International Students

As an international student, you might be extremely capable in your disciplines, but you may have difficulty reaching the level of proficiency demanded by 302 and 314. For some international students, meeting these standards might be relatively easy, while for others certain kinds of problems, such as the misuse of articles and prepositions, may persist.

If you are an international student having severe difficulty either with writing, speaking, listening comprehension, or reading, you will need to deal with your particular problem and contact the appropriate university support service can help. (See the description of these services below.)

Minority Students and First-Generation College Students

Minority students and first-generation college students may receive free tutoring from Student Support Services.

Learning-Disabled Students

If you are a learning-disabled student who has been tested and identified as learning disabled by the university and provided with a form that certifies this identification, you might need special accommodation in your English 302 or 314 class. With some disabilities, students may have great difficulty with the writing assignments in 302 and 314. If you can document your status as learning disabled, you should contact your course instructor regarding any special accommodations that you require for in-class writing or special grading standards and investigate your support service options (listed below).

University Support Services

Various support services are available within the university for students with special needs. These support services include the Student Support Services Program, Tutoring Services, the Student Counseling Service, and the Academic Learning Lab.

• The Student Support Services Program (294-0210)
  The Student Support Services Program (SSSP), on the second floor of the Student Services Building, aims to improve the retention and graduation rate of low-income, first generation, and disabled college students. SSSP students can receive academic, personal, and career counseling. The program also provides tutoring, study skills workshops, and basic skills instruction to correct weaknesses in both reading and writing. This support is free for students who qualify for the program.

• Tutoring Services(294-6624)
  Tutoring, provided by student peers, is available for most courses at Tutoring Service, 256 Student Services Building. The cost to students is based on individual or group tutoring.

• The Student Counseling Service(294-5056)
  The Student Counseling Service, also on the third floor of the Student Services Building, offers free student counseling in both personal and academic areas. Counseling is both group and individual. Students may be particularly interested in the career exploration services, which include individual counseling workshops in career decision-making strategies, computer guidance systems (DISCOVER and SIGIPLUS), and a career library.

• Academic Learning Lab (294-1020)
  The Academic Learning Lab, located on the third floor of the Student Services Building, offers free, walk-in help for skills such as reading, studying, remembering, note taking, time management, and test taking. Students may work from computer programs or books, or they may have one-on-one help that is supervised by graduate students. Although the Academic Learning Lab covers how to read college material as part of their material on studying, basic reading competence is assumed. At this time, support services are not available, at Iowa State, for basic reading problems.