Academic Support Programs

Welcome to CLUE

CLUE tutoring is more than a resource you can access when you're struggling in a class; it's a welcoming, inclusive space for students to connect, ask questions about various subjects, prepare for exams, and have support on homework.

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Exam Reviews

Virtual exam reviews are offered for on-sequence introductory courses in the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Math & Physics.

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Biology Study Groups

Biology Study Groups take place weekly in-person in Mary Gates Hall. Signups are closed for Spring Quarter.

Hours, Updates & Cancellations

CLUE will be closed until Wed, June 25. Information about summer tutoring appointments coming soon!

Community Standards

CLUE provides a space for all students to be included, challenged, and supported in their educational journey. We expect that tutors and students alike enter into this space with respect for one another and treat others with kindness.

Contact Us

Do you have questions? Suggestions on what we can do better? Email us at clue@uw.edu

Feedback

Email us at clue@uw.edu.

Subjects

We can help with the following subjects and courses:

  • Introductory Biology: BIOL 180, 200, 220

Biology tutoring appointments are offered this quarter virtually from Monday-Thursday. Make an appointment with one of the following tutors!

  • Ethan (180, 200, 220)
Meet the Biology Tutors

We can help with the following subjects and courses:

  • General Chemistry: CHEM 110, CHEM 120, CHEM 1X2 series (142, 152, 162)
  • Organic Chemistry: CHEM 22X series ( 223, 224), CHEM 23X series ( 237, 238, 239), CHEM 24X series( 241, 242)

Chemistry tutoring appointments are offered this quarter virtually from Monday-Thursday. Make an appointment with one of the following tutors!

  • Ethan (110, 120, 142, 152, 162, 223, 224, 237, 238, 239, 241, 242)
  • Ivy (110, 120, 142, 152, 162, 223, 224, 237, 238, 239, 241, 242)
Meet the Chemistry Tutors

We can help with the following subjects and courses:

  • Algebra: MATH 111
  • Precalculus: MATH 120
  • Calculus: MATH 124, 125, 126, 224
  • Differential Equations and Linear Algebra: MATH 207 and 208

Math tutoring appointments are offered this quarter virtually from Monday-Thursday. Make an appointment with one of the following tutors!

  • Ivy (111, 120, 124,125, 126, 207, 208)
  • Mikhail (111, 120, 124,125, 126, 207, 208)
  • Al (111, 120, 124,125, 126)
Meet the Math Tutors

We can help with the following subjects and courses:

  • Physics Introductory Series: PHYS 114, 115,116 and 121, 122,123

Physics tutoring appointments are offered this quarter virtually from Monday-Thursday. Make an appointment with one of the following tutors!

  • Al (114, 115, 116, 121, 122, 123)
  • Mikhail (114, 115, 116, 121, 122, 123)
Meet the Physics Tutors

CLUE Writing Center 3-2-1 Policy:

Our goal is to make appointments available to all writers and to nurture their independent learning. For this reason, we have a “3-2-1” policy for writing tutoring appointments:

Writers may have no more than 3 tutoring sessions to work on the same assignment. 

Writers may have no more than 2 appointments per day.

Writers may only work on 1 assignment per tutoring session.  After working with a tutor on an assignment, writers need to revise that assignment for 1 hour before having another appointment to work on the same assignment.

At the CLUE Writing Center, we have one goal in mind: to help you become a better writer. To that end, we believe that writing is a process. Even the most talented writers cannot sit down in a vacuum and produce a polished text on the first try. Whether you need help talking through ideas, honing an outline you've been working on, evaluating a draft mid-composition, or looking through a final draft—we're confident we can help you write more efficiently and effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of documents do you provide assistance with and what should I bring?

We will look at any piece of writing you bring in, including but is not limited to: papers, short response assignments, theses, cover letters, résumés, personal statements, scholarship applications, graduate school statements of purpose, memos, and lab reports.

