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The Best Colleges and Universities for Access to Student Support Services

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Top Recommendations

  • Amherst College (Amherst, MA):
    Support Services Highlight
    The University offers resources and services like the Class Dean system, Case Management team, Student emergency and health services, academic advising, disability services, academic advising, career services, and more.
  • Duke University (Durham, NC):
    Support Services Highlight
    The University offers peer tutoring, Peer Success Leaders, Learning Consultations, one-on-one ADHD coaching, and more through the academic resource center.

    What students say!
    "Duke has the most alumni support and membership within the community. It reaches far and away what the University [alone] can offer."
  • New York University (New York, NY):
    Support Services Highlight
    The NYU Wellness Exchange team provides students with day-to-day assistance with mental health and general wellness on campus.

    What students say!
    "They have an awesome career service center for seniors or those who are in grad school, [and] they have a great tutoring center for the students [that's] so useful."

    "They provide therapy when students get stressed out over missing assignments or finals and offer tutors when they need it."
  • Northeastern University (Boston, MA):
    Support Services Highlight
    CSSH Peer Mentors are undergraduate students in their sophomore year and above who provide new students in their department with peer guidance and support through academics, extracurriculars, campus life, and more during their first semester on campus.

    What students say!
    "They have a good student support initiative, and every incoming student has a peer mentor."

    "[The University is] excellent in helping students with internships, COOP programs, and ultimately landing their first job after graduation."
  • University of San Diego (San Diego, CA):
    Support Services Highlight
    The University offers both individual and group tutoring; a career center offering career coaches, virtual workshops, employers events, and more; a TRIO Support Services Program; academic advising and retention specialists; and more.

    What students say!
    The school offers many resources the students have access to in case they need any support from those who are at the school."

Mental and Emotional Wellness Support

  • Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD):
    Support Services Highlight
    Student Disability Services representatives can advise students on services and accommodations, including taking notes, sign language interpreters, physical access, and assistive technology. And the Counseling Center team is available for consultations, individual or group therapy, or psychiatric evaluations—all confidential and free.

    What students say!
    "They have a Behavioral Health Crisis Support Team, a Counselor On Call, and even a public safety phone number."
  • Los Angeles City College (Los Angeles, CA):
    Support Services Highlight
    LACC provides support and services with a heavy focus on assisting underserved students. Students can take advantage of opportunities like the Guardian Scholars program, which assists foster youth in accessing higher education; the City Cares Network, Lacc Foundation, and Resources for Success Program all assist students in meeting basic needs such as food, housing, wellness services, and more; and the Fresh Success program, which guides participants through education and training on the path to economic self-sufficiency.
  • Princeton University (Princeton, NJ):
    Support Services Highlight
    The Assistant Deans for Student Life have offices located in each residential college. They serve as primary case managers in crises and are available to talk with students about well-being concerns and can refer them to appropriate campus resources.

    What students say!
    "The support center they recently created makes space for students to take naps, relax, and even meditate."
  • Southern Connecticut State University (New Haven, CT):
    Support Services Highlight
    The SCSU Center for Academic Success & Accessibility Services supports new students in gaining confidence and independence by offering academic and mental health support to help students develop important skills, master course materials, learn self-advocacy, and enhance social and emotional well-being. The Sexuality & Gender Equality (SAGE) Center is committed to providing a positive academic, cultural, and social environment where the LGBTQ+ community at Southern can learn, grow, and thrive through social and educational programming, advocacy, and support.
  • Tidewater Community College (Norfolk, VA):
    Support Services Highlight
    TCC’s academic advisors help students develop an academic plan, stay on track for their degree program, and make decisions about their educational and career goals.

    What students say!
    "They offer online support; it has been very helpful to students in mental health crises."

Advisors and Career Guidance

  • Augustana College (Rock Island, IL):
    Support Services Highlight
    The University offers 14 different student support centers with the advisors, counselors, and other mentors students need to become the person they want to be when they graduate. Students can take advantage of the CORE career development center, the TROP Student Support Services Program, the reading/writing center, and more.

    What students say!
    "They have student-run tutoring programs, hundreds of study-away options, and a massive career and advising program."
  • Bentley University (Waltham, MA):
    Support Services Highlight
    Bentley's Pulsifer Undergraduate Career Development Center and CareerEdge services have ranked among the top five Career Services Offices in the country by The Princeton Review since 2014, including ranking #1 four times. The Center is staffed with specialized career coaches who regularly meet with students to identify career goals and opportunities and help them learn vital job-search and interviewing skills through the HIRE Education Program—a four-year, customized career development plan that encompasses hundreds of events and programs, including Career Development “CDI” seminars.
  • Bluefield University (Bluefield, VA):
    Support Services Highlight
    The Academic & Career Excellence Center supports students from enrollment to after graduation by providing a range of services related to student success and career counseling.

