Applications for the Spring are now OPEN!

Benefits of Working as a Learning Assistant (LA)

In addition to finding fulfillment in helping others, our Learning Assistants have become more confident learners while working at the ULC and have grown increasingly comfortable with the material they tutor. Their work reinforces concepts that help strengthen their foundation for more advanced studies and their future endeavors.

The academic success and professional development of ULC staff are equally as important to the ULC leadership as the success of the students we tutor. As leaders on campus, our LAs' talents and accomplishments have earned them the appreciation of NYU faculty and administrators. This recognition has led to opportunities to work directly with professors, further strengthening those relationships.

Learning Assistants also form a close community of bright and ambitious students that support each other in school and beyond. ULC alumni have gone on to law school, dental and medical school, and graduate school. They have worked for "Teach for America" and have secured positions in banking and finance. They have won numerous awards, including the Fulbright Scholarship and the Paul and Daisy Fellowship for New Americans. They have been class Valedictorians and Diploma Recipients. We're proud of our ULC family and hope you will join our team!

 

ULC graduates

ULC Learning Assistants

Roles and Responsibilities

Position Description:

Learning Assistants are academic tutors who support over 100 NYU courses in the sciences (e.g., chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, economics) and humanities (e.g., psychology, literature, writing, foreign languages).  Each LA tutors multiple courses.  Our support each semester may vary somewhat, depending on the additional courses that our Learning Assistants can tutor.  If you don't see a certain course listed on our website, but you can bring support for it, please apply and help us broaden our support!

LAs are trained as peer academic coaches and work with peers in one-to-one sessions to help students become better learners, tackling challenging material and breaking down concepts to help students identify the source of their difficulties. By staying up to date in the courses they tutor, LAs clarify class material and offer their perspectives on learning it. 

Additionally, Learning Assistants also develop and facilitate various workshops, group tutoring sessions, and review sessions. LAs are responsible for fulfilling TWO of the following roles each semester:

  • Learning Group (LG) Leaders: Learning Assistants create worksheets and assist students as they work collaboratively to practice and learn the material. LG's support courses like General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Principles of Biology, Algebra & Calculus (pre-calc), and Calculus I.
  • Bits Leaders: Learning Assistants plan and lead mini-review sessions weekly, tracking the progress of the course. Bits support of Principles of Biology and Math for Econ II.
  • Course Specific Support: Workshop development and leadership, and possible presence in the classroom.
  • Language Support: Lead Conversation Circles and provide a space for language learners to practice fluency in English and other foreign languages
  • Peer Academic Coaching: Academic Skills workshops development and leadership.

All Learning Assistants must attend a series of training sessions, beginning with the All-Team Training at the beginning of each semester and continuing with specific sessions throughout the academic year.

LAs receive scheduled hours for walk-in tutoring and are expected to maintain these shifts weekly throughout the semester. Tutoring shifts vary between 2-4hrs, and multiple shifts may be assigned per week. While on duty, LAs will see students on a walk-in basis, answer questions through our online platform, develop or prepare for workshops, or work on other projects as assigned.

Through training and tutoring hours, all Learning Assistant's are required to become eligible for ITPC Level 1 (International Tutor Program Certification), also known as CRLA Certification (College Reading and Learning Association). Opportunities also exist for higher levels of certification.

Qualifications
  • Currently enrolled as a full-time matriculated undergraduate student in good academic standing at NYU. 
    • Consideration could also be given to students enrolled in the Postbaccalaureate Prehealth Studies Program.
  • Sophomore, Junior, or Senior status by start date.
  • Minimum 3.5 grade point average within major and overall.
  • Taken and earned a grade of “A-“ or higher in the course(s) for which you would like to tutor.
  • Must be eligible to tutor a minimum of FIVE courses. Students who are able to tutor more than five courses are stongly encouraged to apply.
    • Single course subject matter will not satisfy all five courses (e.g. Five language courses from the beginner I - advanced level would not satisfy the five course minimum requirement)
    • Language courses:
      • Must be able to tutor at the intermediate II level or above
      • An exception: Two languages at the intermediate II level or above will account for the five course minimum
  • Recommendations from TWO REFERENCES. Two academic references preferred.
    • At least one recommendation must be from a professor at NYU in any of the subjects in which you would like to tutor.
    • The second reference should also be from a professor, but can be an NYU administrator (advisor, Dean’s office, etc.) or a supervisor from a part-time job who can speak to your qualities as a potential ULC Learning Assistant.
  • Comfortable working in a collaborative group environment.
  • Must be able to work a minimum of 10hr per week.
Compensation

Pay begins at $18.00 per hour for all qualified Learning Assistants.