To get the most out of your session, we suggest you bring the following:

  • If you are working on a draft, please bring an electronic copy of your draft (accessible by e-mail or flash drive).
  • If your writing concern is related to a particular assignment, bring the assignment prompt.
  • If your writing concern is related to a specific scholarship or application, please bring the necessary prompts.
  • If you are writing a paper using other sources, you may consider bringing the readings; if not, bring notes, an outline, or even a list of questions to help focus the conference.
  • If you want to discuss feedback you have received from a teacher, bring a copy of the comments.

How do I sign up for a tutoring session?

Summer writing tutoring is by appointment only. To book see a writing tutor, please make an appointment via bookings.

What is a typical tutor session like?

At the CLUE Writing Center, our aim is always two-fold: to help you with your concerns about the paper at hand and to better familiarize you with universal writing strategies that will help you address similar concerns in future assignments. To achieve these goals, most sessions begin with a tutor asking you a series of questions regarding the assignment, your professor's expectations, and any specific concerns or areas of inquiry you would like to address during the session. In almost every instance, the tutor will ask to see the assignment prompt, so please bring it!

Once the tutor has a strong grasp of your writing assignment and your specific concerns/needs, the tutor will typically spend 20-30 minutes reading (or having you read) all or part of the draft that you have both agreed to focus on. During this time, the tutor may make some instructive notes in the margins (please note that s/he won't "fix" grammar, punctuation, and style) that they will then discuss with you. This discussion will frequently involve asking you more questions about your ideas and/or getting you to talk through problems arising in the draft. The tutor will model example solutions for some of the concerns you are working to address as well as explain relevant conventions affecting his/her suggestions. If you have not yet written anything, the tutor will help you brainstorm and organize your ideas.

At the end of each session, you can expect to spend time developing a plan for further writing and revision. You can also expect to take copious notes and/or outline if necessary.

Writing appointments are 45 minutes, but can be a little shorter depending on your needs. Sessions cannot exceed 45 minutes in length in order to be respectful toward other students.

Meet the Writing Center Tutors

CLUE Frequently Asked Questions

All appointments will be made through Microsoft Bookings

  1. Visit the CLUE tutoring bookings page to make an appointment. Make sure you are logged in with your UW email.
  2. Select a service based on the subject you need tutoring in (see table below).
  3. If you have a preference, select a tutor.
  4. Use the calendar to find a day/time that works with your schedule.
  5. Fill in your information and answer any questions
  6. Click "Book"
  7. You should receive a confirmation email which includes the tutor's zoom link. 
Biology BIOL 180, 200, 220
General Chemistry CHEM 110, 120, 142, 152, or 162
Organic Chemistry CHEM 223, 224, 237, 238, 239, 241, or 242
Algebra/Precalculus MATH 111 or 120
Calculus MATH 124, 125, or 126
Differential Equations MATH 207
Linear Algebra MATH 208
Introductory Physics PHYS 114, 115, 116, 121, 122, or 123
Application help - Writing Meet with a Writing tutor for help on any application (major, job, grad school etc). 
Class Assignment - Writing Meet with a Writing tutor to review a class assignment.

 

Zoom links are included in the confirmation email you received from Bookings. If you are unable to find your zoom link, please email clue@uw.edu for more help.

A personal computer or tablet with internet access and sound is necessary to access virtual CLUE.

  • If you do not have access to a laptop/tablet, please go to UW's Student Technology Loan Program website to request technology. Supplies are limited. 
  • Make sure you have the most current version of Zoom downloaded on your device. Once you log into your Zoom account, please go to zoom.us/download to download the latest version. If you have any issues with Zoom, you can get support from UWIT.

If you have any questions about accessing CLUE, please email us at clue@uw.edu.

Meet Our Tutors

Ivy (Lead), Math, she/they

Ivy (Lead), Math, she/they

Senior, Biochemistry

Ask me about

Music and tea!

