Students are encouraged to participate in the many learning resource programs offered by Citrus College. These academic support programs are free, easily accessible, and have been proven to be beneficial.
Services such as Supplemental Instruction in MA 126, the Writing Café in ED 231, Math Lab in MA 129 and the tutoring center in ED 215 are offered to all students.
In the Writing Café, students can get help with writing essays or research papers in any subject, bring in resumes or personal statements to refine and may also write lab reports and marketing plans.
Julia Espinosa received an A on her first assignment in Children’s Literature, after bringing her rough drafts to the Writing Café. “I love that it is available, “ Espinosa said, “I learn new things all the time.”
Statistics prove that students who attend the Writing Café improve at a significantly higher rate than those who do not.
In fall 2012, English 103 results show the success rate of students who attended at 91 percent and those who did≠ not, at 78 percent.
“A lot more students have been attending and we are booked constantly,” said Patricia Monaster, a Writing Café facilitator. “We can focus on any writing assignment for any class, from something as simple as grammar concepts to a lit review for a psychology class.”
Supplemental Instruction is an academic support program designed for traditionally more difficult classes, like science and math.
According to Dr. Lan Hao, the Director of Institutional Research, in fall 2012, students who participated five or more times in the math 150 SI sessions had a 78 percent success rate. The non-participant success rate was 52 percent.
Biology 200 had the most significant difference. The success rate for students who attended these SI sessions fewer than four times was 36 percent. The students who did attend had an 82 percent pass rate.
There is also a Math Lab in MA 130. Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. students can study in groups and have questions answered by qualified peer tutors.
In the learning center, there are 52 tutors are able to cover any of the 15 subjects offered, such as philosophy, Chinese, psychology, and accounting.
Walk-ins are welcome in ED 215, but appointments can be made to ensure a spot. The sessions are one hour long.
“[Students] are able to be more of themselves because they are not going to be judged or looked down upon because they might feel that the professor is too smart, or they are too dumb,” said Yoshio Bush, 25, a student tutor.
The Citrus College Completion Corps mentoring program is a way for new and returning students to take initiative and learn from one another about the free programs and many other opportunities available.
C4 peer mentoring was designed as a way to inform students and encourage them to take advantage of the free programs and many opportunities available at Citrus.
This semester, students meet for C4 mentoring in ED 223 every day from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Learning Resource programs are free, available to all students and benefit student academic success.
