College of Engineering
Peer Tutoring Program
Engineering support from engineering students
The COE Peer Tutoring Program is a free academic support service staffed by trained engineering students. In-person and remote tutoring is available to all current Oregon State engineering students in Corvallis, Cascades, and Ecampus. Students can use drop-in tutoring services as often as needed.
Have questions about peer tutoring?
Peer Tutors are:
Current undergraduate and graduate engineering students who have successfully completed the courses they support and feel comfortable and confident in their knowledge of the material.
Peer Tutors can clarify course content and support your learning process. They can work with you to help you better understand ideas or concepts by asking questions, explaining concepts in different ways, providing examples, sequentially bridging prior knowledge to your current coursework, and offering encouragement.
Peer Tutors are NOT
Tutors are not course instructors, course learning assistants (LAs), or course teaching assistants (TAs). Peer Tutors are not responsible for teaching course material.
While tutors can help you understand the concepts needed to complete your assignments, they cannot help you complete the work itself or provide you with the answers. They cannot provide feedback about grades, guarantee success in a class, or assist with take-home exams.
Find Drop-In Peer Tutoring
Drop-in sessions are not appointment-based; simply find a tutoring shift and show up during that time. You do not need to return to the same tutor or same shift if you use our services throughout the term. Before joining any tutoring session, please sign in.
Peer Tutoring Frequently Asked Questions
This may seem obvious, but first, make sure you attend class, pay attention, and stay engaged. Engagement looks like listening attentively, taking notes and asking your instructor questions when you don't understand course content or need clarity on concepts/ideas.
To get the most from tutoring sessions, you should attempt your assignments or practice problems before coming in. This will help you best communicate the ideas, concepts, or problems you need support with. It is always most helpful to ask a tutor a specific question. In short, the more effort you put towards your learning on your own, usually the better your tutoring session will go!
You should bring questions! Also, additionally, course materials (textbooks, handouts, syllabus, etc.), notes, and any/all attempted work with your assignments/practice questions.
For an in-person tutoring session, you can also bring a charged laptop, paper, a pen or pencil.
For a Zoom tutoring session, please join the session through your laptop or tablet rather than a phone. Be prepared to screen-share your class’s Canvas site, textbook, your notes, and any other study material you have.
Availability of tutoring support for certain courses varies from term to term, depending on the tutors on the team. Tutoring calendars on this page will list courses supported by the tutor on duty during each shift.
Our tutors will greet you and ask you to share what you’d like to work on during your session.
Tutors will likely ask you open-ended questions and encourage your participation. They will likely have you talk through what you know. You might explore ways to answer your questions together, using your class resources or additional resources. You might work through practice problems together, review old tests and quizzes, or talk through study strategies for the class. Actively participate in the session by taking notes to refer to later, ask clarifying questions, and demonstrate knowledge of the content covered in the session.
You may be the only person seeking tutoring at the time, or you might show up to a tutor helping several students or groups of students from different classes at the same time. Be prepared to wait, especially during peak hours, as several students may be ahead of you. Our tutors will do their best to touch base with you during a busy session to let you know how much time they might have to assist you.
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Join the Peer Tutoring Team
We wrap up our hiring of new Peer Tutors before the start of each term. Our job posting is listed under Student Employment Opportunities on the OSU HR Jobs Page as long as we have a hiring need. If you'd like to be considered for a position on our team, please apply when you see the job posted.
More free tutoring at Oregon State
Study Tables/Supplemental Instruction (SI)
Location
2nd floor of Beth Ray Center for Academic Support
Supplemental instruction study tables are large study groups led by a tutor experienced with the content, who leads the group in extra practice and instructional time on the course material.
Mole Hole Chemistry Tutoring
Location
3rd floor of the Valley Library
The Mole Hole is a space where anyone who needs help with Chemistry work can get help from Chemistry Tutors and Professors.
Math and Statistics Learning Center (MSLC)
Location
108 Kidder Hall
This is a space to get help from tutors and class Teaching Assistants for anything in your Math and Statistics classes.
Academic Success Center (ASC)
Location
3rd floor of the Valley Library
ASC's services support students as they practice skills and habits for academic success, learn with and from their peers, and develop as scholars.
The Writing Center
Location
3rd floor of the Valley Library
The Writing Center supports students with any type of writing project (class assignments, research papers, CVs/resumes, cover letters, job or scholarship applications, etc.) at any point in their writing process.
