Many students have a class, classes, or a certain topic in a class in which they have difficulty. The first step in approaching a difficult course or a chapter/section in a course is to identify what you are struggling with. Once that is accomplished, set up an appointment with a tutor or a professor.

After receiving the extra help, go home and study the extra help notes. This is important because if you wait to study the material, you will forget.

Many students do not ask for extra help, or postpone asking for help because they believe somehow, someway, they will figure it out. You may feel that asking for help is a sign of weakness. You may feel that the professor will think less of you if you ask for help. From your professor’s point of view, students who seek out help are showing a serious interest in the class. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a commitment to your education. If the professor knows that you are attending classes and handing in assignments on a regular basis, then there isn’t anything to be embarrassed or ashamed about if you need help. The professors will be willing to assist you, since you are motivated to learn.

There are some things to do and not do when seeking out help:

1. Don’t take the help for granted. Seek out help when you really need it. Try to figure out your problem first and don’t use the help as a crutch.
2. Let the person know how the help worked out. Give feedback on your grades.
3. Don’t be a whiner. Approach the help session as an effort to know the material not complain that you can’t understand.
4. Don’t ask for help on things you should be able to figure out on your own (e.g. the assignment, your overall grade).

Another problem students face is seeking out and still not understanding the material. Students are sometimes scared to ask the same question twice. If you don’t understand, ask your question again. Generally your professor or tutor will have another way to explain the material to you.

It is virtually impossible to go through college and understand every topic covered without any assistance. The secret to college success is extra help using the resources that the school provides, and doing these things when the need arises..