Academic Development - Carnegie Mellon University

Welcome to Academic Development!

We pride ourselves on helping you get the most out of your academic efforts while creating a positive learning experience. We offer a wide variety of free support services including academic counseling in study strategies, peer tutoring, supplemental instruction, and EXCEL collaborative learning groups. We also publish a series of study skills pamphlets called Fast Facts and Freshmen Fast Facts that provide useful tips and strategies.

Meet our staff while browsing the site and contact us with any questions you may have about our services.


News and announcements


Walk-in Tutoring and SI Schedules


Being @ CMU:

A Semester-End Student Support Group
Tuesday evenings, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
April 9, 16, 23, & 30, 2013
Danforth Lounge, U.C.

CAPS is sponsoring an end-of-semester weekly support group for students who would like a place to talk with other students about their experiences and struggles being at CMU. The process will be facilitated by staff from CAPS, with an emphasis on voicing shared difficulties and providing support for one another.

Membership in the group is available on a first-come basis. No commitment is required—you can attend one or more meetings, as you like. There’s no need to register; just show up (though be aware that the doors will be closed 10 minutes after the group’s start time to minimize disruption). The format will be open. Participants will be asked to respect the privacy of the other group members.

If you have questions, please contact Kurt Kumler, Ph.D., at 412-268-2922 or kkumler@cmu.edu.


Final Exam Prep

Final exam time does NOT mean panic time! How you prepare for finals depends largely on the steps you take to make sure you understand the content. One important factor that will influence the outcome of final exams is your frame of mind. In this workshop you will learn to...

  • organize a study plan
  • strategize to overcome problem areas
  • deal effectively with test anxiety

Let us help you maximize your final exam preparation.

Thursday, April 11
5:00-6:30pm
Cyert Hall B6-B

Register now...

Subscribe to our dlist to receive workshop announcements and notices of schedule changes.


new Fast Fact

Group Study

Making It Work For You!

Whether it’s a study group that comes together to prepare for a big test or a group that works together throughout the semester, study groups are a great way to build learning through the sharing of ideas and knowledge. Working with others who share your desire to succeed in a course fosters a working and practical understanding of the course material. We’ve outlined a few guidelines for you in this Fast Fact. Download it here!

Dr. Zimmerman's Tuesday Tip

”Positive anything is better than negative nothing.”
   -- Elbert Hubbard, 19th century author

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Alan Zimmerman's Internet newsletter, the 'Tuesday Tip.' For your own personal, free subscription to the 'Tuesday Tip' go to www.DrZimmerman.com