Study Groups
Study Groups offer an opportunity to study collaboratively with classmates under the guidance of an upper-level undergraduate leader who did well in the same course in an earlier semester. Study Group Leaders (SGLs) are trained to address both course content questions and questions about effective study habits so that students can holistically prepare for their course work and exams in a friendly, low-stress environment. Just like more informal study group arrangements, the name “Study Group” is meant to imply regular attendance and a commitment to your peers’ success as well as your own; together, you can all be ever better.
Study Group Benefits
Scientific data about learning, some from right here at the ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é, show that most people learn better when they study in groups, regardless of how well they are already doing in their coursework. If you are struggling with the course material, commiserating with your peers and getting targeted help from SGLs can give you a boost in positivity and resolve. If you are handling the course material well, you can deepen your understanding by working with others and maybe even reveal and address some misconceptions you would not have realized on your own.
Study Schedule
Study Groups meet weekly over the duration of the semester for 75 minutes each week. SGLs typically start hosting their sessions in the third week of the semester and wrap up on the last day of classes. The complete Study Group schedule is finalized and posted below during the first weeks of each new semester.
Joining a Group
You can sign up for Study Groups through Blackboard under “Organizations.” Study Groups are completely optional and have no point-based impact on your grade in the course if you do not attend. However, if you frequently sign up but do not attend, SGLs have the discretion to remove you from the sign up to make space for others, as space is limited.
Resources for Unlisted Courses
If you are taking a course you feel would benefit from having an accompanying Study Group, please contact Kyle Trenshaw so that he can look into recruiting a new SGL for the course. In lieu of a Study Group, the Learning Center offers several other resources for students looking to improve their study habits and academic performance in general. Check out our tutoring and academic success coaching pages for more information.
Become a Peer Leader
All open positions are listed on the Learning Center’s job openings page. Applications open for SGL positions at the end of every semester, and especially at the end of spring. Please consider applying if you:
- Took a course for which we currently offer Study Groups and did well, and/or
- Regularly attended one or more Study Groups in the past and improved your course grades as a result.
All undergraduate students interested in making a positive difference in their peers’ academic journeys are welcome!
Please check Blackboard for when your Study Group will begin.
Class | Peer Leader | Weekly Meeting Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
BCSC 110 | Sirui (Larina) Gong | Wednesday 2-3:15 PM | Dewey 1-160B |
BIOL 110 | Ashay Narayana Danning Zhang | Friday 10-11:15 AM Wednesday 7-8:15 PM | LeChase 181 Dewey 1-160B |
BIOL 190 | Eileen Chen | Thursday 10-11:15 AM | Dewey 1-160A |
BIOL 198 | Catherine Xie | Thursday 4:50-6:05 PM | Dewey 1-160B |
BIOL 204 | Nichen (Stella) Zhu | Wednesday 3:25-4:40 PM | Douglass 404 |
CHE 150 | Ruzgar Maneoglu | Wednesday 2-3:15 PM | Goergen 110 |
CHEM 131 | Malia Dickinson Natasha Vacca | Monday 6:30-7:45 PM Tuesday 6:15-7:30 PM | Dewey 1-160A Dewey 1-160A |
CHEM 203 | Nichen (Stella) Zhu | Tuesday 4:50-6:05 PM | Morey 205 |
ECON 108 | Martin Trpceski | Wednesday 4-5:15 PM | Dewey 1-160A |
ECON 207 | Ngoc (Andy) Dao | Friday 4:50-6:05 PM | Genesee 308 |
ECON 231W | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
FIN 205 | Lan Nguyen | Friday 2-3:15 PM | Meliora 206 |
MATH 140 | Tianzi Wu | Wednesday 12:30-1:45 PM | Douglass 302 |
MATH 141 | Tianzi Wu Nadia Bazhenov | Thursday 12:30-1:45 PM Thursday 3:25-4:40 PM | Wegmans 1005 Genesee 323 |
MATH 142 | Linh Tran | Tuesday 5-6:15 PM | Dewey 1-160N |
MATH 143 | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
MATH 150 | Nguyen Tran | Thursday 4:50-6:05 PM | Hylan 307 |
MATH 161 | Kyle (Newt) Perlman Kelvin Nguyen Ngoc (Andy) Dao | Monday 3:30-4:45 PM Wednesday 3:25-4:40 PM Thursday 4:50-6:05 PM | Dewey 1-160A Hylan 201 Hylan 101 |
MATH 162 | Kelvin Nguyen John Nguyen | Wednesday 2-3:15 PM Friday 3:25-4:40 PM | Hylan 206 Hylan 206 |
MATH 165 | Kelvin Nguyen Tianzi Wu | Wednesday 4:50-6:05 PM Monday 12:30-1:45 PM | Hylan 201 Douglass 302 |
MATH 201 | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
MATH 235 | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
PHIL 110 | Sirui (Larina) Gong | Friday 11:50 AM-1:05 PM | Dewey 1-160N |
PSYC 101 | Anisha (Ani) Goorha Ashay Narayana | Tuesday 11 AM-12:15 PM Friday 11:50 AM-1:05 PM | Dewey 1-160B Meliora 224 |
STAT 190 | Lan Nguyen | Tuesday 4:50-6:05 PM | Dewey 1-160B |
Study Groups Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sign up for a Study Group?
You can sign up for Study Groups on . You will automatically be enrolled in a Blackboard Organization if one of your courses has a Study Group during a particular semester, and you can access sign-ups through that organization. Organizations show up on the right-hand side of the Blackboard interface on a laptop or desktop and near the bottom if scrolling through the mobile view.
What is the difference between Study Groups and the Study Zone?
Study Groups are course-specific collaborative study sessions led by a near-peer who recently completed the course.
The purpose of Study Groups is to provide an opportunity to connect with other students in your courses who are also motivated to study consistently each week. One the other hand, the Study Zone is a quiet study location in the Learning Center suite where near-peer leaders help students set studying goals and plan their path to achieving them through their individual study sessions. So, in summary:
- Study Groups are collaborative, course-specific, and content-knowledge-focused.
- The Study Zone is individual, generally applicable to any academic work, and study-skill-focused.
Any student can benefit from both resources in their coursework.
How many students are usually in a Study Group?
There can be anywhere from a single student to as many as 15 in any given Study Group session.
What if I want a Study Group for a course that does not have one?
If you are taking a course you feel would benefit from having an accompanying Study Group, please contact Kyle Trenshaw so that he can look into recruiting a new Study Group Leader for the course. In lieu of a Study Group, the Learning Center offers several other resources for students looking to improve their study habits and academic performance in general. Check out our Tutoring and Academic Success Coaching pages for more information.