Learning Support

The Center for Academic Excellence’s Academic Mentoring program supports students’ academic transitions to UW-Madison. Taking a holistic approach, this program connects CAE students to each other and to experienced UW-Madison students. These relationships are used as a source of mutual learning to help CAE students be proactive in reaching their academic goals and also helps students successfully transition to UW–Madison. The expectation is that after a few semesters at UW-Madison, students are able to connect with others to form their own academic support networks, but we are sometimes able to provide support for upper-level courses–we always welcome requests so it never hurts to ask!

If you are a CAE student who would like to request an academic mentor, click the “Get an Academic Mentor” link below.

If you are a UW student who would like to apply to become an academic mentor, click the “Become an Academic Mentor” link below.

Get an Academic Mentor Become an Academic Mentor

CAE Academic Mentoring provides academic support to all CAE students. CAE Academic Mentoring is a supportive, collaborative learning environment and helps students navigate higher education by:

  • Developing effective study, exam-taking, and time-management skills
  • Approaching and engaging faculty
  • Finding and accessing academic resources
  • Developing into independent learners

Although some students will work one-on-one with an academic mentor, many students will work in pairs with their academic mentor. This research-based approach conveys the following additional benefits:

  • Engage in a safe and more active (i.e., effective) learning environment
  • Reduce anxiety and stress
  • Instant study buddy
  • Learn from peers and learn by explaining concepts to peers
  • Gain new approaches to learning and class-specific study skills

Please note that working with an academic mentor is not a substitute for keeping up with course expectations, working with your peers, and utilizing other campus tutoring resources.

Read about the outcomes of CAE’s academic mentoring program.

Please note that the job of an academic mentor is to guide you through your own learning process. Therefore, it is crucial that you come to your sessions prepared. Do not expect them to teach the material, always provide answers, or help you complete your assignments. Having an academic mentor doesn’t necessarily directly save you time to study, but it does help you become a more confident, self-directed learner. You can see the contract that students and mentors sign student-academic mentor contract for student and academic mentor responsibilities.

Academic Mentor Request

Please see the student-academic mentor contract for student and academic mentor responsibilities.

Requesting an academic mentor requires that you have time on your schedule to meet with your mentor on a weekly basis for a minimum of one hour. If you are willing to make this commitment and agree to other student responsibilities, please apply for an academic mentor.

After successfully applying, your next step is to meet with your (or any!) CAE advisor. You can schedule an appointment with us through Starfish.

If you need an accommodation to utilize CAE Academic Mentoring, please contact contact learning support staff at caetutoring@saa.ls.wisc.edu. To ensure timely accommodations, all requests should be made no less than two weeks before the service.