Academic Counseling

Academic Counseling is a core component of your LEP experience. Students enrolled in the LEP have a designated one-hour individual weekly meeting with an LEP Specialist. You maintain consistency and continuity by meeting with the same specialist throughout your time in the LEP. First-year students are encouraged to meet with their Specialist weekly, although in later years, meetings may be less frequent. When meeting with a Specialist, you will work on a range of topics related to your success at DU — time management, organization, planning and prioritizing, goal setting, stress management, social engagement on campus, maintaining a work-life balance, and whatever else comes up that impacts your academics and learning.

What Do My Weekly Student Meetings Look Like? 

headshot of LEP academic counselor, Carol

"At the start of each quarter, we'll put together a 10-week calendar of homework and important assignment due dates, which helps prevent the student from missing assignments and falling behind. We'll also work on a schedule for the week, arrange any LEP tutoring the student may need, check in on progress toward goals the student has set, and discuss how the student is using their Student Disability Services approved accommodations."

–Carol, LEP Specialist

What to Work On with Your Specialist

In Academic Counseling meetings, you can review schedules and work plans in order to break bigger assignments into smaller, more manageable pieces. You can also create realistic schedules that accurately estimate time for tasks, and learn how to adjust plans based on needs and circumstances. Your Specialist can help you create systems and environments for effective studying, and use learning styles and strengths to determine the best ways to approach study time. You may also review and organize your emails, manage your courses in Canvas, and generally check in on your overall well-being.

Check out the Anatomy of a Typical LEP Meeting!

Academic Counseling 101

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    Support

    The Specialist listens, asks questions, and when needed, provides suggestions and resources.

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    Flexibility

    Flexibility is a main focus of Academic Counseling. Specialists gauge where the student is, meet them there, work with them to determine the best plan for moving forward, and then set that plan in motion.

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    Student Directed

    Our preference and goal is for the student to accurately assess their own situations and needs. The student then works with the LEP Specialist to think through the situation, decide on the best course of action, and develop self-advocacy skills in the process.

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    Problem Solving

    There are times when students can't move forward due to various factors that arise. Specialists become trusted and consistent resources to help students navigate around roadblocks and get back to where they can be present and effective learners.