Academic Success Coaching

Our confidential academic coaching offers you individual discussions with a coach who will help you improve your academic performance and efficiency. Your coach will meet with you, discuss your concerns, and help you discover learning techniques that will enable you to enhance your overall academic performance.

There are four main ways to get academic or study skills support through the Academic Success Coaching program at the Learning Center:

  • One-on-one academic coaching
  • Academic success course
  • Academic success workshops
  • Printable resources

See our side entrance directions (pdf) if you are visiting the Learning Center after hours for the first time.

Academic Success Coaching Resources

CASC 142: Strategies for Academic Success

CASC 142: Strategies for Academic Success is a one-credit course open to all AS&E undergraduate students looking to improve their academic skills. This is a discussion-based course designed to help students develop skills necessary for college success including time management, learning, test preparation, interacting with faculty, note-taking and more. As part of the course, each student will also explore a campus resource and report their findings to the group.

Spring 2025 CASC 142 Schedule:

  • CASC 142-1 (Tuesdays, 4:50-6:05 p.m., January 21, 2025 - April 1, 2025)
  • CASC 142-2 (Thursdays, 4:50-6:05 p.m., February 13, 2025 - April 24, 2025)
  • CASC 142-3 (Fridays, 2:00-3:15 p.m., January 31, 2025 - April 11, 2025)

Note: there are a total of 10 class meetings for each section.

For more information about the course, please email us at learning@rochester.edu, or you can call us at (585) 275-9049.

Academic Success Workshop

Our academic success coach team works with groups on campus to run workshops for students regarding exam preparation, reading strategies, note taking strategies, and time management. To schedule a workshop, please submit the Academic Success Workshop Request Form.

Someone from the Learning Center will reach out to you to set up a pre-workshop meeting with you (as the workshop requester) to discuss the format of your workshop and solidify a day and time with regard to your request.

Printable Resources

These worksheets are a small sample of the many different resources we can provide you during an appointment. Please make an appointment to review these worksheets and learn how to use them most effectively.

Making an appointment:

Study resources:

Time management worksheets:

One-On-One Academic Coaching

Our confidential academic coaching offers you individual discussions with a coach who will help you improve your academic performance and efficiency. Your coach will meet with you, discuss your concerns, and help you discover learning techniques that will enable you to enhance your overall academic performance.

Setting up an Appointment

All appointments with academic coaches are free, and you may meet with them for a one-time troubleshooting session or on a regular basis during the fall and spring semesters.

Appointments can be scheduled by using WC Online. However, students can also make an appointment by emailing learning@rochester.edu, calling us at (585) 275-9049, or by talking to the front desk in our office. See the WC Online Tutorial (pdf) for instructions on scheduling an appointment online.

Note: Academic coaching is in-person by default. If you prefer meeting virtually over Zoom, please contact your coach via email after you make your appointment.

Meet our Coaches

All of our academic coaches have experience working with a diverse group of students who seek to meet the demands of time management, organization, exam preparation and more.

Current Academic Coaches

Robin Frye

 Aurodeep Panda

Headshot of Robin Frye.

Robin Frye is an assistant director of the Learning Center and the lead for the Academic Success Coaching Program. She also teaches courses in the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) workshop program. She has been coaching graduate and undergraduate students on study-related topics since 2011. Currently, she largely supports students at the School of Medicine and Dentistry. Robin received her PhD in developmental psychology from Clark University.

 

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Aurodeep Panda is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry where his research is focused on making cool metal complexes that catalyze different organic transformation reactions. He has a combined teaching and mentoring experience of 3 years prior to joining the Learning Center as an Academic Success Coach. Aurodeep is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment, where he can engage and empower students from diverse backgrounds with varying academic needs.

Arinze Amanekwe

dani garcia

Arinze Amanekwe is a PhD student in Warner School of Education and Human Development where he is studying Education Policy Analysis. He joined The Learning Center in March 2024 as an academic coach. His research is focused on providing more access to persons with learning disabilities, nexus between international and local education politics and policies, and student transition and access. He has a combined teaching, research and mentoring experience of 6 years working both in academia and non profit prior to his joining The Learning Center at the University of Rochester. He enjoys meeting and supporting students from diverse backgrounds..

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dani garcia is a PhD student in the Department of English at the University of Rochester. Before joining the Learning Center as an Academic Success Coach in Spring of 2024, dani taught for 10+ years at the high school, community college, and university levels in California, Michigan, New York, and abroad. Additionally, dani has served in numerous advisory and committee roles in higher education. dani is passionate about collaborating with students at all levels, safeguarding access to education, and promoting success for students with diverse backgrounds and needs.

Academic Success Coaching FAQs

What is "Academic Success Coaching"?

Academic Success Coaching is a confidential service provided by the Learning Center. It involves individual discussion with a coach about ways to improve your academic performance and efficiency.

What topics does "coaching" include?

Lots! Your Academic Success Coach would be happy to talk to you about issues like:

  • Finding and maintaining motivation
  • Time management
  • Stress management
  • Taking better notes
  • Increasing reading comprehension
  • Handling multiple choice questions more successfully
Are my coaching appointments at the Learning Center confidential?

Absolutely. Our policy is to maintain the confidentiality of all our coaching consultations with students.

How long does each coaching appointment last?

Each individual appointment lasts about an hour. Occasionally, students meet with us for a single coaching appointment; more commonly, our work together takes place across a number of conversations.

What can I expect from a coaching appointment at the Learning Center?

We usually begin by just getting to know you! You may have a particular study problem that you would like help solving, or you may just wish to find out if there are more optimal ways to go about learning. Either way, we would be happy to talk with you.

How much do coaching appointments cost?

All coaching appointments are free of charge.

How often can I meet with an Academic Success Coach?

You may meet with an Academic Success Coach for a one-time trouble-shooting session or on a continuing basis. You will decide this together with your coach.

Is Academic Success Coaching only for people who are doing poorly?

No. We see students who are on the dean's list, as well as students who are on academic probation. The determining factor isn't whether or not you're doing well academically; it's whether you feel you could be getting more from your studies or using your time more effectively.

If you have a concern and wonder whether we can help, just give us a call at (585) 275-9049.

Who has access to Academic Success Coaching Services?

Academic Success Coaching is open to all undergraduate students at AS&E. This service is also available to all graduate students at Simon, Warner, SMD, and AS&E. The only schools we do not serve are Eastman and SON as they have their own programs.