Academic Support
The Educational Resource Center offers BU undergraduate and graduate students research-backed strategies to achieve academic excellence through Academic Coaching and Academic Skills Workshops.
Academic Coaching
During a 30-minute Academic Coaching appointment, you’ll meet with an ERC staff member one-on-one to collaboratively develop a personalized plan for your academic success. Topics discussed can include time management & productivity, studying smarter, conquering procrastination, and many more. Students are encouraged to consider their goals in advance of the meeting.
To schedule an appointment, log into Handshake using your BU credentials and select the category “Educational Resource Center.” Most current students (enrolled in a degree program) already have a Handshake account. If you cannot access Handshake or are unable to find an appointment time that works for you, please email Bob Maxwell.
Students are welcome to schedule one-time or recurring appointments. Meetings are offered in-person or via Zoom.
Ready to make an Academic Coaching appointment?
Academic Skills Workshops
Looking for new strategies to manage your time better, improve your study skills, or read more effectively? Our Academic Skills Workshops are open to all BU undergraduate & graduate students. Check out the descriptions of our current workshops below, then visit the ERC Calendar to sign up for an upcoming session!
Faculty & staff are encouraged to email Bob Maxwell to request a presentation for their class or event.
Currently offered workshops are:
Manage Your Time and Productivity
Managing our time effectively is a cornerstone of success. Learn key principles of time management, compare the advantages of different types of time management systems, and explore specific tools to help you consistently plan your time and execute that plan. Discover productivity strategies to help you get the best results from your planning.
Study Smarter!
Learning effectively is an acquired skill that is pivotal to college and beyond but is not necessarily gained through experience alone. Tap into the expertise of cognitive science to learn research-backed study methods that will help you learn the material deeply and retain it longer without taking extra time. Also discussed are habits that maximize your thinking and memory.
Conquer Procrastination and Spark Motivation
Procrastination is a common occurrence, but it can keep us from achieving our goals and can cause negative feelings. Learn why people procrastinate and gain some practical strategies to counter it. Also discussed is cutting – edge science on the nature of motivation and how to increase it.
Test Taking and Test Anxiety
Get ready for that big test! We review fundamentals of smart studying, planning, navigating multiple choice exams, and the importance of wellness to help you be at your best. In addition, we discuss concrete strategies for coping with test anxiety.
Reading Informational Text
Effectively reading informational text calls for a strategy that will help you to truly absorb the information in a reasonable amount of time. Learn techniques to quickly identify main ideas and key supporting details and evaluate the effectiveness of other widely used approaches. Make this knowledge more accessible in the future with sensible notetaking and review tips.
Taking Effective Lecture Notes
Taking good class notes is fundamental to academic success but not easily done. Learn about the process of taking lecture notes, including identifying key points. Consider research on taking notes by paper and computer and strategies to effectively study the notes you’ve taken.