Apoyo académico en la educación superior: descripción de la experiencia y perfil de los alumnos que participan en el CARA UC

The paper reports on the work carried out by the Center to Support Academic Performance (CARA UC). The Center was created for students of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile as an academic intervention alternative. The paper also describes the main features characterizing the population of students who used the service of their own accord in 2005 and 2006. Data show that the Center addresses a real need for academic support among students. Furthermore, it has become a space for the general integration and orientation of the students’ university experience. This initiative can be said to respond to the challenge of developing and improving strategies and abilities needed for academic success in higher education.