Academic Success Center

The UC Academic Success Center offers both online and in-person tutoring (Peer Tutoring), covering a wide range of subjects.

Peer Tutoring

Available on our Charleston campus, students who have demonstrated academic excellence are employed to provide tutoring assistance to students in writing, speaking, and discipline-specific areas.

Discipline-specific areas include math, science, economics, accounting, nursing and radiology. Tutors can also assist with study skills and test-taking strategies.

For students who need tutoring specifically in writing, peer tutors are available to help generate, organize, and develop ideas for papers. Tutors can also explain punctuation and grammar, as well as teach students how to proofread, document secondary sources, and address a host of other writing‐related issues. Additionally, tutors are trained to assist students with the Comm 101 and 102 portfolios.

Online Tutoring – Smarthinking

Smarthinking offers tutoring in a variety of disciplines and formats.

Online Tutoring is available in a wide range of subjects to help you understand and master your courses.

Online Tutoring Anywhere, Anytime

• Math – Introductory Anatomy & Physiology – Biology – Chemistry – Organic Chemistry Physics – Economics – Finance – Accounting – Statistics – Spanish – Writing – Reading Computers & Technology

With Smarthinking, you can:

• Connect with an e-structor and interact with a live tutor.
• Schedule a personal session with an e-structor of your choice.
• Submit your writing for any class to our Online Writing Lab.
• Submit a question and receive a reply from a tutor.

Access to both Peer Tutoring and Smarthinking (online tutoring) is available to UC students and faculty by logging into the UC portal.

CLEP exams are computer-based exams that allow students to provide mastery of college-level materials in introductory subjects and earn college credit. Tests are offered weekly.

There is an $85 fee for taking the exam, and a $20 proctoring fee. You must register ahead of time. For information about the test, or to register, visit https://prod.idp.collegeboard.org/.

Exam Scheduling

DSST exams are computer-based exams that allow students to prove mastery of college-level materials in introductory subjects and earn college credit. There are 38 subject tests available (see http://getcollegecredit.com/ for the complete list).

DSST tests are offered weekly. There is an $80 fee for taking the exam, and a $25 proctoring fee. You must register ahead of time. To register for a DSST test, please contact the Learning Commons at 304-357-4776.

Exam Scheduling

In addition to a minimum score of 400 on the multiple-choice test, an Examinee must also receive a passing grade on the speech.

DANTES Funded Exams

DANTES is the national testing agency that allows eligible service members to take commercially-owned academic exams on a “DANTES-funded” basis. The University of Charleston offers both CLEP and DSST exams for Service members through DANTES.

(Please note DANTES is neither an exam nor a national testing agency and does not own commercial exams.)

DANTES funds exams (one attempt per title) for the following groups:

• Military personnel (active duty, reserve, National Guard): Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, Army Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army and Air National Guard
• Spouses and civilian employees of: Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Coast Guard (active and reserve)
• Department of Defense Acquisition personnel: Eligible only for the following computer-based exams: Principles of Macroeconomics, Principles of Microeconomics, and Principles and Marketing

Eligible military candidates who take a CLEP exam can have the exam fee for the first attempt per title funded by DANTES. If a candidate tests at an on-base or base-sponsored test center, he or she does not have to pay the test center administrative fee. DANTES does not pay the exam fee for a previously funded CLEP exam. If military candidates want to retake an exam previously funded by DANTES, they need to wait six months and pay the exam fee.

The exam date must be scheduled at least one day in advance.

A valid military photo ID must be presented at the time of testing.

UC Charleston also serves as a nationally recognized testing site for the following exams available to our students and the public:

TEAS

The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS Test) is a standardized, multiple-choice exam for students entering nursing school. It is often used to determine the ability of potential students to adjust to a nursing program. The test is created and administered by ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute, LLC).

The TEAS exam is offered virtually for any student applying to the ADN or BSN programs. For further information and a full listing of specific dates and times, and to register, see the registration site. The exam date must be scheduled at least one day in advance.

The base cost of the TEAS exam is $70 and is paid via debit or credit card directly to ATI the day of the exam. For non-University of Charleston students, there is a proctoring fee of $25 in addition to the cost of the exam. This fee will be applied when you register for the exam through our testing site.

Additional information about the TEAS exam

• All test takers must create a Username and Password on the ATI website before their test date. https://www.atitesting.com/teas/teas-exam (Click on Create an Account on the left-hand side of the page)
• Time Limit for the TEAS exam is 209 minutes. Please allow for an additional 10-20 minutes to complete a dry run prior to testing. This will ensure that your device is properly set up and able to be used for testing.
• All test takers must use Google Chrome as their testing browser.
• NO Cellphones, Ipads or tablets are to be used for testing.
• Students must have a desktop or laptop computer with a working microphone and webcam.
• Students are tested in four content areas, Science, Math, Reading and English/Language. The test is multiple-choice with 170 total questions.
• A four-function calculator will be provided on the testing website at the time of the testing.
• Test results are immediate.
• UC allows students applying to the BSN program a maximum of three attempts in a calendar year (Jan-Dec) on the TEAS exam for a minimum score of a 60%. A minimum of 60 days must be given in between test attempts.
• UC allows students applying to the ADN program a maximum of three attempts in a calendar year (Jan-Dec) on the TEAS exam for a minimum score of a 60%. A minimum of 60 days must be given in between test attempts.
• In our experience, students are most successful when they prepare for the exam. ATI has preparation materials for sale at: https://www.atitesting.com/teas/teas-exam

The University of Charleston is committed to achieving equal educational opportunity and full participation for persons with disabilities.

The Academic Success Center works to ensure that our students receive reasonable accommodations for documented disabilities in compliance with provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment of 2008. The Academic Success Center also provides special information for faculty.

Accommodations

Accommodations are adaptations and changes made to elements of a student’s post-secondary program that help to compensate for the student’s impairment(s) and provide equal access to students with disabilities. Here are the basics:

• Any student with a documented disability may be eligible to receive accommodations and services from the Academic Success Center;
• The purpose of accommodations and modifications is to reduce or eliminate any disadvantages that may exist because of an individual’s disability;
• Accommodations are not a guarantee for success, but rather seek to promote non-discrimination and equal access opportunities;
  Accommodations are not student preferences; they are determined through an established review process based on documentation received regarding the student’s disability;
• The law does not require institutions to waive specific courses or academic requirements considered essential to a particular program or degree. Rather, they are mandated to modify existing requirements on a case-by-case basis in order to ensure that individuals are not discriminated against on the basis of their disability.

In order to access accommodations, students must disclose and document their disability to the Academic Success Center and state their requested accommodations.

Please use the links below to access the Disability Verification Form and Guidelines.

After the Verification Form is completed by your medical provider please return via scan and email to asc@ucwv.edu.

ADA Disability Verification Form

Disability Documentation Guidelines