Academic Coaching

Individualized, One-on-one Support

Academic coaching can be an effective tool for students transitioning to the college environment, as well as those wanting to maintain a healthy approach to college throughout their time at SMU. As part of its Success Strategies program, DASS offers undergraduate students with ADD/ADHD, learning differences, and students on the autism spectrum one-on-one academic coaching meetings with a Learning Specialist in order to address issues such as time management, organization, reading challenges, goal setting, and self-advocacy.

One important component of academic coaching is creating and maintaining structure. This can be a challenge for someone with executive functioning challenges, as well as recent high school graduates who have not had to navigate an unstructured environment. DASS can help a student identify what areas to work on and execute a realistic plan to address each of them. Being able to follow-up regularly with the DASS Learning Specialist makes the plan more likely to stick and increase confidence in the student's own abilities. 

Academic coaching can help

  • Break tasks down into manageable parts and set realistic goals to complete them

  • Identify study skills that might be more effective based on the student's learning style

  • Address issues of reluctance regarding medication, talking to professors, and studying in the library

  • Identify strategies for starting on projects, as well as following through

  • Cope with shame or guilt from past disappointments

  • Increase self-awareness that can lead to more effective self-monitoring and self-advocacy

  • Create healthy eating, sleeping, and exercise habits to stay balanced

 

Schedule an Appointment

Current graduate and undergraduate students looking for more information can contact us at 214.768.1470 or dass@smu.edu. To schedule an appointment to discuss academic coaching with a DASS staff member, use DASS Link. Instructions for making appointments on DASS Link are located on the DASS Link portion of our website.

Prepare for Your Appointment

In order to provide you with the most effective services, please bring the following materials to your initial session: 

  • Your laptop, in order to access your SMU course schedule and course syllabi;

  • A list of any ongoing commitments you may have that impact your schedule (e.g., jobs, organizations, sports, etc.); and

  • Your calendar/planner (if you currently use one).