University study can be demanding on students, frequently leaving us feeling swamped and stressed about the volume of work or even with our personal lives. Such occurrences are beyond our control. Nevertheless, LSE includes a plethora of academic support services that can assist you, so I thought I’d provide you with a brief overview of the Department of Social Policy’s educational support services. Continue reading to learn about my own appraisal of the value of mentoring at LSE and that of my academic mentor and the undergraduate support team from my home department.
How important academic mentors are
For guidance and ongoing pastoral care throughout the academic year, academic mentors — educators from the department— are assigned to each student. I’ve had three different academic mentors during my time at LSE. It’s important to understand what an academic mentor is supposed to do, so you’re not left feeling confused after meetings or with the impression that meeting your mentor is nothing but a checkbox exercise.
Establish a connection with your mentor, share your troubles, so you can get the support you need for your sessions. Meetings with your academic mentors are what you make of them. How is the mentor supposed to assist you if you don’t share anything or share very little? They are not omniscient! I quickly understood the value of academic mentors after learning this. Even so, you can always request to switch academic mentors – this is what I did after my first year – if you feel you’re struggling to establish a rapport or common ground. In doing so, you’ll reap the true benefits of having an academic mentor. My final year mentor has been my favourite mentor thus far, and the support received has been unbelievable. From advice regarding my dissertation to just general well-being, I now feel more supported in terms of pastoral care than ever before.
SP undergraduate programme support team
Like many other departments, Social Policy has an undergraduate programme support team to help with inquiries and student welfare. Alas, commencing my undergraduate degree during the COVID-19 pandemic was pretty tough. Still, fortunately, the team was always available to help. Any requests for coursework extensions or even adjustments to the schedule were typically accommodated within a few days of the request. Even when I had COVID-19 and my attendance was poor, they were the first to contact me, offering pastoral support and guidance to help me get back on track. Besides that, even now, they still provide weekly drop-in sessions where you can just chat or discuss any unresolved issues.
Student welfare may not be a priority at other universities. However, based on my personal experience, it is still a top priority in the Department of Social Policy. One factor that I believe made a significant contribution to my success at LSE is the feeling of being supported, and I think it can do the same for you. The most important thing is to always solicit help if you need it. There is no need to be ashamed of any problems you are having because everything is kept confidential. The undergraduate programme support team or your academic mentor, whichever you choose, can both assist you. If you still feel uncomfortable talking to them, there are other welfare support options available to LSE students outside of their department.
