8 Reasons to Visit the ARC

Whether you are an underclassman seeking to build a strong foundation, an upperclassman looking for advanced support on a complex paper, or even a professor aiming to refine a final lecture or research project, the center offers guidance tailored to your specific needs. It's more than just a place for tutoring; it's a dynamic hub dedicated to academic growth and success for everyone.

Essay Help

One of the most popular reasons people visit the ARC is for our comprehensive essay help from start to finish. Students can sit down with a consultant to brainstorm initial ideas and structure a clear outline, ensuring a solid foundation for their paper.

Once the writing is underway, consultants can offer big-picture feedback on argument and flow, as well as more detailed edits for grammar and style. A final look-over can give students the confidence to turn in polished, high-quality work, catching any last-minute spelling or punctuation errors that the writer's brain might have overlooked.

Study Strategies

The ARC is a fantastic place to learn comprehensive study strategies that will help students tackle any assignment. Consultants can introduce students to methods like the Pomodoro Technique, which uses time intervals to keep you focused and productive.

Another popular technique is the art of chunking, or breaking down large, overwhelming projects into small, manageable tasks.

Finally, consultants can help students practice a method called “eating the frog” – a strategy that involves starting with your most difficult task first to ensure it gets done without procrastination. These are among only a few methods consultants have been trained to empower students to not just study harder, but study smarter.

Mentorship

Academic mentors offer personalized support tailored to each student's journey. Consultants provide regular check-ins to monitor progress, offer encouragement, and help students stay on track with their goals.

The process is designed so students go at their own pace, ensuring they feel comfortable and supported each step of the way. Ultimately, mentors serve as a consistent and reliable resource, ready to offer guidance whenever you need to navigate challenges and celebrate successes.

This more personalized approach makes all the difference in a student's academic life, providing the steady support needed to take control of their education and develop lifelong skills.

Peer-to-Peer Support

The ARC also provides a great environment for peer-to-peer support, which can be incredibly motivating. For example, students find “body doubling” to be a powerful tool. Many have commented on how simply working in the same room as a peer can significantly improve focus and accountability. 

It's also the ideal place for bouncing ideas off other students, allowing you to verbally work through a paper's thesis or discuss challenging concepts, getting feedback in real time and a fresh perspective to refine your thinking. This shared process can make the most daunting assignments feel much more manageable.

A Productive Space

Aside from scheduled appointments, the ARC provides another space of Murdock library where students can spend time studying, working, and feeling productive. Students working in the ARC outside of designated appointments can feel supported either simply knowing others are being productive in this space as well, and also feeling comfortable asking questions of ARC consultants and Learning Support Services staff if they feel stuck in their assignment or activity.

Using the ARC in this way as another quiet study space helps students in a similar way to “body doubling” appointments.

Academic Coaching

Beyond writing appointments, the ARC offers academic coaching in a variety of scenarios. One of the most popular reasons students may schedule an academic coaching appointment is to gain time management skills. Consultants are happy to sit down with students and walk through their weekly schedules and homework assignments, helping them to find the balance that works for them and their best study habits.

Often, weekly recurring appointments can be good, structured places for students to work on their time management, as these repeated appointments both dedicate a space in the week the student will be productive and allow for preparatory time to set up the week and assignments ahead.

Brainstorming Help

When an ARC consultant says a student can come to them at any point in the writing process, they really do mean it. Brainstorming appointments are great examples of this and are always lots of fun.

Whether you have nothing but a prompt or just a faint idea of something you want to write about, any one of the ARC consultants would be happy to pull out a whiteboard or blank sheet and brainstorm away. A consultant’s goal is to make sure students leave their appointments feeling prepared for the next steps, and brainstorming is a great stage at which to receive this help.

Resource Assistance

While ARC consultants are trained to help specifically with writing (whether citation styles, grammar, argumentation, etc.) and academic coaching (i.e., time management, study tips, and accountability), they know where to find other resources a student may need.

Consultants are more than happy to connect students with the right people and resources for their needs, whether that be another member of the Learning Support Services or Disability and Accessibility team, the student’s particular CAP coach, Health and Counseling, Financial Aid, or any other resource on campus any given student may need to succeed.

When all is said and done, the goal of each ARC consultant and the resource center as a whole is to see students succeed as learners and individuals.

Each of the ARC’s offerings aim to meet students (and even faculty) right where they’re at and prepare them for future learning experiences. The tools and techniques used and taught in the ARC aren’t specific to the space of Murdock Library, but they can be adapted for use outside the space wherever a student’s learning experience takes them.

Make an appointment with an ARC consultant today to experience for yourself, firsthand, all the center has to offer!