How to Apply

Applications are posted on our website and through Handshake, with select candidates invited for interviews. Hiring offers remain contingent upon schedules and successful completion of the current semester.

Please note that this is an IN-PERSON role; all staff are required to be present in-person for their shifts.

Ability for follow instructions accurately are part of the qualifications of this position. 

Application Instructions:
  • Part 1: APPLICATION - Complete and submit the online application form.
    • Please have the following two documents saved and ready to attach. (Please see below for additional note about application submissions).
      1. Current Resume (Saved as "Last name Resume" - ex. Smith Resume)
      2. Unofficial Transcript from NYU Albert (Saved as "Last name transcript" - ex. Smith Transcript) Download your unofficial transcript from Albert and use Preview or Adobe Reader to highlight the courses you could tutor. Alternately, scan a highlighted hard copy to upload as a pdf (Please see below for additional note about transcript submissions).
  • Part 2: SCHEDULE - After registering for spring 2024 courses, applicants must create and share their calendar of availability with ulcnyu.scheduling@gmail.com (NOTE: Additional inquiries to this email address will not receive a response).
  • Part 3: TWO REFERENCES - You are responsible for requesting that references submit our reference form before our deadline. Our reference form is provided below.
    • At least one reference MUST be an NYU professor or instructor. The second reference can also be a professor, or can be an NYU administrator (academic advisor, Dean's office, etc.), or a supervisor from a part-time job or volunteer position who can speak to your qualities as a potential ULC tutor. References should NOT be from relatives.
    • Please use your best judgment in selecting your references. The ULC will not answer questions about whom to select as your reference.
    • Reference Form: Copy and paste this link to your recommenders. Please remember to note whether or not you have waived your right to see their recommendation in your email.
Application Deadlines:
  • Part 1 - Application Priority Deadline: January 3, 2024 (applications will be accepted on rolling basis after this deadline, until all positions are filled.)
  • Part 2 - Schedule of Availability: January 8, 2024
  • Part 3 - Two References: January 22, 2024

Due to the high volume of applications, individual messages to confirm receipt of applications will not be possible. Select candidates will be invited for an in-person interview starting in December 2024 but continuing until all positions have been filled.  If you are not on campus during our interview periods, we can arrange to interview you via zoom.

Additional Information

NOTE ABOUT APPLICATION: While you can go back and edit your responses (keep a copy of our confirmation email after you submit), applications are processed on a rolling basis and will not be revisited after our initial review. We therefore recommend that you complete the application in a single sitting. However, if you are unable to complete the application in one attempt, we suggest signing your name as "INCOMPLETE" in the "Certification" section (at the end of the application) and returning to it at a later date. Please remember to change this when your application is ready for review, or else it will not be considered. Please do not submit more than one application per semester

NOTE ABOUT TRANSCRIPT: Learning Assistants tutor multiple courses. Applicants are expected to tutor a minimum of five classes, but often tutor more. Strongest candidates are those who can offer support for almost all eligible classes.  

  • Examples include, but are not limited to:  
    • A Sophomore who is undeclared and following the Pre-Health track should be able to support General Chemistry I & II, Biology I & II, Calculus I, and one class in their prospective major.
    • A Junior who is majoring in economics, following the policy track, should be able to support MFE I & II, Intro to Micro, Intro to Macro, Intermediate Micro, and another Econ elective (International Economics, Urban Econ, etc.)
    • A Senior who is majoring in psychology should be able to support Intro to Psych, Stats for the Behavioral Sciences, Advanced Stats, and at least two other psych electives such as Cognition and Perception.

Please note that our roster of courses it NOT LIMITED to the courses you currently see on our website.  If you feel you can be of assistance in a course that we do not currently tutor, please add that to your application!

NOTE ABOUT SCHEDULES: If academic requirements change, unavoidably affecting your schedule, follow these steps (but please note that this may affect your hiring):

  • Update the availability on your shared google calendar.
  • Send an email to ulcnyu.scheduling@gmail.com so we can look out for the changes.