Academic Advising/Personal tutoring in UCL

I am UCL-bound this September and I've been curious about the quality, or at least the degree or nature of academic advising students in UCL receive. I understand from the website that this is termed personal tutoring in UCL. Perhaps some current students can shed some light on the sort of personal tutoring you've had in UCL? Of course, the website has quite some information already but I'd like to hear some real voices or some anecdotes to get a sense of what it really is like. Thanks in advance(;

Reply 1

FranticMind

18

Original post by thindust

I am UCL-bound this September and I've been curious about the quality, or at least the degree or nature of academic advising students in UCL receive. I understand from the website that this is termed personal tutoring in UCL. Perhaps some current students can shed some light on the sort of personal tutoring you've had in UCL? Of course, the website has quite some information already but I'd like to hear some real voices or some anecdotes to get a sense of what it really is like. Thanks in advance(;

Well depending on your course depends on the structuring.

In EE we had an academic tutor look after 5 of us. So any problems we contact them, at the beginning we were also assigned a mentor to contact. We would meet our academic tutors twice a week and mentors once a week. I found it worked exceptionally well and have never been stuck without an answer. All of the lecturers and lab support were helpful aswell.

As an example I had a problem with a program I was writing involving matrices, brought it to him one lunch time he solved it in about 10 seconds.

The only other experience I have is that most humanities subjects attend seminars where they discuss their subject in depth and ask any questions they want.

Other personal tutoring I can think of would be on a student to student basis.

Reply 2

username113840

Again, it does depend on your department/subject. It was pretty much the same as above for me.

The personal tutor is a member of staff in the department who generally helps with any problems dealing with your academic life (though generally I've found most don't actually teach you, unless they happen to be your lecturer for a module), while your mentor is usually a 2nd or 3rd year, who at the start help with your transition into uni academically and socially (to get a feel for the uni and the area) and after a while move towards academics (such a coursework etc). You officially only get your mentor for the first term.

I only met my personal tutor once a week, same for my mentor. I generally never had any problems so for the most part my meetings were less than 10 minutes.

We also had tutorials for certain modules. They weren't compulsory to attend, but were there if you did need help.

Reply 3

thindust

OP

Original post by arcl

Again, it does depend on your department/subject. It was pretty much the same as above for me.

Original post by FranticMind

Well depending on your course depends on the structuring.

Thanks for your replies! I actually am quite surprised it is detailed coursework-related tutoring!

I understand for some departments you will have electives to choose from. Will academic advising/personal tutoring also include advice as to course selection?

Reply 4

FranticMind

18

Original post by thindust

Thanks for your replies! I actually am quite surprised it is detailed coursework-related tutoring!

I understand for some departments you will have electives to choose from. Will academic advising/personal tutoring also include advice as to course selection?

Yeah definitely and for some of the humanities courses, which have options first term, you can attend previews I believe.

Reply 5

username113840

Original post by thindust

Thanks for your replies! I actually am quite surprised it is detailed coursework-related tutoring!

I understand for some departments you will have electives to choose from. Will academic advising/personal tutoring also include advice as to course selection?

Most of your lecturers/support staff (such as lab techs) are pretty helpful towards your coursework in the first place, usually most people need less help from their mentors in that respect.

The mentors are literally you can ask anything to, even the stupid questions, they've been through it before so they know what you're dealing with generally.

I know some societies of departments/courses may run sessions (like informal Q&A sessions in the union or wherever) where people who actually took the modules will be there to answer questions.

Academic Advising/Personal tutoring in UCL

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