Become a Leader
Why become a Study Group Leader?
Leaders play a critical role in the Study Group Program because they serve as knowledgeable facilitators who engage members with each other to promote active learning. They also:
- Gain valuable management experience.
- Build excellent facilitation skills.
- Maintain familiarity with course content for tests like the MCAT and GRE.
- Develop strong communication, problem solving, and organization skills.
What do Study Group Leaders do?
- Set the group agenda and make sure group members stay on task.
- Recognize the importance of building a strong sense of community, where all members feel comfortable taking intellectual risks, making mistakes, and having fun while learning.
- Provide supplemental materials, including worksheets, problem sets, practice exams, old exams, and review sheets that help members’ master course material.
- Utilize collaborative learning techniques and activities that encourage members to teach and learn from each other.
- Work 3-4 hours/week, participate in monthly training sessions, and have access to a C-tools site with hundreds of old exams, practice tests, worksheets, and review sheets.
- Encourage members to seek out their GSI or faculty instructor when they are unable to reach consensus on an answer or understanding of a concept.
Who gets hired as a Study Group Leader?
- Must have taken the course they wish to lead at the University of Michigan, and are required to have earned an A or high B in it.
- Applicants should have exceptional communication skills. Facilitating a small group requires that a leader avoid standing or sitting near the board or answering questions directly.
- Study Group Leaders must embrace and support the philosophy of the program; meaning study group members teach and learn from each other rather than the leader instructing, tutoring, or giving answers.
I want to apply. Now what?
If you have the course knowledge and strong communication skills necessary to become a Study Group Leader, click here to complete an application. Study Group Program staff will review new leader applications and invite candidates for group interviews at the beginning of each term.
“Cole was an excellent Study Group leader. He always came prepared and really knew the material. He was very helpful, but also allowed us to try and figure things out for ourselves before providing assistance. He always informed about any changes in the meeting place for our group and held review sessions before exams in which he provided us with several practice exams.”-Study Group Member, Winter 2009
Frequently Asked Questions
