Course Assistant and Grader FAQs - middcs/csinfo GitHub Wiki

How many course assistants (CAs) and graders get hired each semester?

Each semester, the Middlebury Computer Science Department hires approximately 40-50 student CAs and graders.

Who chooses the CAs and graders?

The Computer Science professors select CAs and graders for their courses. This is why we encourage you to get to know your professors and express your interest in assisting or grading for one of their future courses.

Do I need experience to be a CA or grader?

You don’t need experience assisting or grading to become a CS tutor or grader. You only need to have taken the course you wish to CA or grade for.

What do CAs do?

CAs host 1-2 hour tutoring sessions, typically in the evenings. CAs are assigned to a particular course and need to stay up to date on the assignments for that course. Students from the course may come to drop-in help sessions at any point during the semester to ask for help on their assignment or on the course material in general. CAs aren’t expected to have all of the answers, we only ask that you do your best to guide students in the right direction.

What do graders do?

Graders help professors grade assignments. Typically, there is a group of graders assigned to a course. Each assignment for the course is divided up between the graders so the workload is reasonable. The workload depends on how often assignments are due, how many students are taking the class, and how long the assignments are. This is something you can discuss ahead of time with the professor teaching the course.

How many hours can I expect to work?

CAs are usually assigned a single two-hour shift each week. Sometimes CAs have multiple shifts, but only if they are available to do so. CAs may also be hired to provide in-class help, which may add an additional hour per week. Graders work a varying number of hours per week, depending on the grading workload of the particular course.

How do I apply?

Well before the semester begins, all students who are enrolled in a CS course or who have declared a CS major or minor will receive an email from the department containing instructions to apply. You’ll need to fill out the Google Form as well as the Workable application.