Tutoring

McGraw Center’s undergraduate peer tutoring is intended to supplement lecture, precept, lab and office hours and not replicate or replace them. Our emphasis on mastering the processes of learning and problem-solving, especially creative application of knowledge to unfamiliar problems presupposes that students are actively engaged in the course and come to tutoring prepared to make the most of it . This requires, typically, that students actively synthesize and integrate for themselves information presented in lectures, precepts, labs and texts so that they possess the conceptual knowledge necessary to effectively engage the problem sets and related problems, and/or have done sufficient work to identify the conceptual questions they may have.

Learn more about how to make the most of McGraw's tutoring.

About Tutoring

Our primary tutoring objective is for our students to achieve the following outcomes: 

  • Enhance their approaches to learning from instruction in quantitative/science courses, particularly for solving novel problems by becoming more skilled readers, note-takers, and strategic learners.
  • Expand their toolbox of methods to solve problems by becoming more skilled at explicitly thinking about their reasoning processes, and developing strategies that work for them. Our ultimate goal is that students generalize these methods and processes to other disciplines and transfer them to other quantitative problem-solving courses and independent work.
  • Develop systematic methods for learning from problem sets, including: how to apply and transfer conceptual knowledge; identify common obstacles and errors; and contextualize individual problems within the themes and concepts of the course.

To facilitate achievement of these outcomes, our tutors support students’ active grappling with content and problems, and facilitate reflection upon their approaches to learning. Students are prompted to explain their understandings, explicate their reasoning processes and procedures, assess their competency, identify gaps in their expertise, and practice transferring their knowledge and skills to complex, multi-faceted problems like those found on Princeton exams.

Assigned problem sets are used as a point of departure or springboard for developing the knowledge and skills necessary to solve complex, multi-faceted, Princeton “exam-level” problems and to deepen conceptual understanding, but completion of them is  not our primary objective (though we recognize it may be for some students).

Fall courses supported:

CHM 201, CHM 207, CHM 301, COS 126^, COS 217^, COS 226^, ECO 100, ECO 101, ECO 202, EGR 151, EGR 152, EGR 156, MAT 103, MAT 104, MAT 175, MAT 201, MAT 202, MAT 203, MOL 214, ORF 245, PHY 101, PHY 103, POL 345, R-Programming

Spring courses supported:

CHM 202, CHM 215, CHM 304, COS 126^, COS 217^, COS 226^, ECO 100, ECO 101, ECO 202, EGR 153, EGR 154, MAT 103, MAT 104, MAT 175, MAT 201, MAT 202, MAT 204, MOL 214, ORF 245, PHY 102, PHY 104, PHY 108, PSY 251, SPI 200, R-Programming

*all course offerings are dependent on staffing
^ support is concept-focused only (no assignment support)


Upon arrival students are asked to swipe in with an admin - learn more information about McGraw's data collection and confidentiality policy.

Group Drop-In Study Hall

Group Study Hall seeks to create a study group-like environment in order to help students become independent, flexible problem-solvers.  To that end, tutors facilitate group interaction and learning so that students are actively thinking, explaining, solving problems, and integrating their knowledge and thus making explicit their thinking and learning processes for themselves and others.

Along with our primary tutoring objectives above, our unique objectives for Study Hall include the following outcomes:

  • We want students to learn how to effectively run their own study groups, potentially forming these groups in Study Hall.   
  • We want students to develop their use of resources, including fellow classmates, to the point where the tutor is rarely if ever, needed for their success in the course.

All tutoring is held in the Frist Campus Center on the second (rooms 205-210) and third floor (rooms 329, 330). Please sign in with an admin upon arrival and be directed to the proper room.


Spring 2024 Study Hall Schedule

The schedule may change each week. Please check that your course is scheduled before attending.

 

Schedule for week of 3/17-3/20

  • CHM 202: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Monday 3/18 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • CHM 215: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Wednesday 3/20 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • CHM 304: Monday 3/18 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • COS 126^: Monday 3/18 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Tuesday 3/19 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • COS 217^: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Monday 3/18 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • COS 226^: Monday 3/18 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • ECO 100: Wednesday 3/20 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • ECO 101: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Wednesday 3/20 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • ECO 202: Wednesday 3/20 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • EGR 153: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Tuesday 3/19 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • EGR 154: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Wednesday 3/20 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • MAT 103: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Tuesday 3/19 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • MAT 104: Tuesday 3/19 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • MAT 175: Tuesday 3/19 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • MAT 201: Wednesday 3/20 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • MAT 202: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Tuesday 3/19 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • MAT 204: Wednesday 3/20 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • MOL 214: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Wednesday 3/20 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • ORF 245: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Sunday 2/25 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • PHY 102: Sunday 3/17 - 7:30-10:30 pm; Tuesday 3/19 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • PHY 104: Tuesday 3/19 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • PHY 108: available as individual tutoring
  • SPI 200: Wednesday 3/20 - 7:30-10:30 pm
  • R-Programming: Monday 3/18 - 7:30-10:30 pm

^ indicates courses with concept-only study hall

Individual Tutoring

Individual Tutoring allows for focused and individualized assistance for students who want a more personalized tutoring experience. Individual Tutoring is especially useful for students who want help with specific parts of the course, whose previous experience did not include preparation in an essential topic that they need for the course, or who want to enhance their foundational knowledge through application of the course material. 

