Personalized Academic Services & Support
Personalized Academic Services & Support (PASS) offers customized academic support for Tandon students who prefer a more personalized learning experience. Whether you’re reviewing past material, mastering current coursework, or getting ahead on upcoming topics, PASS is here to support your goals.
Services include:
- Weekly individualized tutoring with an assigned tutor for the full semester
- Collaborative study groups to reinforce key concepts
- Online drop-in tutoring for flexible, on-demand help
- Supplemental instruction sessions for select courses
Weekly Individualized Tutoring
Weekly Individualized Tutoring is the cornerstone of the PASS Program and has proven to be an important factor in the academic success of our students. All tutoring services are free and confidential with a focus on helping students understand the coursework, increase their confidence in the academic subjects, and learn independently.
Our primary method of delivering tutoring services is via Weekly Individualized Tutoring with a Peer Tutor. In this format, you will meet on a 1-to-1 basis with a tutor in the subject(s) you requested. The PASS Weekly Individualized Tutoring is available Monday through Friday, 10 am – 4 pm.
Subjects
PASS primarily offers tutoring in foundation-level (first- and second-year) math, science, and CS courses, as well as some advanced courses. These include:
Additional Courses*:
*Please note — higher level courses are offered based on tutor availability
Collaborative study groups
We understand that studying with others is beneficial for a variety of reasons, but that organizing a group can be difficult. Therefore, we offer PASS participants the option to sign up for PASS Collaborative Study Groups. These small groups are organized by PASS Staff and are designed to help you reinforce key concepts; actively discuss and/or teach material to other group members; and understand various perspectives on how to approach the material. Study groups are a great way to remain accountable for course work while building connections with other Tandon students.
Online drop-in tutoring
Online drop-in tutoring is a service that is offered to provide flexible, on-demand help via Zoom. Whether you have a quick question or need more in-depth help on a concept, dropping into a session with a PASS tutor will now be an option. Our schedule and list of available subjects will be posted at the beginning of the semester.
Supplemental Instruction Sessions
Supplemental Instruction Sessions will be available for select courses and may include topic reviews, exam prep and more.
Become a PASS Peer Tutor
To be considered for a peer tutor position in our office, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be eligible to work on campus
- Have Sophomore status or above (completed at least 32 credits)
- Have successfully completed at least one semester at Tandon
- Have a strong overall GPA (3.2 or above)
- Have high grades (A or A-) in each subject you are interested in tutoring
- Have good communication skills (listening as well as speaking!) and be able to explain material to a variety of individuals (not only technical students)
- Previous experience in teaching, tutoring, or youth leadership is a plus.
- For graduate students: in addition to the qualities listed above, you will need to be familiar with the Tandon undergraduate curriculum and teaching methods
If you are interested in applying for a peer tutor position in our office, please look for and complete our application on Handshake. Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and apply to tutor courses where there is a demand will be contacted regarding the interview process. Only those applications submitted via Handshake will be reviewed and considered for the peer tutor position.
Meet Some of our Tutors
Bhavya Sanjana
Courses: MA2114, MA 2224, CM1004
I became a PASS Tutor because I love giving back to the community by helping students get through the same difficulties I faced while learning. I also love the subjects that I’m teaching and it is a great way to keep up with the course material especially mathematics as the topics are still very relevant in other engineering coursework.
One of the best parts of being a PASS Tutor is the satisfaction I get from watching my students improve and grow. Working with them has given me fresh perspectives, teaching me not only new ways of approaching concepts but also how to be more patient and empathetic.
Taylor Pallia
Courses: MA-UY 2034 and CS-UY 1113 at the moment but I hope to also add CM-UY 1003 and PH-UY 1013.
I became a PASS Tutor because I wanted to support my peers in their learning and contribute to a positive academic environment. Tutoring felt like a meaningful way to be involved, while also encouraging collaboration and growth among students.
This role has helped me strengthen my communication and confidence while giving me the chance to learn alongside others. Being part of the TRIO community has made the experience especially meaningful and rewarding.
Wu Jinrui
Courses: Cal 2(MA1124), Cal 3(MA2114), CM1003
I became a tutor in TRIO because I enjoy helping other students. I think that working as a tutor makes learning more meaningful and useful. The mode of peer tutoring creates a comfortable and collaborative ambience, which helps all of us improve.
The experience in TRIO strengthens my explanation ability and communication skills, while it also shows me that teaching is as much about listening and understanding as about explaining. I have met so many amazing people here — it’s a great reward when I see students succeed, and I appreciate all the opportunities the TRIO team provided.