Frequently Asked Questions

Because the Writing Center could sometimes be completely booked two weeks in advance, we strongly recommend that you make an appointment as soon as possible. There are three ways to secure an appointment:

• use our online booking system
• call 212-650-8104
• visit us at the Writing Center

Make an Appointment

You may also come to the Writing Center without an appointment and put your name on the waiting list. Students on the waiting list are not guaranteed a tutoring session. The front desk will call names from the list every hour only if tutors are available. Walk-in students must be present when their name is called. 
 
For more information on our policies, please read Students' Rights and Responsibilities.

Our well-prepared tutors include professionals, adjunct professors, and graduate students from a range of age groups, backgrounds, majors, and careers. They have advanced training in English writing, including Creative Writing, English for Speakers of Other Languages, writing for the sciences and engineering, writing for the social sciences and public policy, and other forms of English communication.

Our 50-minute sessions typically include an opening conversation between the tutor and student, approximately 40 minutes of student-centered writing instruction, a brief review, and a plan for further student development. 
 
At the beginning of a session, the tutor will ask you about your writing, listen to you, assess your writing skills, and narrow down the focus of the session to a few key grammatical and/or structural issues that may impede meaning in your writing. 
 
During the session, the tutor will explain, model, and guide you as you practice your writing skills. Instruction is student-centered, meaning that the student is in the driver’s seat and is the main focus of the session. The tutor may ask guiding questions, prompt you to read parts of your paper aloud or demonstrate writing skills directly on your paper or on scratch paper. You may consult a handbook or receive a helpful handout. Since our tutoring sessions last 50 minutes, there may not enough time to work on every writing issue within a single session. Becoming a good writer is a process. You should use each session wisely, participate in the discussion, and work with your tutor on eliminating recurring mistakes in your writing rather than passively receiving suggestions from your tutor. 
 
At the end of the session, you will briefly review what you worked on, and you will be able to ask clarifying questions. You and your tutor may also discuss the next steps in your process of development as a writer. 

At a minimum, for in-person sessions, please bring a printed copy of your assignment and a pen or pencil if you do not have a laptop. If needed, your tutor and yourself may sit at a computer together during your tutoring session. For both in-person and online sessions, If you have a specific assignment, definitely bring the assignment sheet to show to your tutor, whether it be a printed sheet or shared file. Other than that, bring whatever you have to work on: your notes, an outline, an exploratory draft, rough drafts, or graded papers with comments. Our tutors will gladly work with you on any stage of the writing process, from the initial brainstorm to reviewing your professor’s comments on a graded paper. 

Yes. Please read our Computer Lab page for details.