CU Academics

How does my student know who his or her advisor is?

The majority of students at CU Boulder are in the College of Arts and Sciences. Your student can look up their advisor and schedule an appointment at the Academic Advising Center website. Other advising contacts can be found at Ralphie’s Guide advising pages.

What opportunities do CU students have to study abroad?

The Office of International Education offers over 180 pre-approved study abroad programs in over 60 countries. Programs are offered for every major, and financial aid and scholarships are available.

How does my student pursue an internship?

Internships come in all shapes and sizes. Internships for academic credit go through individual academic departments and usually require faculty sponsorship. Students should check with their advisor or home department for current openings. In addition to academic credit internships, students can also access hundreds of internship listings through Career Services. This website will assist students in finding, applying, and preparing for paid and unpaid internships.

My student is having a hard time deciding upon a major/career. Is there anyone I should recommend they contact?

Career Services is a great place for students to research and discuss with a counselor the career opportunities that different majors offer. The Career Services offfice is located on the third floor of the new Center for Community. Students may call (303) 492-6541 to schedule an appointment or meet with an advisor during walk-in hours, Monday through Thursday, 1:30 to 4 p.m. Students may also visit the Career Services website for information regarding career exploration, career counseling, and employment opportunities. For more questions and answers related to Career Services, visit the Parents FAQs.

My student is having trouble in class, what campus resources are available?

There are a wide range of resources available. Tutoring is usually not the best solution. Years of research indicate that improving study strategies is the answer to improving academic performance for most students. Fortunately CU-Boulder has many resources to help students succeed.

The first step, always: Talk with the professor and/or the teaching assistant. These teachers are quite willing to help students improve their performance, and they really do want students to visit during office hours. Many academic departments also offer study sessions and walk-in help hours. These are listed on the class syllabus or on the departmental website.

Then, check out tips and solutions from the Student Academic Services Center. The tip on creating study groups is especially valuable. Research on collaborative learning shows very good outcomes for students who form effective study groups.

Sometimes improving some basic skills is all that a student needs. The Program for Writing and Rhetoric runs a Writing Center in Norlin Library E-156 that assist students, free of charge, with all phases of the writing process in most any subject. And, each semester the Mathematics   Department and the Student Academic Services Center collaborate to offer the Winning at Math workshops: Success Strategies, Succeeding in Calculus, Exam Preparation, Problem Solving, Math Anxiety, and Final Exam Preparation. If anxiety or other personal issues are interfering with your student’s academic performance, encourage them to visit Counseling and Psychological Services. Its expert psychologists can provide valuable guidance for overcoming these obstacles, and can refer your student to other campus and community resources.

Your student can also take advantage of the Student Academic Services Center’s Academic Skills Specialist. Throughout fall and spring semesters this specialist conducts free workshops in Assessing Academic Needs and Learning Styles, Time Management, Reading Strategies, Maximizing What You Get from Lectures, Exam Preparation, and Test Anxiety. The Academic Skills Specialist is also available to address other academic strategies concerns via email.

Students should also contact the Student Academic Services Center (SASC) about the possibility of expert-led study groups or tutoring. At the beginning of the semester there is often space available in seminars that support students in key gateway classes in economics, biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. Some students with financial need or other special circumstances qualify for free one-on-one tutoring. SASC maintains a list of private tutors for hire and can refer students to tutors. Students can also make an appointment with an SASC staff member to discuss academic needs and available resources.

Each campus residence hall has an academic support resident who can help students locate academic support resources on campus. One such program is the Department of Housing and Dining Service’s Academic Support Assistance Program (ASAP), which offers free tutoring for students who live in the residence halls. Last spring, the ASAP office was successful in fulfilling 98 percent of student requests. There are two types of tutoring services available for students, small-group and drop-in tutoring.

Small-group tutoring: To take advantage of this free service, students need to fill out a Tutor Request Form and turn it in to the front desk of their residence hall or   give it to their academic support resident. Tutor coordinators then match four to six students with a tutor. Students should be aware that it takes the ASAP office two to three business days to process the Tutor Request Form once it has been received. They are encouraged to check their calendars and request tutors in advance of midterm and final exams.

Drop-in tutoring: Sunday through Wednesday, students can drop in for help with Math, Physics, EPOB, APPM, and CHEM classes. In addition to individual help, there are exam reviews available for large lecture classes; Math, Physics, EPOB, APPM, and CHEM classes; and the night before an exam.