Graduate Writing Center (GWC) FAQs

Q. Who is eligible to meet a consultant at the GWC?
A. The Center serves graduate students who are willing to make a commitment to meet weekly with a consultant at the GWC. The Center can help students with work for UMass Boston classes that the students are enrolled in and that require paper writing (with the exception of department required final project writing such as thesis, final synthesis, or dissertation writing).

Q. How often can I meet with a consultant? Where do the meetings take place?
A. Students are assigned a weekly one hour appointment (at a set time on a specific day) with a specific consultant. The meetings take place at the GWC in Academic Support Programs (CC-1-1300s).

Q. What if I don't have a new paper to work on each week? Can I cancel meetings?
A. Paper writing is a process; there is always something to discuss with your consultant—comments on a paper from a professor, an upcoming research project, a paper revision, readings for the course and/or for a writing assignment, and new library resources are all possibilities. Students are allowed one cancellation per semester. The cancellation must be made by e-mailing the GWC at gwc@umb.edu and by contacting the consultant in advance if the consultant wishes. (Students should do both if necessary. This is something that you will discuss with your consultant at your first meeting.)

Q. What happens if I miss an appointment without cancelling it?
A. Students who miss an appointment without cancelling will lose their appointment time and must reactivate their applications to be eligible for future appointments.

Q. How do I apply?
A. Apply by filling out an application at Academic Support Programs (CC-1-1300s). Students who want to continue to work with a GWC consultant during several semesters should reapply each semester. Applying early in the semester increases your chance of not being waitlisted.

Q. How do I find out if I've received an appointment?
A. To receive information about which day, time, and consultant they have been assigned to, students should be sure to check the e-mail address(es) that they listed on their application.

Q. Can I get my papers edited at the GWC?
A. The Center is not a proofreading or editing service. It can help students to learn to rethink, reorganize, and/or revise their own papers over the course of several meetings.

Q. How much do does this service cost?
A. This is a free service for actively enrolled UMass Boston graduate students.

Q. What should I bring?
A. Students should bring coursework (e.g., paper instructions, associated course readings, and a paper draft) to focus on with the consultant on each week.