Facilitated Study Groups (FSGs)

One of the major differences between college and high school is the class size.  You will be in some lectures with hundreds of other students.  Many first year students find this experience intimidating, especially when they need help in a class.  There is no need to be intimidated; professors and TAs are there to help you and are great resources.  However, there are many other resources at Penn State to help you, including the free tutoring center in the library, tutoring down town, online tutoring, and Women in Engineering Facilitated Study Groups (FSG).  FSG is my personal favorite.  FSG is a resource that has helped me tremendously in my classes, particularly CHEM 110 in my freshman year.

So, what is a Facilitated Study Group?  These are small groups that meet once a week for an entire semester.  They are lead by an upperclassman in the Women in Engineering Program (WEP) who has succeeded in a particular subject.  Entrance to Major and introductory classes in Chemistry, Physics, and Math are offered every semester.  Some other classes, such as Engineering Mechanics are offered on a semester basis depending on demand for that class.  One of the perks of this service is that it is FREE to all students in WEP.  Now, how do you get involved with WEP?  It's really simple, you already are!  To be in WEP, all you need to be in a female student enrolled in engineering.

It is nearly as simple to sign up for this service.  You will be getting many emails from the WEP leader, Cheryl Knobloch, about WEP meetings and events.  During the first few weeks of school she will send out an email to sign up for Facilitated Study Groups.  All you have to do is fill out this form with the classes you want to have a group in and your availability.  The WEP leadership team will assign you to Facilitator and a group that meets weekly, and for the rest of the semester you can go to these meetings and get help with class material, homework, and exam preparation.  These groups are great because they are a comfortable setting to ask questions about class material, and they are a great way to meet some study buddies!  Also, the Facilitators in this program are upperclassman who have taken the same courses you will be taking.  They can offer a lot of helpful advice about classes or college life in general.  I became friends with my CHEM 110 facilitator.  She not only helped me succeed in that class, but also gave me a lot of advice around handling group work, test anxiety, and housing options for the following year.  Again, this resource is free, so take advantage of it in the fall.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask me or your Mentors and Rovers!  My name is Maxine,  I'm a Mentor for WEPO '15, and my email is mit5276@psu.edu.  I look forward to seeing you all in August!

Maxine Taylor is a junior studying Mechanical Engineering, and is a Mentor for WEPO'15!