Study Groups

Study Groups offer an opportunity to study collaboratively with classmates under the guidance of an upper-level undergraduate leader who did well in the same course in an earlier semester. Study Group Leaders (SGLs) are trained to address both course content questions and questions about effective study habits so that students can holistically prepare for their course work and exams in a friendly, low-stress environment. Just like more informal study group arrangements, the name “Study Group” is meant to imply regular attendance and a commitment to your peers’ success as well as your own; together, you can all be ever better.

Study Group Benefits

Scientific data about learning, some from right here at the University of Rochester, show that most people learn better when they study in groups, regardless of how well they are already doing in their coursework. If you are struggling with the course material, commiserating with your peers and getting targeted help from SGLs can give you a boost in positivity and resolve. If you are handling the course material well, you can deepen your understanding by working with others and maybe even reveal and address some misconceptions you would not have realized on your own.

Study Schedule

Study Groups meet weekly over the duration of the semester for 75 minutes each week. SGLs typically start hosting their sessions in the third week of the semester and wrap up on the last day of classes. The complete Study Group schedule is finalized and posted below during the first weeks of each new semester.

Joining a Group

You can sign up for Study Groups through Blackboard under “Organizations.” Study Groups are completely optional and have no point-based impact on your grade in the course if you do not attend. However, if you frequently sign up but do not attend, SGLs have the discretion to remove you from the sign up to make space for others, as space is limited.

Resources for Unlisted Courses

If you are taking a course you feel would benefit from having an accompanying Study Group, please contact Kyle Trenshaw so that he can look into recruiting a new SGL for the course. In lieu of a Study Group, the Learning Center offers several other resources for students looking to improve their study habits and academic performance in general. Check out our tutoring and academic success coaching pages for more information.

Become a Peer Leader

All open positions are listed on the Learning Center’s job openings page. Applications open for SGL positions at the end of every semester, and especially at the end of spring. Please consider applying if you:

  • took a course for which we currently offer Study Groups and did well, and/or
  • regularly attended one or more Study Groups in the past and improved your course grades as a result.

All undergraduate students interested in making a positive difference in their peers’ academic journeys are welcome!

Please check Blackboard for when your Study Group will begin.

Fall 2025 Study Group Schedule
(Weekly meeting times and locations will be added once the semester begins.)
ClassWeekly Meeting TimeLocation
Study Groups at NightTuesday 8-10 PM (MATH, ECON, CSC)
Wednesday 8-10 PM (MATH, CSC)
Genesee 321
Genesee 321
BCSC 110Monday 5-6:15 PMTBD
BIOL 110Wednesday 10:25-11:40 AM
Thursday 3:25-4:40 PM
TBD
TBD
BIOL 198Monday 6-7:15 PMGenesee 321
BIOL 204Tuesday 12-1:15 PMTBD
BME 101Tuesday 3:25-4:40 PMDewey 2-110D
CHE 150Thursday 2-3:15 PMTBD
CHE 244Tuesday 7-8:15 PMTBD
CHEM 131Saturday 10-11:15 AM
Saturday 2-3:15 PM
Genesee 321
TBD
CHEM 203Wednesday 3:25-4:40 PMHylan 102
ECON 108Friday 2:3:15 PMMeliora 219
FIN 205Friday 10-11:15 AMTBD
MATH 140Wednesday 3:30-4:45 PMTBD
MATH 141Monday 4-5:15 PMTBD
MATH 142Friday 12:30-1:45 PMHylan 102
MATH 143Wednesday 4-5:15 PMTBD
MATH 150Thursday 3:25-4:40 PMHylan 101
MATH 161Thursday 12:30-1:45 PMMorey 501
MATH 162Thursday 2-3:15 PM
Friday 2-3:15 PM
Hylan 305
Morey 504
MATH 164Friday 4:50-6:05 PMMorey 504
MATH 165Monday 4:50-6:05 PM
Tuesday 3:25-4:40 PM
Friday 3:25-4:40 PM
Morey 502
Morey 205
Hylan 101
MATH 235Tuesday 4:50-6:05 PMMorey 205
PSYC 101Thursday 12:30-1:45 PMTBD
STAT 180Wednesday 1:30-2:45 PMTBD
STAT 190Monday 12:30-1:45 PMTBD

Study Groups Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign up for a Study Group?

You can sign up for Study Groups on Blackboard. You will automatically be enrolled in a Blackboard Organization if one of your courses has a Study Group during a particular semester, and you can access sign-ups through that organization. Organizations show up in the left-hand menu of the Blackboard interface on a laptop or desktop and near the bottom if scrolling through the mobile view.

What is the difference between Study Groups and the Study Zone?

Study Groups are course-specific collaborative study sessions led by a near-peer who recently completed the course.

The purpose of Study Groups is to provide an opportunity to connect with other students in your courses who are also motivated to study consistently each week. One the other hand, the Study Zone is a quiet study location in the Learning Center suite where near-peer leaders help students set studying goals and plan their path to achieving them through their individual study sessions. So, in summary:

  • Study Groups are collaborative, course-specific, and content-knowledge-focused.
  • The Study Zone is individual, generally applicable to any academic work, and study-skill-focused.

Any student can benefit from both resources in their coursework.

How many students are usually in a Study Group?

There can be anywhere from a single student to as many as 15 in any given Study Group session, but the average is closer to six.

What if I want a Study Group for a course that does not have one?

If you are taking a course you feel would benefit from having an accompanying Study Group, please contact Kyle Trenshaw so that he can look into recruiting a new Study Group Leader for the course. In lieu of a Study Group, the Learning Center offers several other resources for students looking to improve their study habits and academic performance in general. Check out our Tutoring and Academic Success Coaching pages for more information.