Friday, February 2, 2018

Opportunity: Apply to be a Tutor! (Links in post)


Are you taking math, science, computer science, foreign language, music theory, symbolic logic -- any more-homework-than-paper-writing-based class?

Are you going to office hours, working with a study group, but still wishing you had some more individualized support?

Peer-to-Peer Learning is here to help!

For large-group or drop-in help:
Stay tuned for a blog post with info on all the Peer-Led help and workshop rooms on campus -- these are great resources for drop-in assistance, or in some cases structured review. 

For more individualized, weekly, regular peer support: 
Schedule a meeting to see if individual/small-group tutoring may be right for you!  Small-group tutoring:

  • Is free for Barnard students!
  • Matches 1-3 Barnard students, who are taking the same class with the same instructor, with a peer tutor who is a fellow Barnard student who has taken this class or the equivalent. 
  • Requires a 2-hour-a-week time commitment: you, your tutor, and fellow group members will agree up on a regular weekly time or times, and you all commit to attend regularly.
  • Has the same expectation of academic honest as the rest of the college -- if you're ever in doubt about the boundaries of allowable collaboration for a particular class, be sure to check with your instructor or ask the Honor Board.
  • Is subject to availability. We make every effort to match all students who request tutors (and are constantly seeking to hire additional tutors), but we are not always able to accommodate all requests.

For additional support (in all classes, and particularly those where tutors may not be available), please also keep in mind:

Want to apply to be a tutor?  It's never too late -- we are always looking for more tutors!
See past blog post for more info and how to apply. 

Opportunity: Help Rooms!

Check out one of these Workshop/Help Rooms!


Biology 1500s Workshop
805 Altschul
  • Sundays*, Mondays*, and Wednesdays*
  • 7:30-9 p.m.
***Each evening will cover the most recent lecture material with peer-designed worksheets and peer-led group work to help you practice and internalize new concepts.

Barnard Computer Science Help Room
Milbank 333B
  • Monday 4-6
  • Wednesday 1-3
  • Thursday 11-2

Economics Help Room
The Economics department is happy to announce that the Economics Help Room (EHR) is opening for the semester on Monday, January 29, 2018The EHR is located in 102 Sulzberger Annex.  The hours (all in the evening) are:
  • Sundays  7 to 9 pm
  • Mondays 7 to 9 pm
  • Tuesdays 7 to 9 pm
  • Wednesdays 7 to 9 pm.
Tutoring will be available for Intro to Economic Reasoning, Math Methods, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Intermediate Microeconomics, Statistics, and Econometrics. The tutors are your peers, and the EHR is a judgment-free zone. There is no such thing as a stupid question in the EHR!

If you use the EHR, please keep the following in mind:

First and foremost, at the start of the semester, there will be an adjustment period, so not everything will go smoothly at first. We appreciate your patience as we “learn on the job.” You should feel free, at any time, to send any comments via email to Professor Harrison, or to stop by her office (244 LeFrak Center, Barnard Hall) to chat about your experiences.  All comments will be kept confidential.

Second, when asking for help with homework, please also bring your textbook and notes with you. The tutors might not have had the same professor as you do, and therefore might not have used the same textbook. Therefore, it will be helpful for them to see how you were taught the material.

Third, there will be a google sign-in sheet. Please sign in! It is important that we keep this record of use.

You can find updates about the EHR throughout the semester at http://economics.barnard.edu/economics-help-room, or just go to the Economics department home page, and find a link to this page.

Math Help Room
For College Algebra – Analytic Geometry, Calculus I, II and III courses
Milbank 333
  • Monday through Thursday:  10 a.m. - 10 p.m. (staffed by Barnard undergrads 6-10 p.m.)
  • Friday:  10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

For  Calculus IV and Higher Math courses
406 Mathematics Building (at Columbia)
  • Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  • Friday: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Organic Chemistry I Help Room
409 Barnard Hall
  • Wednesdays 7-9 p.m.
  • Thursdays 7-9 p.m.

Physics Workshop/Help Room
Altschul 514
  • Mondays 7-9 p.m.
  • Wednesdays 7-9 p.m.
Barnard Spanish Help Room
118 Barnard Hall 
  • Sundays 7-9 pm
  • Mondays 7-9 pm
  • Tuesdays 7-9 pm
  • Wednesdays 7-9 pm
For Barnard students taking any of the following Spanish classes at Barnard or Columbia:
  • Elementary Spanish I
  • Elementary Spanish II
  • Intermediate Spanish I
  • Intermediate Spanish II

MCAT Opportunity: New AAMC MCAT Test Preparation Products

We are pleased to inform you that the Official Guide to the MCAT® Exam, Fifth Edition is now available. This new edition of the Official Guide includes an updated Part 1 providing students with everything they need to know about the MCAT exam. It includes an overview of exam structure, registration and scheduling logistics, preparation resources, test day procedures, and scoring. Please note that the questions found in Part 2 remain the same. 

Further, all AAMC practice products have been automatically updated to mirror the new interface of the MCAT exam. As mentioned, in 2018 the AAMC is making changes to the way the MCAT exam interface looks, feels, and functions on test day. These changes include new features such as higher screen resolution, clearer font type and size, and keyboard shortcuts that can be used during the exam. If a student has already purchased a product, they will automatically have access to the update. In addition, a free tool, Practice with Exam Features, has been made available for your students to preview and practice interacting with the new interface so they know what to expect on test day. Also, updated Mock Exam Day resources have been added to the Advisor Hub to assist you and your colleagues facilitate a simulated test day experience for your students. Students will have the opportunity to not only become familiar with test day procedures but also practice with the new interface under timed conditions.

Finally, the AAMC has re-developed and enhanced the free tool, How to Create a Study Plan for the MCAT® Exam. This new guide walks students through six steps to help them from understanding the basics of the exam, to identifying available resources and strategies to use, to drafting their plan and executing it. This tool provides worksheets at each step of the process to help them put together the best study plan that fits their individual needs. 

Sincerely,
Lauren Siegel
Senior Communications Specialist, MCAT
Association of American Medical Colleges

Opportunity: Chatham University MSBIO

Chatham University developed the Master of Science in Biology (MSBIO). Students typically complete the MSBIO in nine to twelve months, which results in an 80% success rate for student placement in advanced degrees.

We are currently accepting applications for the summer and fall, and we are still accepting assistantship applications as well. 
More information is available at Chatham's Graduate Open House on Saturday, February 24th or Prospective Student Webinar on Thursday, February 8th.

Sincerely,
Athena Wintruba
Assistant Director of Graduate Admission, Master of Science in Biology
Chatham University
412.365.1141
awintruba@chatham.edu