Xavier set to begin tutoring program for standardized tests

If you asked high school seniors about the most stressful
part of their final year of high school, a large portion of
their answers would revolve around one thing: standardized
testing. In order to dispel some of the fear, many students take preparatory classes so that when they walk into the testing site on the day of a standardized test, they are prepared.
However, this may not always be a viable opition for students. Preparatory classes can be expensive. Due to the price, many students miss out on taking these classes, potentially leading them to miss out on opportunities to further their education because of a less-than acceptable college entrance
exam score. One Xavier student saw a solution to this problem that plagues so many high school students. "In taking preparatory MCAT classes this past summer, I realized how truly beneficial these classes for standardized testing can be," junior biology student Michael Walters said. "I also realized
that they can be rather expensive, and many people don't
have the means to take those classes. I want to try to provide a way to give someone the benefit of these classes at no
expense to them." Walters decided that this was an issue Xavier could help fix. He developed a program that allows Xavier students who performed well on their standardized tests to go to Walnut Hills, an innercity Cincinnati school, and pair
up with students who need standardized testing assistance
but are unable to afford it. "As Xavier students, we are called to be men and women for others. There's really no better way to try to be a person for somebody else than to actually help them do well on these tests, get into college and get an education," Walters said. This program will allow students to help high school students achieve goals that may have been impossible before due to their financial situation. The tutoring program will also count as service hours for Xavier students who need it, including meeting the service requirement for various clubs and scholarships. "We are all very privileged to be here [at Xavier], and we're not here by our own faculties.
We all had the help of somebody else," Walters said.
"Since we're benefitting from somebody else's help, wherever it may have come from, we have an obligation to help others when we can." Students who are interested in joining the program can contact Michael Walters at waltersm1@xavier.edu or Dr. Engle, chair of the biology department and the staff
member advising the program at engle@xavier.edu. Walters
hopes to have he program up and running by the beginning
of spring semester.