When to Hire a Tutor

It's Back-to-School time and Sara's Little Formula is focused on when to hire a tutor in order to have greater academic success this school year.

So many people only think of hiring a tutor when a student is failing - and there are two or three weeks left before the exam.  Rarely do things improve in this scenario.  The stress and struggle have already taken their toll on the student - and the family as a whole.  So I'm providing a few things to think about when thinking about hiring a tutor.

1. Set the stage for success at the beginning of the school year.  Based on last year's grades in a particular subject (math for example), hire a tutor early in the academic year if the student experienced a lot of difficulty with the subject-area.  If the student did poorly in algebra 1, hire a tutor early in the algebra 2 course in order to avoid the same stress and struggle in the new school year.
2. When grades are dropping, stress is increasing.  Avoid further decreasing grades by hiring a tutor to get the student back on track quickly.  
3. When the student is disorganized and struggling, hire a tutor to help with organization.  The student will become more organized and will struggle less.  Stress and struggle lead to many other issues - so hire a tutor quickly.
4. When the student is consistently making B's and C's, but is capable of making A's a tutor can make all the difference.  This is extremely important when trying to improve grades and overall GPA in high school prior to applying for college.  
5. When the student is making good grades but doesn't really understand the concepts of the subject a tutor can bring clarity rather quickly.  This is extremely important in sequential courses.  Students need a solid foundation in order to move ahead easily.
6. Before taking the SAT or ACT, hiring a tutor is money well spent.  You want to make the most of the testing situation with a tutor who can provide specific test-taking strategies and a few tweaks to improve your score.  This is extremely important in making sure the college of your dreams is in sight.

Hiring a tutor is an important part of a successful academic year.  The results for the student include:

• building confidence
• reducing stress
• learning the concepts
• faster success
• improving grades
• improving test scores
• improving the overall GPA
• assisting in getting accepted into colleges
• happier learning experience

Getting Ready for the New Academic Year

Sara's Little Formula is focusing on the upcoming academic year and creating a successful academic year for all students.  SLF Consulting provides tutorials in math and reading, test prep for SAT, ACT, PSAT, Praxis, GRE, MCAT, GMAT, and other standardized tests, academic and instructional coaching, workshops for students on time management and study skills, as well as college transition.

For more than 30 years, Sara Fitts has developed a formula for student success (that is now named Sara's Little Formula) that provides the tools necessary for academic success at all levels.  By reducing stress and struggle, Sara Fitts has helped hundreds of students improve test scores, improve grades, and most importantly, improve their knowledge and understanding in order to become more successful.  The real payoff is confidence.