Hiring a tutor to help a student prepare for an upcoming exam is a smart move – especially if they are struggling to master the material on their own. The hard part is figuring out which tutor to hire. How can you tell which tutors are the best fit for your child and which ones you should avoid? Even more importantly, what mistakes should you watch out for during the hiring process? If you want to give your child the best chance at success, avoid these mistakes when deciding which tutor to hire:
Mistake #1 – Hiring A Tutor Without Thoroughly Researching Their Background
The right one to one tutor can help your child dramatically improve their test scores. The key is knowing which tutor to hire. Don’t make the mistake of hiring someone without doing in-depth research on their background first.
One way to ensure that the person you hire is qualified is by working with a tutoring agency. These companies take care of checking the background of tutors for you, ensuring that they are qualified to work with students when preparing for major tests like the SAT or ACT. The risk of hiring the wrong person is a lot lower when you work with an agency than it is if you try to hire an independent tutor. It’s still important to do your research and check out the company’s website and any online reviews first, but as a rule you will find that tutors who are employed by well-respected agencies are more likely to have the experience and expertise required to help your child succeed.
If you fail to research the background of the tutor that you hire, the odds of success decrease significantly. Working with the wrong tutor is not only a waste of time but it also can leave your child feeling discouraged and unmotivated. To avoid any problems, always learn as much as you can about the background and experience level of a tutor before hiring them. Learn about their approach to tutoring and find out how they measure their results.
Mistake #2 – Hiring A Tutor Based Solely On How Much They Charge
While budgetary concerns are definitely important to take into account during the hiring process, you should avoid the temptation to hire a tutor based only on the fees that they charge. Going with the cheapest tutor may not be the best option. Instead, it is important to look for a tutor whose prices not only fit within your budget but who also will help your child achieve their goals.
In the Private Tutoring section, there are a lot of different choices and options available, making it easier to find a tutor that will work well for your needs.
For instance, for just $50 an hour, you can hire a Specialist. For long-term tutoring arrangements, the total cost can go even lower than that.
If your child requires in-depth tutoring, consider going with the Master Plan. Tutors who participate in this service have a minimum of five years worth of prior experience.
For a slightly less expensive option, consider going with a tutor at the Expert level. With more than 100 hours of experience, these tutors are more than qualified to help your child.
The most important thing to remember is that you should never opt for an extremely cheap tutor as a way of trying to save money. This is one situation where you get what you pay for. Research tutors carefully, taking into account not only how much they charge but also the level of experience that they bring to the table.
Mistake #3 – Failing To Get Your Student The Help That They Need
Even though all of these mistakes can negatively impact your child’s chances of success, none of them compare to the largest mistake, which is failing to hire a tutor for your child if they need help preparing for the exams. Test preparation is a time-consuming process. Don’t wait until right before the test to hire a tutor. Instead, hire one well in advance so that there is plenty of time for your student to prepare.