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The Learning Center

Esa Merson tutoring a student in The Learning Center

The Learning Center provides a variety of opportunities for students to discover their learning preferences and build successful academic behaviors. Students who regularly use our services tend to show increased academic confidence, stronger learning skills, and improvement in their coursework.

Professional tutors, who are learning specialists, coordinate and supervise all peer-led programs.

What students are saying about The Learning Center:

"I came to The Learning Center in the beginning of the second semester and it has changed the way I learn. I now know how to manage my time, and I learned new study skills that actually work for me and I will continue to use them in the future."

"As a result of my tutoring sessions I have learned that it is always a good idea to ask for help. Typically, I try to help myself as much as possible and can be quite stubborn when it comes to reaching out for help. After going to tutoring in a subject I am not comfortable in, I realized it is OK to go get help when needed even if it is for a simple homework problem."

"I understand the material better, so I can use the skills I learned and complete my work on my own with no problem."

"I loved being a peer leader, it shaped who I became as a student and gifted me with life long friends!"

Note: Van Hoesen Hall A-wing is undergoing renovation, which impacts access to The Learning Center. Please see the map linked here for paths and entrances. The Learning Center is located on the second floor in the B-wing.

Professional Tutoring

Student with professional tutor

Professional tutoring is individualized, skill-based sessions in reading, study strategies, math, time management and writing. 

Learn more about Professional Tutoring

Nightowl

student visiting the Nightowl site on her laptop.

Nightowl offers real-time, online after-hours help for undergrad-level writing, math, chemistry, biology, physics, psychology and accounting

Learn more about Nightowl

Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) for Chemistry

Students in a peer tutoring session

PLTL is peer-led collaboration to practice solving chemistry problems for General Chemistry 1 and 2.

Learn more about PLTL

Peer Tutoring

Students studying together.

Peer Tutoring is a one-to-one session model focusing on how best to study for and think about content.

Learn more about Peer Tutoring

Supplemental Instruction

Supplemental Instruction in a small group

Supplemental Instruction is peer-led collaborative groups integrating how to learn with what to learn.

Learn more about Supplemental Instruction

Student Resources

Help achieve academic success by downloading or printing digital handouts.

Learn more about Student Resources

Late Cancellation and No-Show Policy

Late Cancellation:

If a student cancels without 24 hours’ notice twice in a row, the tutor will contact the student to make sure they still want to keep their weekly session, and let them know if they cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice for their next weekly session that they may be removed from the tutor’s schedule.

No-Show:

If a student no shows twice in a row, the tutor will contact the student to make sure that they still want to keep their weekly session.

If there's no response and/or a third no show, the student may be removed from the schedule. If so they will be notified by their tutor via email.

Inclement Weather Policy

When the campus cancels classes due to inclement weather, The Learning Center and some of its programs (Supplemental Instruction (SI), Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL), and Peer Tutoring) will also be canceled. SUNY Cortland announces these cancellations on the campus homepage and via email. Generally, our Nightowl night-time, online tutoring and remote Professional Tutoring services will continue to operate during inclement weather. For questions about Nightowl online tutoring, please email Jen Drake. For other questions about The Learning Center please email The Learning Center.

If you would like to provide any feedback to The Learning Center, please email esa.merson@cortland.edu.