Engineering Peer Academic Coaching
CEAS Peer Academic Coaches are current Engineering students who can help you explore learning strategies, effective scheduling, procrastination, and priority management. You can meet with a Peer Academic Coach to learn about strategies and tools to help you successfully complete Engineering assignments, projects, and exam preparation!听
Letters to the Peer Academic Coaches

I have a good friend who is the type of person to do well in every single class he takes. When he gets a B he feels as if he didn鈥檛 try or study hard enough. Being around this person is tough because after hours of studying and memorizing a B is an amazing grade to me. It makes me feel guilty that my standard of success is lower than his and I every time I try to share a win he asks me why I didn鈥檛 do so well. I love being around him but sometimes I feel like a subpar engineer at best, like I am barely scraping by. (Anonymous 兔子先生传媒文化作品 student)
Hi there,
Thanks for sharing your experience鈥攁nd cheers to you for landing a grade you鈥檙e genuinely proud of! Engineering can sometimes feel like solving puzzles nobody asked for, so every success definitely deserves recognition.
College friendships matter, particularly when you鈥檙e all figuring out these wild academic journeys together. But discussing grades can quickly turn friendships into something that feels more like rivalry than camaraderie. It鈥檚 totally normal to question what success even means when you鈥檙e surrounded by classmates who seem to set the bar higher each week. If you ever find yourself wondering if 鈥淕PA鈥 actually stands for 鈥淕reatly Persistent Anxiety,鈥 remember you鈥檙e definitely not alone鈥攁nd Academic Coaching or CAPS are there for a reason.
It鈥檚 worth keeping in mind that success isn鈥檛 a one-size-fits-all concept. Don鈥檛 let someone else鈥檚 yardstick measure your own achievements.
Have you considered gently sharing your perspective with your friend? You might say something sincere and playful like, 鈥淗onestly, my B feels like an A given what this class put me through!鈥 You never know鈥攊t might offer them some much-needed perspective, too.
Maybe also remind your friend about what makes your connection valuable beyond just academics. We鈥檙e each a mix of many things, grades included but definitely not limited to them鈥攅ven if engineering classes occasionally have us convinced otherwise.
Some friends find it helpful to agree to keep grade discussions casual or infrequent, turning conversations into support sessions rather than status updates.
Ultimately, remember to be kind to yourself and your friend. Engineering is challenging enough鈥攏o need to engineer extra stress. Celebrate your progress, big or small. Feel free to reach out if you have more questions or just want to talk!
Have a question? Want to share a story?
Options to meet with a听Peer Academic Coach (PAC)
CHECK BUFF PORTAL ADVISING FOR THE MOST UPDATED AVAILABILITY!
LOCATIONS & TIMES (Through May 2, 2025)
Aerospace Building (213A)
- Thursdays 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
BOLD Center Main Campus Tutoring Room
- Mondays 2:15 - 5:00 p.m.
- Tuesdays 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
- Wednesdays 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
- Thursdays 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
The HUB (ECNW 150D)
- Tuesdays 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
- Thursdays 12:45 - 1:45 p.m.
- Fridays 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
If the Peer Academic Coach is with another student, the PAC will be with you as soon as they are able.
Students who schedule an appointment will be seen first.
LOOKING FOR A QUIET PLACE TO STUDY?
- Anyone welcome to attend and work alongside others.
- Mondays, 3-5:30 p.m. in the HUB (150A) classroom
- Free snacks!

Available through April 28, 2025
Academic Skill Building Resources
Download copies of these resources for yourself! Schedule an appointment with a Peer Academic Coach to discuss how you can use these resources and others!
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