Time Management & Study Strategies (TM&SS) Consulting

Our professional staff and well-trained graduate consultants in the Time Management & Study Strategies Consulting Program are available to meet individually with students who are experiencing academic difficulty.

Some of the academic topics that we address include:

• Time Management
• Procrastination
• Reading Strategies
• Test-Preparation and Test-Taking Strategies
• Prioritizing
• Motivation
• Organizing
• Note-Taking
• Study Strategies
• Self-Awareness of Strengths and Weaknesses
• Help-Seeking and Using Collaborative Resources
• Executive Functions

Many undergraduates and graduates experience difficulties in their transition into their higher education programs. Undergraduates often have difficulty managing their own out-of-class time without their parents present to provide structure. Undergraduate and graduate students encounter increased reading loads and increasingly-complex material in their coursework. Both undergraduates and graduates often need to develop new organizational, study, and reading strategies to adjust to the rigor of Tufts' academics. Some students may also experience difficulties with motivation.

Time Management & Study Strategies Consultants

The ARC carefully selects and trains graduate students from diverse disciplines (primarily from the fields of education, child development, and occupational therapy) and backgrounds (international students, students who speak English as a second language, first-generation college students, and students who may themselves have learning or attentional disabilities). The team of TM&SS graduate consultants form a dedicated, cohesive, and diverse corps.

About the TM&SS Consulting  

Students work one-on-one with a dedicated TM&SS consultant in a collaborative relationship. Consultants are trained to collaborate with each student to design an individualized and tailored program. Students work on general and specific strategies that they will apply to their courses. Our consulting model uses a collaborative relationship to support student growth and development in becoming a more effective and successful student at Tufts. Growth, development, and learning take time. We do not have an "emergency room" model where we can quickly fix a specific problem, nor do we offer a quick list of "silver bullet" strategies that can improve student performance immediately. Rather, students engage in consulting for an average of 5-6 sessions over the course of the academic year. We take a comprehensive approach to student consulting and consider the variety of influences that may be affecting each student's performance. Students learn new tools and strategies that they can apply independently and tailor to their unique academic situations. Students tend to experience significant changes after 5-6 sessions.

How do I make an appointment?

Students should email time.management@ase.tufts.edu with the answers to the following questions:

1. What areas would you like to focus on with your consultant?
2. Are you thinking more short-term or long-term consulting?
3. Is there anything you believe is important that we should know about?  (Anxiety, learning disabilities, or course work incompletes, etc.)

With the above answers, we will match each student with a consultant who fits the student's interests. The consultant and student will schedule appointments that are mutually-convenient.

Who Can Faculty Contact for More Information?

If you have questions or concerns about a student or an advisee who may be experiencing academic difficulty, please contact the ARC Front Desk at arctutoring@ase.tufts.edu to find out what resources and support may be available.

Important Parts of the TM&SS Process

Once the student has contacted the program, the student will receive an Incoming Questionnaire to complete. The student and the consultant will use the Incoming Questionnaire to create a consulting program designed around the student's preferences, motivational factors, learning strengths and constraints. The student and the consultant will collaborate to identify, articulate, and work towards the student's academic goals. Throughout the course of the consulting, the consultant will work with the student as he/she tries new strategies that support his/her efforts towards achieving his/her goals. All sessions are confidential.

Because our model is developmental, we do not begin consulting with new students after the final day of classes in the academic semester. Students have found that there is not enough time between reading period and final exams to make significant progress towards their goals. If you are looking for support during the finals period, please look for information about the "Tutoring Extravaganza" on our website home page.

Additional Campus Programming

In some cases, a student may be experiencing academic difficulties in conjunction with emotional, psychological, psychiatric, and/or medical concerns. In such cases, the TM&SS consultant will refer the student to appropriate service providers, such as the Counseling and Mental Health Service for collaborative programming. Because academic difficulties often arise with other difficulties, students may especially benefit from using the combined support of the ARC and the Counseling and Mental Health Service.

A Note About Test Anxiety

It is expected and typical for students to feel somewhat stressed during testing situations.  Test anxiety is a condition where students may experience symptoms of extreme distress before, during, or after an examination.  Symptoms may be physical, emotional, behavioral, and/or cognitively related.  Often a combined approach between Counseling and Mental Health Services and the Time Management & Study Strategies (TM&SS) program is best for students who experience test anxiety.  The TM&SS program can be of help to students who are experiencing test anxiety by assisting them with test preparation, test taking strategies, including relaxation exercises appropriate for in-class use, as well as re-creating the testing situation for the student to become more comfortable and to reduce feelings of fear associated with testing.

If you have been experiencing Test Anxiety and would like to discuss your possible options further, please send an email to Time.management@ase.tufts.edu.

Time Management & Study Strategies Workshops

ARC staff and consultants periodically present workshops to student groups. Popular workshops include time management strategies and study strategies. To inquire about the possibility of having a workshop delivered to your student group, please complete the Workshop Inquiry Form available online at http://uss.tufts.edu/arc/resources.

If you have a documented disability:
If you have a documented disability, we recommend that you register with the Office of Disability Services, where you can arrange the appropriate academic accommodations.