Ackerman STEM Learning Center

Tutoring is available for STEM courses: science, technology, engineering, and math. Ackerman Learning Center tutors are excellent members of the faculty, Center staff, and outstanding students.

Tutoring Expectations

Please review our expectations for tutors and students (PDF, ) before working with a tutor. Students are expected to bring work to show and have a question about what they would like to learn.
Bring your notes and textbook. 
Try to attempt solving the problem to show the tutor your progress and where you have questions.
Tutors cannot directly assist with take home tests or quizzes unless it is clearly specified on the test or quiz that help from a tutor is allowed.  

In-person Tutoring

In-person tutoring is available using a short-term, drop-in model according to this schedule (PDF, ) for currently enrolled MC students. There is a sign-in for the tutoring waiting list at the circulation desk, and no appointments are necessary.  All tutoring is on a first-come, first-served basis. Be prepared for your session with questions and work to show your tutor. You can sign up as often as needed, but each session is limited due to the volume of students we serve.

The posted tutoring schedules are not able to reflect daily tutoring absences.

Virtual Tutoring

Virtual STEM Tutoring is available through the Virtual STEM Learning Center.  Virtual tutoring appointments, which occur over Zoom, are scheduled through Accudemianew window. You will need to use your MyMC credentials to log into Accudemia and make an appointment.  Detailed instructions here (PDF, ) .

When in-person or virtual tutors are unavailable, the school also provides free 24x7 online tutoring on demand through Brainfusenew window.  These tutors are not staff, faculty, or students affiliated with the college.

Help and Review Sessions

Help and Review sessions are offered on a semester-by-semester basis. Some are for specific courses and some serve multiple courses within a discipline. These include weekly group tutoring sessions such as Chemistry Wednesdays (all CHEM courses), Biology Tuesdays (all BIOL courses). Midterm and final exam review sessions are also offered for some courses. See the help and review sessions schedule  (PDF, ) for details.

Private Tutors 

The Ackerman Learning Center also maintains a list of private tutors (PDF, ) who can be hired for more extensive private tutoring needs.  These tutors are not vetted by or affiliated with the college.

Work at the Ackerman Center!

Applications are available in person the last two weeks of fall semester to work in the spring and the last two weeks of spring semester to work in the fall and/or summer.
Interviews, assessments, and onboarding occur between semesters.
You must be enrolled for at least 6 credits in the semesters you plan to work (and enrolled in 6 fall semester credits to work in the summer).
You must participate in training happening the week before the semester begins.
Preference is given to applicants planning to be at MC for over one year.

Two positions are available:

Student Aide 
You must be willing to greet students, pay attention to Center activity, and direct students to ensure they are following Center policies.

Peer Tutor
You must have earned a high grade (preferably an “A”) in all courses you want to tutor and maintain a minimum 3.0 overall GPA.  Tutor candidates will take a subject assessment during the interview.

Please contact the front desk if you have any questions.  We look forward to hearing from you!

General Assistance

Biology 
  BIOL 212:
    Unit 1 - Topic List (PDF, )
    Unit 2 - Topic List (PDF, )
    Unit 3 - Topic List (PDF, )
    Unit 4 - Topic List (PDF, )
    Unit 2 - Lab Pictures (PDF, )
    Unit 3 - Lab Pictures (PDF, )
    Unit 4 - Lab Pictures (PDF, )

  BIOL 213:
    Unit 2 - Lab Pictures for face-to-face section (PDF, )
    Unit 2 - Lab Pictures (PDF, )
    Unit 3 - Lab Pictures (PDF, )
    Unit 4 - Lab Pictures (PDF, )

Chemistry

  CHEM 099 final review (PDF, )
  CHEM 099 periodic table (PDF, )
  CHEM 131 final review (PDF, )
  CHEM 131 final review answer key (PDF, )

Computer Science

  Computer lessons and tutorialsnew window

Math

  MATH 098 final review (PDF, )
  MATH 117 final review (PDF, )
  MATH 120 final review (PDF, )
  MATH 150 final review (PDF, )
  MATH 165 final review (PDF, )
  MATH 181 final review (PDF, )
  MATH 182 final review (PDF, )

Is your effort not reflected in your grades? Are you frustrated with your exam scores? Is studying taking too much time?

