SI-PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions)
Discover SI-PASS
SI-PASS provides regularly scheduled, peer-led study sessions for difficult courses. SI-PASS sessions focus on using effective study techniques and collaborative activities to master difficult course content, applying how to learn with what to learn. Designed for students of all skill levels and knowledge of the course material, SI-PASS offers a judgment-free space for students to prepare for course homework, quizzes and exams. SI-PASS is free and available to all students enrolled in SI-PASS supported courses. SI-PASS is only offered during the fall and spring semesters.
SI-PASS for Spring 2025 will begin on Monday, January 13 and study sessions will occur weekly through Thursday, May 1. There are no SI-PASS sessions during finals week, Spring Break or university closures. The Spring 2025 SI-PASS schedule will be updated by Wednesday January 8. Check the schedule below or from the SI-PASS schedule button to see the Spring 2025 supported courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students who attend SI-PASS regularly:
- Earn an average of 1/2 to 1 full letter grade higher than those who do not
- Have a better understanding of course material
- Develop effective study skills that can be applied to other courses
SI-PASS Leaders are U of I students who have taken difficult courses and been successful in them. SI-PASS Leaders attend class for the course which they support and provide informal, structured study sessions focused on the most difficult concepts covered in class.
A typical SI-PASS session is an hour-long meeting in a classroom on campus and might include a review of lecture and assigned readings, group work and discussion, problem-solving and critical thinking activities or a mock exam. The SI-PASS Leader’s primary focus is to assist students in understanding the course material while helping them to develop effective study skills that are applicable to the content. The SI-PASS Leaders will never structure SI-PASS sessions as a forum to re-lecture to students who missed class.
A historically difficult course is a course with relatively high rates of students receiving a final grade of D or F or withdrawing from the course. SI-PASS supports courses with 20% or higher DFW rates, which preference given to courses with DFW rates higher than 25%. SI-PASS also considers the average enrollment and student perception of these courses when deciding which courses to support, as well as other support options on campus.
SI-PASS Schedule
Instructor
Mary Oswald
Leader
Kristin Z.
Session Time
Mondays 4:30-5:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 023
Tuesdays 4:30-5:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 023
Thursdays 5:30-6:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 023
Instructor
Mary Oswald
Leader
Teg B.
Session Time
Mondays 3:30-4:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 050
Thursdays 4:30-5:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 050
Thursdays 5:30-6:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 050
Leader
Meghan M.
Session Time
Tuesdays 6:30-7:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 023
Wednesdays 3:30-4:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 023
Instructor
Candi Heimgartner
Leader (Lecture)
Sierra K.
Session Time
Mondays 4:30-5:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 147
Tuesdays 3:30-4:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 147
Wednesdays 5:30-6:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 147
Leader (Lab)
TJ H.
Session Time
Mondays 5:30-6:20 p.m. Pacific time, in Anatomy Lab
Mondays 6:30-7:20 p.m. Pacific time, in Anatomy Lab
Instructor
Michael Wilder
Leader
Daniel F.
Session Time
Tuesdays 4:30-5:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 122
Wednesdays 5:30-6:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 122
Thursdays 4:30-5:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 122
Instructors
John Pawlina
Tim Boester
Theresa Allen
Annelise Nielsen
Jordan Hardy
Suzanne Cazeau
Leader 1
Avneet V.
Session Time
Tuesdays 6:30-7:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 051
Thursdays 4-5:15 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 051
Leader 2
Shruti D.
Session Time
Mondays 5:30-6:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 149
Wednesdays 4:30-5:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 149
Leader 3
Jacob K.
Session Time
Mondays 2:30-3:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 023
Wednesdays 6-7:15 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 023
Leader 4
Luiza M. R.
Session Time
Tuesdays 3:30-4:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 141
Thursdays 5:30-6:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 141
Instructors
John Pawlina and Ben French
Leader
Arjun R.
Session Time
Mondays 4:30-5:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 022
Wednesdays 5:30-6:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 022
Leader
Abir M.
Session Time
Tuesdays 6:30-7:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 222
Thursdays 5:30-6:45 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 222
Instructor
Manuel Welhan
Leader
Justin V. W.
Session Time
Mondays 5:30-6:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 050
Tuesdays 3:30-4:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 050
Tuesdays 4:30-5:20 p.m. Pacific time, in TLC 050