There is a wide range of resources available for students preparing to take the SAT and ACT. Test prep booklets, instructional videos, and online practice tests are just a few resources students can use to study independently. But if you want your teen to reach their full test-taking potential, consider hiring a private prep tutor.
With the abundance of test prep resources at your student’s disposal, you might wonder whether a private tutor is necessary. After all, not all teens need a tutor to do well on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. While this is true, tutors can be helpful, even for students who know how to study.
Tutors not only know how to improve the learning process, but they can work with your student one-on-one to address their individual weaknesses. In short, a prep tutor will maximize your student’s learning, so they do their best on test day. We’ll talk more about why you should hire a test prep tutor here.
Top 6 Reasons You Should Hire A Test Prep Tutor:
1. Study Sessions Are Individualized
Study sessions with a test prep tutor are tailored to students’ individual needs. This is one of the main reasons you should consider hiring a private tutor for SAT and ACT preparation. Since a tutor works with one student at a time, the tutor will see your student’s strengths and weaknesses more clearly than a classroom teacher.
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Tutors can assist students with subjects they are struggling with, and change lesson plans to suit their specific needs. In a larger test prep class, this isn’t possible. Students are taught a set curriculum that caters to a general classroom. By contrast, test prep tutors can focus on exactly what your student needs to learn to raise their test scores.
Even with self-study, teens don’t always see where they are lacking. It can be hard to know what we don’t know. Having someone with mastery over the entire body of content knowledge relevant to an exam review material with your student can help them see clearly what they need to learn to boost their score.
2. More One-On-One Attention
Test prep classes can be useful but aren’t necessarily the best way to spend your money. Private tutors give students more one-on-one attention. Students won’t get this when there are other students around or when they are learning on their own. Not only will lesson plans be made for students individually, but these sessions will be more comfortable and useful for students.
With a test prep tutor, teens can ask as many questions as they want. If want something clarified or explained, they won’t feel social pressure to hold questions back for fear of sounding dumb. As a result, the material becomes easier to learn because the student can study with someone who deeply understands the standardized test’s content. In short, teens can get help right away when they don’t understand something. In a classroom, this type of one-on-one attention might disrupt the flow of a lesson plan. With a tutor, it isn’t an issue.
3. Fewer Distractions
It’s easy to become distracted when in a classroom or studying on your own. Distractions like cell phones, other students talking, and one’s own thoughts can draw students away from their study goals. Prep tutors work with students individually and keep them on track and focused. It’s harder to wander off into your thoughts and flip through your phone when a tutor is there to hold you accountable for your work. For students who need fewer distractions, hiring a private prep tutor might be a better study option.
4. The Learning Pace is Set By The Student
Every student learns at a different pace. For some people, certain topics will be a breeze; for others, the same material may lead to a seemingly endless struggle. This is why a more personalized learning process can be advantageous: when working with a prep tutor, A student sets their own pace.
Students are free to spend extra time on more challenging concepts, and tutors won’t have to move on from subject to subject as quickly as teachers do. In a classroom setting, SAT prep courses follow a strict schedule. Sometimes this means going over material faster than a student is comfortable with.
5. Scheduling is More Flexible
Students preparing for their final years of high school are under a lot of stress. They have to plan around multiple extracurricular activities, study time, and hanging out with friends. While SAT and ACT classes can be convenient, they follow a set schedule that can interfere with students’ already busy schedules.
This can be frustrating, since missing even a single prep class can mean wasted money and setbacks in the test prep process. Ultimately, this is why we recommend hiring a prep tutor. Study sessions can be scheduled around the student’s activities and responsibilities with more ease. In other words, there is more flexibility, so students won’t miss out on vital test prep material.
6. Tutors Cover Topics Not Taught in School or in Classes
Finally, standardized tests like the SAT and ACT include material that students might not be familiar with. It’s not uncommon to find topics on the SAT or ACT that students never encountered in school. This is another important reason students and parents should consider hiring a test prep tutor. Especially if a student is studying alone, it can be difficult to learn new material in an efficient way.
A tutor solves this problem for you. They will plan lessons around the content you are not familiar with. They will also teach it to you exactly in the way it will appear on your test, this way won’t miss a point on your exam. Our tutors at HelloCollege are highly trained to help students raise their SAT and ACT scores and improve their performance in the classroom. Be sure your family has a smart plan.