If so, come to Brain Training and learn how to use your brain effectively to study smarter, not harder!  Each session will change how you approach learning and will show you simple, concrete strategies for acing your classes. 

Brain Training Workshops will help you master techniques to rewire you brain for academic success, beat procrastination, and conquer exams.

How are you using your brain?  See you at Brain Training!

Anytime access to past sessions:

Tools of the Brain: Recordingnew window  Slides (PDF, )
Effective Studying: Recordingnew window  Slides (PDF, )
Beat Procrastination: Recordingnew window  Slides (PDF, )
Conquer Exams: Recordingnew window  Slides (PDF, )

Spring 2025:

Monday Sessions: 3-4 pm in-person Science West room 103
Thursday Sessions: 6-7 pm online via Zoom

Sign Up Here

Brain Training Flyer (PDF, )

Current textbooks and solution manuals for use in the Center are available with student ID for most math and science courses at the Rockville campus. There are also a variety of supplemental textbooks and problem books available. Check out our donation section!  There are shelves of older texts and materials to use at home or keep. 

The Ackerman Learning Center houses computers used for tutorial support and/or additional resources in math and sciences.

Every computer has the full suite of MC standard software, including Microsoft Office and Adobe products, as well as a wide range of discipline-specific academic software.

There are a variety of software packages available for math, biology, chemistry, physics, engineering and CMSC. 

The Ackerman Learning Center has six small group study rooms that students may reserve if they want to study in a group. Rooms can accommodate 4 – 10 students for up to two hours. All rooms must be reserved before use with a student ID.  Reservations may be made at the Circulation Desk.

In order to maintain a welcoming environment to all students, groups should be aware there is no food allowed. Also, expect to keep volume to studying levels, and to clean up when finished.

The Ackerman Learning Center maintains a room for students in Biology in which microscopes, slide sets, and anatomy models are housed. Students have access to these important resources whenever the Center is open, in addition to the open lab hours in the department.

All available long-term scientific calculators have been checked out for Spring 2025 semester.

TI 84, TI 89, and scientific calculators are available in the Ackerman Learning Center to use for a short-term loan of one day; short-term calculator loans must be returned the following day. Students must use their MC ID to check out a calculator.

Students with a financial need may be able to borrow a long-term calculator for an entire semester.  This requires completing a check-out form. 

Long-term calculator application forms are available in the Center.

• TI 83 and TI 84 calculator self paced handout (PDF, )
• TI 83 and TI 84 calculator self paced handout for Statistics (PDF, )

Biology

• Meiosis I and Meiosis II; Life Cycles (PDF, )  
• Cell Cycle: Mitosis (PDF, )  

Chemistry

• Atomic Mass (PDF, )  
• Limiting Reactant & Theoretical Yield (PDF, )  
• Mole & Molar Mass (PDF, )  
• Scientific (Exponential) Notation (PDF, )  
• Significant Figures (PDF, )  
• Reaction Stoichiometry (PDF, )  
• Unit Conversions (PDF, )  
• Writing Balanced Chemical Equations (PDF, )  

Calculator

• Finding an Intersection of Two Functions using the TI-83/84 (PDF, )  
• Scatterplot and Linear Regression using the TI-83/84 (PDF, )  
• Finding Maximum and Minimum using the TI-83/84 (PDF, )  
• TI-84 Programs for Statistics (PDF, )  
• Finance solver for MATH 110 (PDF, )  

Math

• How to Solve Word Problems (PDF, )  
• Determinants of Matrices (PDF, )  
• Polynomial Division (PDF, )  
• Factoring Trinomials (Quadratics) (PDF, )  
• Logarithm Basics (PDF, )  
• Matrix Basics (PDF, )  
• Recreate the Unit Circle (PDF, )  
• Recreate the Unit Circle 2 (PDF, )  
• Recreate the Unit Circle (blank circle) (PDF, )  
• Simplifying Algebraic Expressions to Standard Polynomial Form (PDF, )  
• Simplifying Algebraic Expressions with Exponents (PDF, )
• Vector Basics (PDF, )  

Physics

• Center of Mass (PDF, )  
• Collisions (PDF, )  
• Conservative and Non-Conservative Forces (PDF, )  
• Linear and Angular Quantities (PDF, )  
• Simple Projectile Motion (PDF, )  
• How to Solve Physics Problems (PDF, )