Tutoring in all major academic areas is available to all Odessa College students. Tutoring is conducted by appointment or on a walk-in basis. It is highly recommended that students make an appointment in advance so that their time with a tutor is secured. Tutoring appointments should be kept or canceled in advance if students are unable to keep them. Each student who provides a valid email account will receive appointment reminders via email. Appointments can be scheduled, changed or cancelled in person, via phone or via email.

Students should immediately seek tutoring when comprehension of course material becomes difficult. Students should not wait until the last minute to seek assistance through the tutoring process. The tutoring process is most beneficial when pressing time constraints and deadlines are not an immediate concern. Simply put, the tutor and student need adequate time to determine what course of action should be taken in the tutoring process to insure the student’s success. The tutor must have sufficient time to assess students’ performance and abilities in order to assist them in a meaningful way.

Tutors can also be helpful to students who are satisfied with their academic performance. Tutors can assist students with preparing and studying for tests, editing papers, improving study skills and serving as a sounding board for students’ thoughts and ideas. Many students find this additional input in their coursework to be very valuable.

Students who have fallen behind in their coursework are encouraged to seek assistance from a Center tutor. Tutors can set realistic goals for students and assist them with achieving their goals. Often, a third party taking interest in the progress of students who have fallen behind is all it takes to help the student stay self-motivated and to catch-up.

Instructors and academic advisors will often refer students to the tutoring services offered by the Center. Students who receive such referrals are strongly encouraged to follow the advice of their instructors or academic advisors. These referrals are made by these professionals because tutoring works, and they know it!

All core curriculum subject areas offered on campus are tutored in the Center. A list of tutors and the courses they tutor is available on the Staff page.

Many Odessa College students live a great distance from the campus, and they take web courses which do not require them to travel to attend classes. Other students live in the Odessa area, but because of work and family obligations they choose to take web courses. The Student Learning Center has developed and implemented an online tutoring program which allows students to receive one-on-one tutoring online with a certified tutor. Online tutoring is available during regular business hours of the Center. Students needing this service must contact the Director, Angela Tombs, at 432-335-6714 or atombs@odessa.edu for an initial assessment and training on how to access online tutoring.

Students seeking tutoring must provide the tutor with all necessary materials such as textbooks, class notes, handouts, etc. It is the responsibility of the students to provide the material for the tutoring session. Students cannot come to tutoring with the expectation that the tutor will provide materials or subject matter for the session.

Students must attempt to complete assignments to the best of their ability before seeking tutoring. This enables the tutor to assess what the student already knows and focus on material that the student is struggling with the most. Also, all reading assignments should be read by the student completely before the tutoring session begins. Being well prepared for a tutoring session is the most important step to getting the maximum benefit of tutoring. It is unreasonable to expect a tutor to teach a course to a student. The student must do his/her part by attending class regularly, taking notes, reading assigned material, and attempting to complete assignments before the tutoring session.

Student Learning Center promotes personal responsibility by requiring that students play an active role in their tutoring appointments. Tutors are not allowed to give out answers to students. Students must come up with their own answers, solutions and/or conclusions. The tutor’s primary purpose is to provide feedback to the student in regards to their coursework and assist the student with related study skills

Tutoring sessions generally last for one hour each. However, the student and the tutor must mutually determine what is best for the student concerning the frequency and duration of tutoring sessions. Students must play an active role in determining what course of action is best for themselves.

Please call the Director, Angela Tombs, at 432.335.6714 to schedule an online tutoring appointment.