How Can Tutoring Work for High Achieving Students?
Table of Contents
- Improve Study Habits
- Understand Advanced Content
- Time Management
- Test Preparation
- Prepare For College
“My student is a high achiever. Why should I even consider a tutor?”
Many parents and students alike might ponder this question. Sometimes we can all use a little extra help, but some people forget that help can be useful even when you have great goals or are doing well. In fact, sometimes this is when help is most useful. For those shooting for the stars – to learn the most complex concepts, to get into the most competitive schools – having someone there to assist with learning, time management, and guide you through the process could be an invaluable resource.
Unfortunately, a stigma still exists for some when it comes to tutoring. Some people think that needing and using a tutor says something about their intelligence. Some are self conscious about what that means about their abilities, but tutoring has nothing to do with how smart an individual is. Sometimes we all need help; that is all it is. Sometimes people need a tutor when they are struggling, and sometimes people need a tutor to move at the faster pace they desire. This can give students an edge in their studies and maintain their desired performance.
Improve Study Habits
In addition to working on traditional subjects that you would encounter in school, a key part of learning is building good study habits. This means being able to organize and take notes effectively in addition to knowing what studying methods work best for you. Understanding how you learn new information and how to think critically when faced with foreign concepts is essential to learning and doing well.
A tutor can challenge students in ways that they might not be in the short time allotted to all the students within the classroom. A tutor can help students start building on these greater study habits and reinforce the concepts the teacher covers in class. On top of building up that foundation, a tutor can help students work ahead and make sure they have the essential skills they need to progress in their learning journey.
Understand Advanced Content
Even if you are resourceful and can find tools and information to help you learn, it takes time and energy. On top of that, students have to contend with classes, assignments, and whatever else occupies space in their schedules. A tutor can make this process easier not only by providing you with relevant tools and resources but by simplifying complex information in a way that matches your learning style.
As students take more advanced classes – Accelerated, Gifted, Honors, AP, etc – the content not only tends to be more complex, but the pace of the class moves faster as well. This can be difficult for any student, made even more difficult if the student is involved in many extra-curriculars. Sometimes the content moves so fast that it’s easy to miss important details. Sometimes the content is so complex that students might benefit from another explanation of the content, but there is not enough class time for review. Many top tier students choose to seek the help of a tutor at this time to help them make sense of difficult content and remain learning at the pace they prefer.
Time Management
Content covered in class can be difficult to learn. On top of that, homework for advanced classes can sometimes take hours. A teacher may have office hours, but sometimes it does not always match up with a student’s schedule. After school tutoring programs may be offered as well, but scheduling can also be an issue here, and it may not be up to the caliber needed for high achieving students. Add in extra-curricular activities like sports, chorus/band, theater, and a host of others, and it can be extremely difficult for ambitious students to manage their schedules.
If any of the above sounds like you, a private tutor might be the best option. On top of dealing with hours of homework that can be difficult to understand, various extra-curricular activities can make it difficult to get help outside of school. On top of their busy schedule, students have to contend with the schedules of other programs to find something that works for them. A private tutor can not only work around your schedule, but they can also help you save time by simplifying those complex concepts and teaching students ways to use their time more efficiently.
Test Preparation
Beyond school, students may need to take standardized tests for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is for college admissions like with the ACT and SAT, for private school admissions like with the ISEE and SSAT, or for a variety of special programs and scholarships. Often, students may excel in school, but that does not always translate into excellent test scores. Teachers are too busy reviewing the curriculum to focus on tests and testing skills. Some students also experience test anxiety. If a student experiences this, working with a private tutor can be one way to work on addressing these emotions.
A tutor can be a great resource for understanding and navigating how to study for these tests. Tutors can inform students about how the tests are designed and scored, what schools look for when reviewing scores, test content, and best strategies. If that sounds like what you need, a tutor might be a good place to start instead of cracking open a 300 page textbook yourself.
Prepare for College
Besides the ACT and SAT, there are many other ways a tutor can help you prepare for college. A tutor can help with the college admissions process as well. While discussions about financial aid and choosing a college might be best left to a college planner, a tutor can still assist in giving insight about the admissions process and help with things such as recommendations and essays.
A tutor can proof read essays for your college or scholarship applications to ensure that you are putting your best foot forward. They can make sure that your essays match the prompts, present you in the ideal way, and do not have any glaring punctuation or grammatical mistakes. If you have been working with a tutor for a long time, they could also be a good source for a recommendation. It can also be helpful for students to get additional perspectives about the college experience, so a tutor can be another source of information to understand what college may be like and to help narrow down a student’s options. Within college, a tutor may be able to assist with choosing classes based on the student’s goals and abilities, helping them optimize their schedule.
Everyone has their own unique strengths and it is important to understand what that means for you and to embrace them. Perhaps some subjects come easily to you, and perhaps it takes one on one time with a tutor explaining things again or in a different way for other subjects to make sense. There’s no shame in that. Tutoring is another resource available to you to achieve your goals. It is a great resource for anyone who thinks they need help in an area, wants to learn new skills, or wants to hone their current skills to be the best of the best. If there is something that you want to improve, consider getting a tutor. If you’d like to work with us, reach out to learn more information about how we can help you achieve your goals.
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