    What students say!
    "Bluefield's services for career exploration, online support, academic advice, tutoring, and weekly encouragement are largely impressive."
  • California State University, Fullerton (Fullerton, CA):
    Support Services Highlight
    Advising at Cal State Fullerton is an ongoing, collaborative partnership that allows students to flourish inside and outside of the classroom as their advisors guide them in mapping out their academic journeys toward graduation and beyond. The University Learning Center provides undergraduate students with academic support that's consistent with their learning styles in an inviting environment.

    What students say!
    "[Their] tutoring, online support, and advisors are the best!
  • Chadron State College (Chadron, NE):
    Support Services Highlight
    The Office of Academic Success offers services for academic and career planning, disabilities, internships, and support and intervention as well as a Learning Lab.

    What students say!
    "We have free tutoring, online support, and even advisors who are not only in your major but you can also talk to someone who isn't if you need schedule changes."
  • Des Moines Area Community College (Ankeny, IA):
    Support Services Highlight
    The College offers online tutoring, physical help with processors, advising, career coordinators, and many assistance programs—including a TRiO-funded Support Services Program—through the Academic Achievement Center and Student Services Office.
  • Hastings College (Hastings, NE):
    Support Services Highlight
    Tutoring, writing support, assistive technology, and other accommodations are available at Studio 200, the University's on-campus learning support center that’s available for all students at no cost. Students also benefit from a great first-year advising program, a well-equipped Career Services team, wellness events offered by Student Counseling Services, and more.

    What students say!
    "The smaller school has advisors that really connect with you and make an effort to make sure you are not lost in the crowd."
  • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—New Brunswick (New Brunswick, NJ):
    Support Services Highlight
    The University offers the benefits of resources like the First-Year Interest Group Seminars (FIGS); the one-stop myRutgers portal for online resources; academic advisers; The Office of Career Exploration & Success; counseling services through the Counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program & Psychiatric Services (CAPS); and intercampus Learning Centers with academic coaching, peer tutoring, and more.
  • The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH):
    Support Services Highlight
    Ohio State utilizes a comprehensive, de-centralized career services model in which each of the University's colleges and campuses support and manage their services for students enrolled in those departments. Student Life's Buckeye Careers is also available to help all students, regardless of major, on their career journey through job search engines, career exploration and preparation advice, career and internship fairs, career coaching, and more.
  • University of Mississippi (University, MS):
    Support Services Highlight
    The University Career Center offers various resources for career planning and development needs, including virtual drop-in appointments, disability career support, job search engines, the Career Closet, and much more.

    What students say!
    "The University offers free job consulting for students looking for employment before or after graduation. They'll help with resume building, job interview practice, and more. They also help you make connections with potential employers."
  • University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point (Stevens Point, WI):
    Support Services Highlight
    The University offers numerous resources and services for student success, including the Alliance for Nontraditional Students, the Child Learning & Care Center, the Counseling Center, the Disability & Assistive Technology Center, the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center, and more.

    What students say!
    "[With] walk-in advising appointments and professional and peer tutors, [you get] the support of a larger campus and the personal feel of a small campus."
  • Valencia College (Orlando, FL):
    Support Services Highlight
    Valencia provides a plethora of resources to its students including the Atlas Access Lab for educational and career research planning; Student Support Services which offers convenient online and in-person academic advising and counseling; The Answer Center for assistance from admission to graduation; the Office for Students With Disabilities for quality accommodation services; and more.
  • Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN):
    Support Services Highlight
    Community Standards & Student Support promotes a culture of care and well-being within the University community by providing systematic and holistic education, outreach, and support services—including the Project Safe Center, The Office of Student Care Coordination, and more—that aid and empower students in identifying and managing challenges that may impede academic or personal success.

    What students say!
    ”Vanderbilt offers a variety of counseling [resources] and networks that make it easier for students to connect with teachers and each other.”

Tutoring and Academic Services

  • Appalachian State University (Boone, NC):
    Support Services Highlight
    The University offers an Academic Advising Center, the Career Development Center, the Office of Access and Equity: Disability Resources, and the Disco Student Learning Center, which includes academic resilience coaching, academic success courses, the university writing center, and a tutoring program where the student has to have taken and passed the class with an A to become a tutor.
  • Baylor University (Waco, TX):
    Support Services Highlight
    The Center for Academic Success & Engagement (CASE) provides services for students to help them discover and engage in effective academic and personal learning strategies and self-management tools through holistic support and a sense of belonging in the Baylor community.

