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Academic Coaching for Educational Success

Q: What is ACES?

A: ACES is a program to support adolescents and young adults whose grades do not reflect their potential due to ineffective time management, study strategies, learning strategies, or organizational skills. The program is individualized to the needs of each student and begins with an initial individual student/parent/therapist diagnostic and goal-setting session. Once initial goals are developed, students learn relevant strategies to meet those goals. Students’ progress toward their goals is monitored, and regular feedback is given to parents. For college students in ACES, the presence of parents at the initial session is not required, and regular feedback to parents is on an as-needed basis.

Q: Who would benefit from ACES?

A: Students who are appropriate for the program are middle, high school, or college students with organizational and study skills that are holding them back from reaching their potential. They are frequently, but not always, students with learning disabilities, memory weaknesses, or attention deficits. Students with academic weaknesses in specific content areas who are seeking tutoring or students with a significant lack of academic motivation would not be appropriate for ACES.

Q: What are some of the strategies that are taught?

A: Strategies are individualized to specific student needs. Examples include reading comprehension techniques, note-taking techniques, composition techniques, mnemonics, organizational and time-management strategies, test-taking techniques including relaxation training, home/school communication, behavior contracting, and self-monitoring strategies.

Q: What does a typical session look like?

A: For each weekly session, students meet with their individual coach (a graduate student in School Psychology who is supervised by one of the psychologists) for one hour. Strategies identified as meeting the student’s needs are introduced and taught, and practice opportunities are provided to work on these strategies. Students will often bring in actual school assignments, assigned readings, and graded work such as tests, quizzes and essays to help apply the newly learned strategies. The student and coach set weekly goals and monitor progress toward these goals. In the case of middle and high school students, communication with teachers is also often helpful.

Q: When is ACES scheduled?

A: ACES can be scheduled by signing up for individual sessions with an advanced doctoral graduate student. Scheduling of sessions depends upon the availability of your coach.

Q: What does ACES cost?

A: A deposit of $100 is required upon registration. The initial ACES intake meeting is $100. Each ACES session thereafter is $75.

Q: How do I register?

A: To ensure proper registration, follow these steps:

  1. Complete the appropriate registration form (e.g., middle school, high school, college), as well as the associated Clinic Policies and Service Agreement.
    1. Registration Packet and Clinic Policies/Service Agreement for middle and high school students
    2. Registration Packet and Clinic Policies/Service Agreement for college students
  2. Mail both forms along with a deposit of $100 payable to NCSU to the following address:
    • NCSU Psychoeducational Clinic,
      ACES Campus Box 7650
      Raleigh, NC 27695-7650

Q: How will I know if I am accepted?

A: Enrollment is limited and on a first-come first-served basis until all time slots are filled. You will be notified of acceptance after your materials have been received and reviewed. If all slots are filled, you will be placed on a waiting list in the order of which your materials were received. At this time, we will also set up an initial individual diagnostic appointment to develop goals. In the case of middle and high school students, parents will be a part of this initial diagnostic session. If you are a college student and are seeking ACES for yourself, the presence of a parent is not required.

Q: Who sponsors the ACES program?

A: The Psychoeducational Clinic at NCSU sponsors ACES. The Clinic is affiliated with the APA approved School Psychology Training Program, housed within the Department of Psychology at NCSU. The Clinic serves both as a resource for the community by offering quality assessment and intervention services for learners of all ages and as a training facility for doctoral students in the School Psychology program.

Q: How can I get further information?

A: Should you have any further questions, call the Psychoeducational Clinic at 515-1713. If no one is available to take your call, leave your name and number so that we can contact you.