About Academic Coaching

What Is Academic Coaching?

Academic coaching is a student-centered support approach focused on helping learners develop the skills, habits, and self-awareness needed for academic success. 

Our Approach to Coaching

Through individualized, one-on-one relationships, academic coaching guides students in skill development. Coaches help students assess their needs, reflect on how behaviors impact outcomes, identify challenges and build actionable plans using practical tools and campus resources. Using a holistic approach, coaching focuses on development, meeting students where they are, reinforcing strengths and fostering confidence.

The Coaching Lifecycle

Within the higher education ecosystem, coaching happens both formally and informally. Many campus offices and programs offer coaching or mentoring, including the River Hawk Scholars Academy (RHSA), the Office of Well-Being, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) and many more. The Centers for Learning, Advising and Student Success offers coaching to all students assigned a professional advisor (which includes all first-year and transfer students.) You can book coaching appointments with your professional advisor on MyUML.

What Is Peer Advising?

Peer advisors are active UMass Lowell (UML) students who meet with other students. Our peer advisors provide assistance with registration needs and academic coaching. If you are assigned a professional advisor, you’re encouraged to start the conversation with them.

Any undergraduate student can book time with a peer advisor for coaching.

Coaching on time management often will include building a time plan. Students will usually inventory their time, determine how much time they can devote to their studies and consider where they are most productive. Discussion of available tutoring, faculty office hours and other resources may follow. Digital tools for productivity and management may also be discussed.

Desired Outcomes: Time Planning, Study Productivity, Resource Awareness, Academic Organization

The coaching session may start with identifying preferred learning styles and discussing relevant study strategies. The student may reflect on challenging course(s) and what they have been doing up until this point. Possible alternative learning strategies should be discussed here, such as “deep work,” digital-based strategies (such as Quizlet, AI-assisted practice quizzes) and others.

Desired Outcomes: Learning Strategies, Study Skills, Active Learning, Academic Growth

This coaching will usually begin by discussing a specific goal or goals. During these sessions, students consider their “Why?” What motivates them? What barriers are in the way of reaching the goal? What tools are available to help them achieve their goal (such as SMART goals and planners)? The student will usually create a specific action plan to start working toward the goal.

Desired Outcomes: Goal Setting, Action Planning, Motivation Building, Success Strategies

During these coaching sessions, the student will usually discuss the benefits of building rapport and connections with faculty and other campus support staff. How can a student connect with their faculty? Who can they communicate their needs to? What resources are available? In particular, how can the student connect with their faculty if there is an issue or they need to have a difficult conversation? 

Desired Outcomes: Self-Advocacy, Communication Skills, Faculty Engagement, Resource Navigation