The fall semester is here, and you might be worried about passing a certain upcoming class.

Don’t fret — Kent State University’s Academic Success Center (ASC) provides students with free tutoring services.

Brent Robinson, program director at the ASC, said there are two different departments within the ASC that provide students with comprehensive support services.

“One is TRIO Student Support Services, and the other is University Tutoring,” Robinson said. “Our mission is to empower students to reach their full potential through a combination of academic and holistic support services.”

TRIO is designed to help students from different backgrounds — including students that are first-generation college attendees — from a low-income family or have a disability. Robinson said the students in this program have access to tutoring, peer mentoring, success seminars and cultural enrichment opportunities.

University Tutoring has drop-in tutoring available in the library from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and in Tri-Towers from 7 to 10 p.m., as well as scheduled tutoring available through registration in the ASC.

“We really recommend for students who are serious about their academic success to visit us in 207 Schwartz Center and start the semester off with scheduled tutoring,” Robinson said.

More than 70 tutors who carry an A average are employed by the ASC, and they are available to cover a wide area of subjects like mathematics, statistics and computer science, Robinson said.

“If students come in with a problem, we want to help them understand, and we really hope it has improved their lives,” said Anthony Nerris, ASC tutor and senior chemistry major.

Tutoring is not only for students who are struggling with their classes.

“Most who come in are A and B and students and want to reinforce what they are learning,” said Hady Khalifa, ASC tutor and senior integrated life sciences major.

Khalifa said a common difficulty tutors have is instructing students on how to remove any thoughts of denial in their studies.

“A big problem is a lot of students are not confident and they feel like they are not good in a subject,” Khalifa said, “but they really are.”

contact India Hines at [email protected]