Help Seeking

Willingness and tendency to reach out for help when working through a problem

If you went to the tutoring center on your average college campus, who do you think you’d find? More students currently getting a B, trying to get an A? Or more students currently getting a D trying to work up to a C?

You’d probably find more students with a B working towards that A.

This is because seeking help is one of the best strategies to foster learning. If you think about it, going to college in and of itself is a way of asking for help. You’re looking to learn from your instructors, looking for guidance from your advisors, and looking for collaboration from your fellow students.

Keep in mind that, whenever you run into a challenge, there is certainly value in working and persisting to address that problem on your own. BUT, when it gets to the point that you’ve exhausted your effort, done all that you can, ask someone for help. Your instructors, advisors, and other faculty and staff are here just for that purpose.

Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something and to learn something new.
Barack Obama

How can I improve my Help Seeking?

Strategies to Use

If you’re uncomfortable asking for help, take a quick walk the next time you’re on campus. Find an office or program that you don’t know, and ask someone at the front desk what they do there. You’ll find that people aren’t all that scary, and actually looking forward to lending a hand.

Resources at Triton College

The Academic Advising Department proactively empowers students to reach their educational and career objectives through interactive guidance and support. Advisors assist with course placement, registration, academic planning, and foster essential academic skills like goal-setting and responsible decision-making to ensure student success.
TRIO Student Support Services offers comprehensive assistance to help students achieve their academic and future goals. Specifically designed for income-eligible, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities, the program provides support services to enhance student retention, graduation rates, and facilitate successful transfers to four-year colleges.
The TRIUMPH & SURGE Program aims to boost minority student retention and completion rates. It provides comprehensive support including academic assistance, mentoring, career development, and community service, fostering a supportive environment to help students of color overcome social and cultural barriers, ultimately increasing their success in obtaining certificates, degrees, or transferring to four-year institutions or the workforce.
The Center for Access and Accommodative Services (CAAS) provides campus accessibility and accommodations that foster the development of students' abilities, preparing them to work to their fullest potential to obtain their academic and career goals.