    What students say!
    "They have lots of academic resources, especially for people who struggle academically, and they help out students that may have ADHD or disabilities."
  • California State University, San Bernardino (San Bernardino, CA):
    Support Services Highlight
    The Office of Academic Success & Undergraduate Advising is devoted to helping all undergraduate students succeed at CSUSB offering a wide range of academic services, including the Early Assessment Program, the Earth Start Program, Student Assitance in Learning (SAIL), and more.

    What students say!
    "The University's services and resources that are particularly impressive are the tutoring center, the Math Gym (which is another type of tutoring but more focused toward math), the career center, and the writing center."
  • Cornell University (Ithaca, NY):
    Support Services Highlight
    The University offers resources like The Tatkon Center for New Students to support all new students during their transition to college and through their first year; and Student & Campus Life consists of multiple offices dedicated to the holistic development of students through advocacy, empowerment, and education.
  • Hendrix College (Conway, AR):
    Support Services Highlight
    The Office of Academic Support Services is responsible for providing services to promote academic success by working with faculty members to identify key content in their coursework that can be reinforced through support services such as peer tutoring, group facilitation, one-on-one academic success workshops, and success seminars.

    What students say!
    "They offer single and group tutoring as well as good career counseling services."
  • Indiana University Bloomington (Bloomington, IN):
    Support Services Highlight
    IUB offers numerous offices to guide students throughout their college journey, including The Academic Support Center for advising, peer mentoring, and tutoring; The Assistive Technology & Accessibility Centers for alternate media services and assistive hardware; Disability Services for Students; The Indiana Statistical Consulting Center for statistical support on research projects; the Math Learning Center; the Student Academic Center for peer-led study sessions, online videos, and for-credit classes; the Center for Veteran & Military Students; and more.

    What students say!
    "All students have access to tutoring throughout the week for any class especially, math and calculus.
  • Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro, TN):
    Support Services Highlight
    MTSU offers the same services to distance learners and off-campus students that are offered to on-campus students. Many of the services have been web-enabled to allow distance learners easier access.

    What students say!
    "They are extremely accommodating of your needs and will help you in any way possible."
  • Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ):
    Support Services Highlight
    Northern Arizona offers several free tutoring programs in a variety of subjects, an introductory class for first-year students to get acquainted with campus, an open study night for free group help from supplementary instructors, automatically assigned advisors with convenient drop-in times, career center appointment options, and more.
  • The University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, TX):
    Support Services Highlight
    The Academic Success Center (ASC) is a portal to achieving academic success, assisting students in meeting their goals across a wide variety of subject areas. Through supplemental instruction, tutoring, mentoring, and collaborations with campus partners, the ASC helps students maximize potential in their undergraduate careers.

    What students say!
    "UTA has just about everything, and everyone is super helpful. They have academic advising, career counselors, student accounts, help desks, and so much more. Most of the services are all in one big building, which is nice because if someone tells me to go somewhere else to get help with my problem, it's very close by."
  • University of Central Arkansas (Conway, AR):
    Support Services Highlight
    The Student Success team at UCA ensures students have access to important services like tutoring, success coaching, supplemental instruction, transfer services, first-gen student assistance, academic success workshops, and more. The Office of Accessibility Resources & Services (OARS) ensures that any students with disabilities receive full access to the same classrooms, programs, opportunities, and events.

    What students say!
    "[Their] tutoring services are off the charts—fantastic and very helpful."
  • University of North Florida (Jacksonville, FL):
    Support Services Highlight
    UNF provides student support through specific academic advising for each individual college as well as first-year students; the Career Services and Student & Industry Engagement teams, which provide a variety of career development services; and free Student Academic Success Services, which assists students starting from their transition to college to graduation.

Source: CX Student Users

Want more information on how this list was compiled? Find out more about where our Lists & Rankings come from.

About This List

A college or university is only as good as the successes of its alumni—and these schools mean business when it comes to ensuring students thrive from their first day on campus to long after they are established in their careers. Whether you're looking for stellar academic advisors, thorough disability services, or great mental health programs, the colleges and universities on this list are recommended by real students in the CollegeXpress community for offering a depth and breadth of student support services that ensure students stay on track and in sight of their goals throughout their college careers. And when students are preparing to step into the working world, there are internship programs, career advice, and alumni network support at hand as well.

Explore the best of the best in tutoring and academic services, personal and career goal advising, emotional wellness support, and more. You want to attend a college with the peace of mind that you'll have everything you need at your fingertips for a bright future—and at these schools, you'll have it!

PS: If you're looking for on-campus support for your physical health, we have a whole list just for Colleges and Universities With the Most Helpful Student Health Resources.

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