Academic Support Services

F&M’s faculty-based advising program blends practical and holistic advice to foster student agency in their college experience. We encourage students to reflect critically about their choices in order to find the academic program that best encourages their development. Faculty advisers are given extensive support and training resources so as to learn how to provide students with access to the tools they need to thrive.

You’ll be connected with a first-year advising mentor (FAM) to help you successfully launch your journey at F&M. Your FAM will be a fellow student who has lived your experience and will be an important resource throughout your time at F&M. Your FAM will assist you with onboarding and learning F&M’s academic culture, help you add or drop a class to choose that perfect schedule, introduce you to many resources available at F&M, talk about the deep questions of life, and provide tips on where to shop for your new College House room. Most importantly, FAMs will listen to your story and help you craft a distinctive academic path that suits your interests.

F&M’s Quantitative and Science Center (Q&SC) provides help with navigating complex courses in math, biology, chemistry, physics, economics, business, computer science, psychology, and statistics. Q&SC tutors are students who have already taken the courses for which they tutor and have been recommended and approved by the respective departments. Through peer-to-peer help, you will “learn how to learn” science and quantitative content, building problem-solving skills, enhancing study skills, and mastering course content — no matter your academic background, level, and goals.

If you'd like more information about the Q&SC, please email qsc@fandm.edu.

Whether you’re composing your first college paper, preparing a presentation, or working through your honors thesis, F&M’s Writing Center is an excellent resource during any stage of your academic journey. Our tutors can help you through every step of your writing process, from talking about your work; discussing, developing, and clarifying your ideas; and improving your writing style. 

You can turn to the Writing Center for support for:

• An assignment, including creative writing or a group paper
• A few sketched-out ideas
• A partial draft
• A completed paper
• A series of PowerPoint slides
• An oral presentation, including a dress rehearsal
• A graded paper you wish to revise
• Your resume or personal statement

The Writing Center also offers a space for you to write, computers for public use, a technical library for consultation, and a variety of online resources, including a guide that covers how to avoid plagiarism and ethically using research materials.

If you'd like more information about the Writing Center, please email writingcenter@fandm.edu.

Peer Academic Coaching (PAC) is a free support service available to all students at F&M. PACs are academically accomplished upperclass students who receive specialized training in supporting executive function processes. Each PAC brings a special set of skills — including strategies for time management, stress management, studying, and motivation — alongside their unique experiences as F&M students. No matter your need, PACs are prepared to help strengthen your study skills, navigate schedule changes, set and work toward goals, and find balance as a busy college student.

If a student is facing academic-related challenges, F&M’s learning support specialist is a good first stop. The learning support specialist helps students navigate the distinctive challenges of learning in college by working with complex learning profiles, learning disabilities, ADHD, or any other challenge that is impeding students' academic success. The learning support specialist also supervises the Peer Academic Coaching program, a peer-run network specifically designed for executive function support, and collaborates with F&M colleagues to develop programming for students based on current research and the immediate needs of students on campus.

If you'd like more information, please F&M’s Office of Student Accessibility at sas@fandm.edu.

F&M’s Office of Student Accessibility Services helps determine reasonable accommodations for students with learning difficulties; physical, visual, or auditory disabilities; chronic medical conditions; or mental health-related disabilities.

Please reach out to sas@fandm.edu if you have additional questions.

Many students face challenges during college that can interfere with their success. DipCares is a wellness program at F&M that directs you to the supportive resources available to you, empowers you to seek them out and ask for help when needed, and ensures faculty and staff know how to help you if you’re distressed.

You can enjoy individual research advice from a library, access scholarly content, and more at F&M’s two research libraries, Shadek-Fackenthal Library and Martin Library of the Sciences.

If you’re studying a language at F&M, you can work one-on-one with a peer tutor to ask questions, learn language-specific study skills, and prepare for exams.

The language experts at our Spanish Language Center are available to help with the complex process of learning to communicate in another language. You can turn to the SLC for individual, collaborative support to develop your Spanish written and oral expression, from essays and theses to presentations, slide design, podcast, etc. We can also help you prepare for internships and job interviews in which Spanish is required. Whether Spanish is your heritage language or a second language for you, we are here to help you. The SLC is open to all the College community.