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Getting a peer tutor

Who can get a peer tutor?

Peer tutoring is open to Harvard College undergraduates, graduate students in Education, Government, and Arts and Sciences, and to undergraduate degree candidates in the Extension School (only by referral from the Extension School Undergraduate Degree Program).

Who are the peer tutors?

Peer tutors are ordinarily Harvard College undergraduates who have received honors grades in the subjects/courses they tutor and are happy to help their fellow students with their coursework.  Some of our "Most Frequently Requested Courses" for tutoring are below.

Most Frequently Requested Courses for peer tutoring

How much does it cost?  Will financial aid cover it?

Harvard College undergraduates pay $7 per hour for the first ten hours per course, per semester. The rest of the fee is subsidized by Harvard College. After ten hours, the cost will be $14 per hour. A tutor may also elect, upon mutual consent, to charge one-half hour per tutoring session for preparation time.  All fees are term-billed.

Harvard College undergraduates on financial aid may speak to their financial aid officer about additional support for their term-bill fees, or go to the Financial Aid Office website and download the Beneficiary Aid Application.

How do I request a peer tutor?

Please drop by the Bureau of Study Counsel at 5 Linden Street and fill out a tutor request card.  Allow about ten minutes.

How long will it take to get a peer tutor?

It usually takes about two working days to get a peer tutor assigned to you.  If you have not heard anything by the third day, please call the Bureau to check on our progress.  Once a peer tutor has agreed to take your job, we send you one another’s names and phone numbers and you take it from there.

Who schedules my sessions with a peer tutor?

It is up to you and your peer tutor to determine where, when, and for how long you meet.  You can set a weekly time or schedule on a per-session basis.  If you need to cancel an appointment, notify your peer tutor 24 hours in advance; the peer tutor has a right to charge you for one hour if he or she has not been notified.

Confidentiality.

Peer tutoring is confidential, in keeping with the Bureau’s confidentiality practices.  For more information about confidentiality, visit the “About” page on the BSC website or call the Bureau and speak with a counselor.

What if it’s not working out so well? - Let Us Know

Whatever the reason, if the tutoring does not feel helpful to you, please let us know so we can advise you or find you a different peer tutor.  Call or come by, so we can find you a different tutor, an additional tutor, or refer you to a counselor who may be able to help you think about other study-related resources.

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How To Get the Most From Peer Tutoring
 

Be specific about what you need, and come to meetings prepared

The more your peer tutor knows about your needs, the better he or she can help you.  If you have particular difficulties or questions in mind, email or speak with your peer tutor in advance, so that your time together will be most productive.

Communicate

Let your peer tutor know about any time constraints or deadlines you might have so you can plan ahead to have sufficient meeting times.  Let your peer tutor know how things are going and what is most or least helpful about your work together.  Your peer tutor wants to be helpful to you and relies on your guidance to know what works best for you.

Use your peer tutor to guide you to additional resources

Though your peer tutors are eager to help you, they do not have all the answers.  Remember, there are many other wonderful resources available on campus for help with writing, coping with personal issues, understanding the course materials, etc.  Your peer tutor can help you connect with additional sources of support as needed.

Respect your peer tutor’s time

Be on time for appointments, and make sure you and your peer tutor know how to reach one another between meetings.  If you need to cancel a meeting, give your peer tutor 24 hours notice — otherwise you can be billed for the missed hour.  Remember, peer tutors are students just like you, with their own deadlines and demands. 

Keep track of your sessions

We advise you to keep track of the dates and length of your sessions, so that you can verify that your term bill is correct.  In  addition to billing you for missed or late-cancelled meetings, your peer tutor can bill for up to one-half hour of preparation time per session by mutual agreement.

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