In fact, it’s not unusual for college students (especially first-years) to need some academic assistance, especially when you consider that college classes are usually larger than high school classes, meet less often, and cover a lot more challenging material in a shorter time.

Don’t be ashamed to ask for assistance if you need it! You’re not alone (trust us).

Here are some ways to get academic help:

Get help from teachers - Ask your teacher before or after (not during) class if you could set up a time to get some one-on-one help with the material. Most teachers are happy to work with you outside of class — just don’t wait until the day before the big test or assignment due date to ask.

In college, teachers (or “professors,” as they’re usually called) hold office hours, which are specific times when you can drop by their office for help. Professors usually share these on the first day of class and/or post them online.

Get help from other students - If you’re struggling in a class, why not ask for help from a classmate who’s doing well? Or set up a study group with a few students of different abilities; that way you can all help each other. Plan to meet daily or weekly, before or after school, maybe in the school library, the public library, or a nearby coffee shop (bonus: snacks!). You’ll enjoy the camaraderie and teamwork as much as the academic help!

Colleges offer peer-to-peer tutoring in many different forms. For example, like many schools, Coalition member College of the Holy Cross offers a Writer’s Workshop to students of any level, in any discipline, and at any stage in the writing process in individual appointments with trained peer consultants. Need help with history? A boost in bio? Most all colleges offer group or one-on-one subject-based tutoring for free. Just ask your professor or academic adviser

Get help from online resources - In both high school and college, you can take advantage of the many online academic resources out there. We love Khan Academy: From math and science to history and economics, it’s a fabulous resource for learning and practicing topics at your own pace, on your own time.  

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See more from this category: Making the Most of High School