Frequently Asked Questions

How long are appointments?

When you schedule an appointment, you will meet with a tutor at the time you select. Please note that sessions are limited to 45 minutes. The remaining 15 minutes are a transition time for the tutor to complete reports and start their next session in a timely manner.

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How far in advance can I book an appointment?

Appointments can be booked up to five days in advance. 

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How many appointments can I book per day?

Students are permitted to schedule one appointment per subject per day. (For example, if you are taking MAT1033C and ENC1101, you can book one appointment for each of those classes on the same day.) 

If you still need assistance after completing your first appointment for a subject, an SLC staff member can assist you with booking a second appointment. Note that second appointments are contingent upon tutor availability. 

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Can I have back-to-back appointments?

Back-to-back appointments are permitted only for appointments with different subjects.

Students cannot book back-to-back appointments for the same course unless they have specific accommodations through the Center for Student Accessibility.

 

I need help with my coursework. Where can I go to receive tutoring help?

We can support you in person at all campus locations or online. If you choose online tutoring, all you need is a working computer, internet, webcam and microphone to speak to a tutor. If you do not have a webcam and/or microphone, we can still host an appointment with you through the chat feature available in Navigate. Same-day appointments are available as well.

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I have a test in a few hours, and I don't know the material. Can a tutor teach it to me?

You must come prepared to meet with a tutor. This means attending class or catching up on a missed lecture by reading the book and/or watching the class recordings. Tutors are not allowed to teach, but they are here to assist you in the areas you are having trouble understanding.

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I have a take-home test/quiz that my instructor has given me. Can a tutor help me with it?

Tutors are not allowed to work on problems given on a take-home test, quiz or graded assignment unless special permission is given by your instructor. Tutors are allowed to help with a similar problem found by you in your textbook.

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Can I bring a non-Palm Beach State College student with me?

Only currently enrolled Palm Beach State College students are allowed to receive tutoring services.

Minors that are not currently enrolled at PBSC are prohibited from entering the Student Learning Center, except with the permission of a supervisor or other College official and must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian (parent/legal guardian must be currently enrolled at PBSC). Pursuant to DBOT Policy 1.15, campus security and administration will be notified of any minor who creates a disturbance or appears to be lost and unattended for their safety, health and welfare.

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Do I need to make an appointment to receive tutoring?

You can receive tutoring help in a few ways: Face-to-face tutoring on campus, online tutoring and online “drop-in” sessions. For face-to-face tutoring on campus and online tutoring, all students will need to make an appointment using Navigate. Students can make an appointment up to 5 days in advance. Same day appointments are available as well.

Online "drop-in" sessions offer quick 15-minute support in Math through Qless, available Monday - Friday from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. 

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What kind of help can I receive for reading?

Reading tutors can help with all reading assignments in any class, from guiding students through reading challenging passages to answering questions on specific reading skills.

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Does the Student Learning Center help with TABE?

If students are enrolled in the TABE Reading Remediation Course, they are able to receive structured lab work and personalized tutoring. Please call 561-868-3877 for more information.

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Can I receive tutoring now for a class I will take next semester?

You can receive tutoring for the courses in which you are currently enrolled. Tutors are not allowed to teach. They assist you in the areas you are having trouble understanding after you have attended class, read books and/or watched recorded lectures for your current courses.

 

What should I bring to the lab/online tutoring session?

Students should bring a copy of the assignment they are working on so that the tutors can provide effective feedback and guidance. For our online services, this includes attaching the assignment when booking the tutoring appointment. This also includes coming prepared with your class notes, questions and essential equipment such as internet, webcam, microphone and ideally a quiet environment to fully be able to hear the tutor.

 

What happens if I miss an appointment?

You are allotted 2 missed appointments without any penalties. After the 3rd missed appointment, you will be locked out of your account. (Call 561-862-4485 to have your account reinstated*.)

Missing an appointment takes away a slot from another student who might have needed it. We understand things happen and pop up unexpectedly. Please reach out in advance to cancel appointments you know you cannot attend. Go into Navigate to cancel your own appointment or call us at 561-862-4485 and we will cancel the appointment for you.

*Please be aware, appointments taking place during the waiting period to have your account reinstated will be cancelled to allow space for other students to meet with a tutor.

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What is the deadline to cancel my appointment so I will not be penalized?

You are able to cancel your appointment up to 2 hours before your appointment. A cancelled appointment after the 2-hour mark will count as a missed appointment. This is the same for online and in-person appointments. 

 

How do I get a Proof of Appointment to send to my professor?

When you are in your tutoring session, make sure to mention to your tutor that you need a Proof of Appointment sent to your instructor. You can also add in the notes section when making an appointment that you would like a Proof of Appointment sent to your professor. At the end of the session, the tutor will send the Proof of Appointment to you and your professor. (Proof of Appointment will only be sent to PBSC email addresses.)

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My tutor hasn't sent me my Proof of Appointment, and it has been more than 24 hours. What should I do?

Please call 561-862-4485 or email SLC@pbsc.edu and we will help you with your Proof of Appointment.

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It has been more than 3 hours, and I haven't received feedback yet from my Paper Drop Off Appointment.

Your tutor will send an email within three hours of the appointment time with feedback to your PBSC email account. (Tutors are not permitted to send feedback to personal email accounts.) Please call 561-862-4485 for further support. 

 

My tutoring session disconnected with my tutor. What should I do?

If you have an active phone number, the tutor might try to reach out to you. Please look out for a phone call from an unknown number/no caller ID. If you do not receive a phone call within 10 minutes, please call 561-862-4485 and we will help  reconnect you to the tutor.

 

How can I get help during off hours or without an appointment? 

Watch our on-demand videos. The Student Learning Center tutors run a video channel with helpful tutorials for students’ most common needs, including:  

• Writing Workshops covering grammar, MLA and APA formatting and thesis statements  
• Math Workshops covering problem-solving strategies and graphing techniques  
• Nursing Study Sessions covering HESI exam topics 

View Workshops