A Short Guide to Choosing a Biology Tutor for College Students

College can be a very exciting and demanding time for students. For many college freshmen, their first year represents the first time that they have been away from home for an extended period of time. Not only do they face the challenge of a full and demanding course load, they must also do their own laundry, pick their own bed times, and generally be fully responsible for the consequences of their own actions. This is a lot to ask of anyone, particularly since there is the added pressure of knowing that poor grades and this point will stay with them for the rest of their lives, forever hampering their ability to find a good job. This can be particularly true for science majors, since the collegiate science curriculum is likely to be much more rigorous than anything they have dealt with in the past. Many students who find themselves overwhelmed choose to hire the services of a skilled biology (or other science) tutor to help smooth the transition from high school to college level biology.

Fortunately for the college science student, there are usually several upper level biology majors as well as graduate students on campus who choose to supplement their (usually very meager) income by working as a biology tutor. A student who finds that he or she needs the services of a biology tutor should consider consulting with the biology professor to ask for a recommendation for a good upper level student who is willing to work as a biology tutor. Since the professor typically has intimate knowledge of the skills and abilities of anyone that he or she would recommend, you can be certain that the person that your professor picks is a good choice.

Many students do not seek out the services of a biology tutor because they are concerned about the cost. Of course, since college students are typically strapped for cash, this is a logical concern. Teaching assistants are an excellent resource that are typically underutilized by the student population. The student should ask his or her professor about the possibility of using a teaching assistant as a biology tutor.

As mentioned earlier, the first year of college can be an especially trying time, particularly for those who are majoring in the natural or life sciences. Not only is the coursework much more demanding than what was experienced in high school, the labs are also quite rigorous and may take many hours per week to accomplish. When you add to this the fact that the students are on their own, often for the first time, and may be scared, stressed, and generally overwrought, you have the makings of a good old fashioned academic melt down. This is where the services of a biology tutor can be invaluable.
 posted by Jane