Sometimes, you just need help. Every student has had, at one time or another, that late night rush or all-nighter, trying to figure out that last math problem or scientific method that might has well have been written in ancient Greek (and sometimes is). Late into the night, you find yourself scrambling for answers or even a push in the right direction.

   It would be rude to wake up your professor or a classmate at two in the morning, and surely no tutor is available now –or is there? That’s where Smarthinking comes to the rescue. Smarthinking, based in Washington, DC, provides people, technology and training to help students excel.

   Smarthinking connects you to qualified online tutors, referred to as “e-structors,” anytime, from any Internet connection at no cost to you, the Hillsborough Community College student. Once logged in, you are able to gain assistance in a number of different ways: immediate, live chatting with an e-structor; scheduled, personal sessions with an e-structor; or by submitting an essay or draft for review or submitting a specific question that can be answered by an e-structor at a later date.

   These options are available 24/7, and can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection – just log in and go (SmarThinking). Live chatting is the easiest way to quickly get the assistance you need. Select the subject of interest from the drop-down list and ask your question. Within moments, an e-structor will respond back and be there with you every step of the way until you understand. Submitting a specific question, also known as “Asynchronous tutoring”, is an alternative to live, drop-in tutoring that can be used when you do not have time for a live session and are able to wait for a response.

   To use this option, select the subject you want from the drop-down list. As with live tutoring, the whiteboard will open. Write your question on the whiteboard, and click “Submit Question”. A response will be provided within about 24 hours. Scheduled sessions are more useful if you are having continuous problems with a subject and want the same e-structor that helped you before, or want to receive live help in Spanish (at this current time, scheduled sessions are the only way to do so.)

   To arrange a session, follow the online instructions to schedule your session, and you will receive an email confirmation once the session is scheduled. At the time of your session, log on to Smarthinking and click on the highlighted session date in the calendar that appears at the bottom of the screen. A pop-up screen will appear which contains information about your session. Click on “join the session” to proceed. You may only join your scheduled session up to ten minutes before or ten minutes after its scheduled start time.

   A gong noise will sound when the e-structor arrives. Submitting an essay is just as easy, and the personalized response you receive from a Smarthinking e-structor can be used to guide the revisions you make to your work. Select the subject that reflects the type of writing you are submitting; most academic writing will be submitted to the Essay Center (use the Career Writing Center for business writing, or the Spanish Essay Center if your assignment is written in Spanish).

   Complete the provided information form, upload your essay or draft, and choose the type of tutor you want to review your writing; choices include “First Available,” “ESL Specialist,” “Business/Technical Writing Specialist,” and “Creative Writing Specialist”. If your writing falls into a category supported by a specialist, it is best to choose that tutor group. The time required to review your essay is the same for each of these tutor groups; responses are typically provided in about 24 hours.

   So the next time you need help, you can find some comfort in knowing that you are not alone, and that help is a weblink away, no matter how late it is. To access the website, go to www.smarthinking.hccfl.edu/index.php. For more information about Smarthinking, refer to your student handbook. Fast, friendly, and free for you–now that’s smart thinking.