Notable academic failure

I almost failed precalc and only passed because I asked my teacher to force me to do all the optional homework

Harini (Lead), Writing, she/her

Harini (Lead), Writing, she/her

Senior, Microbiology, CHID

I've taken

JSIS 317, CHID 250,  ENGL 316, CHID 485

Ask me about

I love reading, listening to podcasts, learning new instruments, sudoku, crocheting, and rewatching classic sitcoms!

Notable academic failure

Recently, I've had a difficult time figuring out the right career for myself. I have a lot of interests, and it's been super difficult trying to narrow down only one or two to dedicate my life to, especially since I don't know whether I'll be happy in the future with the paths I choose. Figuring out what to minor or potentially even double-major in has been a very tricky process, but one great piece of advice I've received from my friends and family is to just allow life to happen! College is a time for exploration and discovery, whether it be learning more about who you are as a person or trying out new passions, hobbies, or career fields. Though it's still stressful for me to accept that I can't know exactly where I'll end up in the future, allowing myself to focus on my interests in the present has been a lot more gratifying than falling into a spiral of anxiety. I hope that by giving myself the space to make mistakes and explore this year, I'll have a better idea of where I want to go in the future!

Jada, Writing, she/her

Jada, Writing, she/her

Graduate/Professional Student, Education

I'm excited about

I really enjoy reading and writing in their simplest form- for fun! The subject of English is exciting to me in that it encapsulates what is genuinely cool about these activities, in part this is words and linguistics. Words are beautiful, so much fun to use, and can be used to express so many different things. I am excited by the idea that they shape our cultures and realities. I like to treat their usage like art and I am so excited to help others have fun with this too!

I've taken

ENGL 202 ENGL 258 ENGL 302 ENGL 346

Ask me about

I like to run and also lately trying almost any type of new sport, collecting books and clothes, music, all types of foods, watching movies and spending time with my friends. Hiking, biking, reading, writing poetry, baking

Notable academic failure

I actually feel like my one technical failure was that I did not get a A in drawing class, but that this was not really a failure because I really learned so much!

Bella, CLUE Student Assistant, She/Her

Bella, CLUE Student Assistant, She/Her

Junior, Public Health-Global Health

Ask me about

hiking, tennis, cooking, yerba mate, or friends!

Yoojin, Writing, she/her

Yoojin, Writing, she/her

Graduate Student, Linguistics

I'm excited about

I like to explore coffee shops, play piano, watch movies, and spend time with family and friends!

Notable academic failure

Writing was my worst enemy for a long time--I was a second language speaker of English and essay writing was almost fearful for me. But in high school, I took AP Language and Composition and AP Literature to strengthen my weaknesses. Doing so forever changed my attitude towards writing. With the right organizational skills and motivated mindset, writing became so much approachable and somewhat enjoyable! Eventually it became one of my strong suits and here I am in a Ph.D. program, writing all the time!

Ethan (Lead), Chemistry, he/him

Ethan (Lead), Chemistry, he/him

Senior, Bioengineering

I'm excited about

Reading, running, sailing, bouldering, D&D, video games

I've taken

General chemistry, organic chemistry, 241, 242

Notable academic failure

Struggling to get help when I need it in larger classes (looking at you Phys 122)

Al, Physics, they/them

Al, Physics, they/them

Graduate/Professional Student, Physics

I've taken

Did not attend UW for undergrad, but have TA'd/taken the equivalent of: Phys 11X, 12X, 14X, 22X, 32X.

Ask me about

music, food/cooking, roller coasters, pets

Notable academic failure

I failed one of my qualifying exams during the first year of my graduate program and was set back nearly a year compared to all of my peers. However, I was able to succeed the following year in the following course in the same topic.

Ivy, Chemistry, she/they

Ivy, Chemistry, she/they

Senior, Biochemistry

I've taken

General and Organic Chemistry

Ask me about

Music and tea!

Notable academic failure

I almost failed precalc and only passed because I asked my teacher to force me to do all the optional homework