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Writing Studio

How to Schedule a Writing Consultation (In-Person and Online Appointments)

As of January 2023, the Writing Studio’s scheduling platform has been updated in order to make it easier to find, schedule, and view your appointments. Please take the time to familiarize yourselves with the changes. Thank you!

The Writing Studio will continue offering in-person consultations at various locations across campus in addition to continuing to offer synchronous online consultations using our WCOnline platform as described below. Think of our online appointments as yet another convenient location to connect with us!

Below you will find a guide to scheduling and accessing our writing consultation appointments.

For those about to work with the Writing Studio for the first time, we recommend you also read this General Overview about our appointments and our Appointments FAQ and Policies.

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Quick Start: Scheduling and Accessing Appointments (WCOnline)

Step 1: On the Writing Studio homepage, click “Schedule an Appointment.” You will be prompted to enter your VUnetID and password. You will then be connected to the Writing Studio’s WCOnline scheduling platform to set up your appointment. You will then be able to find and reserve an appointment using the fields under “Find an Appointment”.

Please be sure to select the correct location by checking the parentheses next to each consultant’s name; e.g. Joe Smith (Online), Mary Smith (1801 Edgehill).

Step 2 (In-Person): We do ask that you be at least 5 minutes early to your appointment at any of our physical locations (1801 Edgehill, Commons 217, the BCC, the KC Potter Center, or the Zeppos Great Room). This will allow you to check-in and begin your appointment at the top of the hour.

Step 2 (Online): Approximately five to ten minutes before the start of your appointment, log-in to the Writing Studio scheduler. Find and click your scheduled appointment (which should appear under “Future Appointments”). Click “Open Appointment. Then, click on the red text “Start or Join Online Consultation.”

Questions? Please contact the Writing Studio at writing.studio@vanderbilt.edu.
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New Users: Register an Account

On your first visit, you will need to go through the quick and easy process of registering a new account in the WCOnline scheduler. You must use your Vanderbilt email address to register, and you may choose any password. If you get locked out or cannot remember your password, please contact us at writing.studio@vanderbilt.edu.

In setting up your profile, you will be able to decide how you want to receive alerts from us, whether by email or by text. (You can also return to and update your profile and contact preferences at any time.)
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Accessing our Scheduler (WCOnline)

Beginning on the main website for the Writing Studio, you will see in large font, “Schedule on Appointment”. Clicking this will take you to the login page for the Writing Studio’s WCOnline scheduling platform.

You will then be connected the Writing Studio’s WCOnline scheduling platform where you can register an account, and then make, modify, or cancel any in-person or online writing appointments. All writing appointments are scheduled in WCOnline. Clients accessing our satellite services are welcome to make an appointment in WCOnline for their visit to that satellite office or, if there are available appointments, you may walk-in and your consultant will help you register.
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Schedule an Appointment

Using Appointment Search

This is the display that WCOnline will default to for client. This feature is new to WCOnline and was released in the January 2023 update. It is intended to allow clients to more quickly and accurately find appointments which suit their needs; and, if failing to find perfect matches, offer up recommendation of close matches to the criteria specified.

Reserving an appointment (Appointment Search)

When you log into WCOnline, you will land on the Appointment Search view.

Step 1:Find an Appointment.

Under “Find an Appointment” you will select from the following:

  • Preferred Appointment Date*
  • Preferred Appointment Time*
  • Preferred Staff or Resource
  • Focus schedule by location
  • Meeting Type
    • Any Available, Online, Face-to-Face

*Required fields.

Step 2: Click “Find Appointments”.

You will be shown a number of Perfect Matches or Close Matches, depending on availability. If it is a Close Match, the appointment card will explain what criteria could not be met perfectly.

Step 3: Click “Reserve”.

The appointment block will appear with the date/time details, location, consultant, and the consultant biography. You will complete the fields below this information, including letting the consultant know what you’ll be working on.

Step 4: Click “Create Appointment”.

You will receive a notification at the top of the block noting whether the appointment was created successfully. Likewise you will receive an email with confirmation details and important information regarding your appointment.

Step 5: Attend the appointment!

Whether in-person or online we look forward to seeing you. If you have any questions about creating an appointment, please email writing.studio@vanderbilt.edu.
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Using Calendar Display

If you find the appointment search cards difficult to navigate, or you prefer the old calendar style, it is possible to switch between the two. You will scroll to the bottom of the Appointment Search screen and click the link “view the calendar display”. This should should navigate you to the current week’s calendar.

reserving an appointment (Calendar display)

To schedule a new appointment, click on a white “open” block to make an appointment, which will open a new window or tab for the Appointment form. Complete the questions in the “Appointment Form.” Be sure to include any specific topics you’d like to discuss with your consultant. Select “Create Appointment.” Doing so will confirm your writing appointment and generate a confirmation email (or text, if you selected this option in your profile). Your reserved appointment time will now appear in yellow (face-to-face) or red (online).

Calendar Navigation

The calendar navigation links at the top of the schedule will allow you to bring a particular date to the top of the display or to skip ahead (or back) by a week. Doing so will allow you to take advantage of our policy that appointments can be made up to 7 days in advance.

(Note that the option to make appointments beyond the current week will be locked until your desired appointment is within 7 days of the current date.)
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Modify or Cancel an Appointment

To modify or cancel an existing appointment, simply return to the schedule and navigate to the day and time of the appointment.

In Appointment Search, this will be in the list under “Today’s Appointments”. Click on “Open Appointment” and click “Edit” or “Cancel”.

In Calendar Display, click on the yellow (or red) appointment block to open the “View Existing Appointment” window or tab. At the bottom of the form, you will find the options to “Edit Appointment” or “Cancel Appointment.”
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The Waiting List Feature

Don’t see an appointment when you need it? We encourage you to use the the Waiting List feature built into our scheduling platform, WCOnline, to be alerted to openings on our schedule on a specific day or at a specific time.

Before signing up for the Waiting List, please keep the following in mind:

  • The WCOnline Waiting List feature provides notifications only and does not reserve appointments for anyone.
  • The Waiting List feature only sends notification of openings on a specific day based on optional limits you sent when joining the Waiting List.
  • Once you receive a Waiting List notification, you must still log in and reserve the appointment yourself on a first-come basis. (Keep in mind that a number of individuals may receive the same notification for the same opening.) 

To Join the Waiting List (for openings on a specific day):

  1. Open the Waiting List window
    1. From the Appointment Search menu: Click on “Find Appointments” for the search criteria you selected. If you do not see an appointment that fits your needs, click “Waiting List” at the top of the page.
    2. From the Calendar Display: Click on the “Waiting List” link in the bottom right corner of the day on which you are seeking an appointment and sign up.
  2. Set your desired limits on the waiting list notifications you wish to receive (all limits are optional):
    1. Limit to a specific staff or resource (in this case a specific writing consultant)
    2. Limit to specific focus by location or modality (i.e. online)
    3. Limit to a specific time range (appointment start and/or end times)
  3. Select “Join Waiting List.”
  4. Note your Communication Preferences:
    1. As noted in the box at the top of the Waiting List window, waiting list notification are sent either by email (default) or text message based the communication preferences set in your profile.
    2. To change your preferences, follow the link provided in the Waiting List menu or open the “Welcome, [Your Name]” menu at the top of the page and select “Profile and Communication Options.”

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Questions?

Please contact the Writing Studio at writing.studio@vanderbilt.edu.

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