As with Study Hall, students who come to Individual Tutoring are expected to have gone to lecture, read their text, and attempted problems before coming to tutoring.  However, Individual Tutoring may be the place for students who, after preparing, are still struggling with defining their specific issues or have a broad range of questions/concepts to discuss.

Along with our primary tutoring objectives above, our unique objectives for Individual Tutoring include the following outcomes:

  • We want students to solidify their foundational knowledge of the course material/course concepts so that they can overcome obstacles to continued success in the course.
  • We want to prepare students to work effectively independently and in group learning environments, including Study Hall and student-led study groups.

All individual tutoring is held outside of Frist 328 (in the large study space on the southern side of the building). Upon arrival please check in with the admin who will direct you to your tutor.


Spring 2024 Individual Tutoring

Individual tutoring availability will change each week - appointments will be posted each week on the Friday before. Appointments can be found (and booked if available) at schedule.princeton.edu.

 

Individual Tutoring available week of 3/17-3/21 for: CHM 202, CHM 215, CHM 304, COS 126^, COS 217^, COS 226^, ECO 100, ECO 101, ECO 202, EGR 154, MAT 103, MAT 104, MAT 175, MAT 201, MAT 202, MOL 214, ORF 245, PHY 102, PHY 104, PHY 108, SPI 200, R-Programming

^indicates courses with concept-only support

 

Courses that may be supported Spring 2024: CHM 202, CHM 215, CHM 304, ECO 100, ECO 101, ECO 202, EGR 153, EGR 154, MAT 103, MAT 104, MAT 175, MAT 201, MAT 202, MAT 204, MOL 214, ORF 245, PHY 102, PHY 104, PHY 108, SPI 200, R-Programming


If you are having difficulties signing up for an appointment, visit our troubleshooting page.

If you have tried to sign up and consulted the troubleshooting document and continue to encounter difficulties - please contact mcgrawundergraduates via email and describe your difficulty and what you tried to do to solve the problem so we can help you as efficiently as possible.

We’re happy to answer your questions. Before doing so we ask that you ensure that you read the website carefully for relevant policies, guidelines, and dates.

Become a Tutor

Tutoring offers multiple benefits, including, of course, altruism (you help out your fellow students) and self-interest (you make some extra cash). Tutoring also further develops and sharpens your disciplinary knowledge; in the process of tutoring, one's understanding of the discipline and field will become deeper and stronger. It also provides the opportunity to enhance tutoring-specific skill sets such as group facilitation, formulating clear and useful explanations, and making assessments. Skills which are applicable not only to teaching but also to medicine and other fields. 

We are seeking prospective tutors who: are accomplished, have an A- or above in the course(s) they want to support, and possess (and want to develop) skills essential for effective tutoring.  Students with a B+ in the course may be considered.

We are in particular seeking tutor applicants who have taken: ECO 202, EGR 153/154, MAT 104/175, PHY 102/104, PSY 251 or SPI 200.

Fall courses (possibly) supported:

CHM 201, CHM 207, CHM 301, COS 126, COS 217, COS 226, ECO 100, ECO 101, ECO 202, EGR 151, EGR 152, EGR 156, MAT 103, MAT 104, MAT 175, MAT 201, MAT 202, MAT 203, MOL 214, ORF 245, PHY 101, PHY 103, POL 345, R-Programming

Spring courses supported:

CHM 202, CHM 215, CHM 304, COS 126, COS 217, COS 226, ECO 100, ECO 101, ECO 202, EGR 153, EGR 154, MAT 103, MAT 104, MAT 175, MAT 201, MAT 202, MAT 204, MOL 214, ORF 245, PHY 102, PHY 104, PHY 108, SPI 200, R-Programming

Hiring for Spring 2024

New tutor applications are now being accepted - please submit your application by January 30th to guarantee consideration. Interviews will be held during the first two weeks of class.

If you are interested in working with McGraw as a tutor, please submit an application. For full consideration apply by January 30th.

(Applications have closed for tutoring admins - 1/29/24) Depending on our staffing demands, we may also be hiring undergraduate admins for the tutoring program. Admins welcome students to tutoring, record attendance, and direct students to the appropriate spaces. If you are interested in becoming an undergraduate admin in the tutoring program, please submit an application.