There are few feelings we can experience that are more frustrating than not knowing where to turn for help. It’s not unusual for college students, especially new ones, to encounter this sort of frustration — and it can happen on any college campus. But Touro College’s New York School of Career and Applied Studies (NYSCAS) has in place an apparatus that can get all of its students, no matter what year they are in, the help they need to succeed and achieve their goals.
Getting Off to a Good Start
There’s no doubt that college can be daunting. But there’s also no shame in reaching out for help and, at NYSCAS, help can arrive even before you are enrolled. When you stop into one of the College’s seven citywide sites, from the moment you arrive you’ll become the responsibility of a group of professional student services counselors with a common mission: to listen to you, provide information, and get you on the right track. First, you’ll meet with an admissions counselor who has in-depth knowledge of the College’s programs, which include fields such as business administration, human services, computer science, liberal arts, early childhood education, and much more. Together, you’ll spend as much time as necessary exploring your interests and goals, and considering what major fields of study might be right for you.
Next, a financial aid counselor will discuss with you the best ways to pay for your education, and help determine your eligibility for a wide range of aid, including Federal, New York State, and internal Touro grants and scholarships.
Finally, an academic advisor will help you plan your sequence of courses, making sure you will have satisfied necessary prerequisites before you register for each new semester and guiding you as you work to complete your degree requirements. All of this starts before the first day of classes and continues until you graduate.
Be Smart—Don’t Delay
A common error that college students make is waiting too long before reaching out to get help. A successful student learns that the time to seek assistance is when uncertainty sets in — not the day before an exam or when a paper is due.
Outside the Classroom
At NYSCAS that help comes in many different forms: The first links in the “chain of assistance” are your instructors, who are committed to helping you in any way they can. Many can make individual appointments with you if their regular office hours do not fit your schedule. Communicating with them by e-mail adds an extra measure of flexibility. Don’t hesitate to turn to your instructors for help! Be assured that they won’t think less of you if you don’t grasp everything right off the bat. In fact, they will respect you more because you asked for help.
Reinforcement and personal attention are specialties at NYSCAS. For that reason, the College has established a policy whereby every student is entitled to one hour of free tutoring per week in every course! The tutors are all professional educators whose one-on-one approach has proven to be most helpful to the students who have sought them out. Consider the cost of hiring private tutors and you’ll agree that the NYSCAS system is a budget-friendly alternative.
There’s More
The help doesn’t stop there. NYSCAS has established an online tutoring service to supplement the other resources that the College offers. Students can submit papers online, ask questions 24/7, and have their work critiqued by professional tutors. Usually, a response will come within 24 hours, or even sooner. (No, these tutors are not going to write your papers for you — but they will help you understand how to improve them!)
The Staff That Cares
Whether you are a day or evening student, you’ll find the student services professionals at each NYSCAS site eager to work with you to address your problems or concerns. The College’s open-door policy means that you can approach any of these staff members at any time to get the assistance you need. With so many people willing and able to help, there’s no reason to feel “lost in the shuffle.” In fact, it’s one of the major reasons that more and more students are choosing NYSCAS to pursue their education.
Come Meet NYSCAS
Each of the College’s sites is close to mass transportation, and with morning, afternoon and evening classes, class schedules can be arranged around busy lives which often include full-time jobs and families to raise. To get started, visit any site, sit down with one of the counselors, and find out how eager they are to help you become a part of their family. You’ll soon discover that NYSCAS has one primary goal: to see to it that you are a success as a Touro student. Call (877) 338-4899 to make an appointment, or just come right in and meet with a counselor. NYSCAS is “The College with the Personal Touch” and from day one, you’ll certainly see why!
Touro College is an equal opportunity institution. For Touro’s complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please visit www.touro.edu.