You give up, you just don’t get it. No matter how hard you try; no matter what learning methods you use: the material just doesn’t want to get into your head. Not even blunt memorization works.
If you have problems in a very specific subject or maybe even in several modules at the same time, there is no reason to panic. Everyone goes through these phases during their studies. It only becomes critical when you completely lose perspective and cannot access your lecture content at all.
At the end of the semester, your exams are waiting for you – and somehow you have to get through them. The only question is: how is that supposed to work? What can you do against the huge board in front of your head?
Private tutoring
Tutoring could be the solution for you. But how useful is tutoring for students? And when will that give you the boost you need to pass your exams?
When tutoring makes sense for you
During your studies, you should learn to work independently and on your own responsibility. Of course, your lecturers will provide you with all the relevant content and explain the material as well as possible – but sometimes that’s just not enough.
It doesn’t matter whether the topics are too complex, you simply don’t have access or your motivation is in the basement: you need help.
And what this help should look like depends heavily on your personality and your individual situation. So, before you decide on a tutor or external crash courses, you have to weigh up and think carefully about whether this really makes sense for you.
For this reason, I have put together the most important advantages and disadvantages for you.
Benefits of tutoring for students
In January 2016, according to the research, more than a million schoolchildren throughout the US regularly receive private tuition. Tutoring at school is therefore widespread and already socially acceptable. But what exactly speaks for it?
These are the three main benefits of tutoring:
Tutoring is binding
If you consider GCSE English Tutor, you pay money for it. Even the regular payment of a not inconsiderable sum can prove to be a real motivation booster for you. You also set appointments with your teacher that you have to stick to – canceling and postponing is hardly possible. This ensures that you continuously deal with your learning material.
Tutoring is therefore a regular obligation for you, which costs you time and money. It is authoritative and a means by which you can gun yourself in the chest. Bet you want to understand the material as quickly as possible?
Your tutor
In your tutor you will usually find a mentor who you would rather ask for advice than your professor or his assistant. Your tutor doesn’t judge you. And if he does, his judgment doesn’t matter to you. A good tutor will be happy to explain the same thing to you three times; or more often. He will help you until you really understand the material.
So, you can look forward to one-to-one support, where your tutor will be by your side with advice and action and will lead you to success.
Tutoring is individual
Tutoring is all about you. You are not sitting in a lecture hall or doing an exercise with dozens of other students who have not understood different aspects. It’s all about your personal weaknesses in a particular subject.
You don’t have to listen to what your fellow students can’t do; you can selfishly work on yourself with the help of your tutor.
Ultimately, and without a lot of digital fanfare, you can also look for your tutor the traditional way: On some online websites, you will find many offers from more experienced fellow students and professional service providers who offer you, their help.
Disadvantages of tutoring for students
Even if the advantages of tutoring are obvious, you must not ignore the negative aspects when making your decision.
These are the three biggest disadvantages of tutoring:
Tutoring only helps selectively
Tutoring only supports you with a specific technical problem. On the other hand, if you are not motivated or your study planning was crap, you need other support.
You then need strategic advice that will help you in the long term and sustainably. Student counseling at the university, mentoring programs or psychological counseling facilities are better suited for this.
Tutoring is expensive
Even if the hole in your wallet that the tutoring tears creates a certain liability, you should not underestimate the costs of tutoring.
These can vary greatly depending on the subject, region, and the skill and popularity of your teacher. Individual tutoring for subjects in particular can be really expensive with a professional tutor. Group offers or students from higher semesters who offer you their support are usually a little cheaper. Here you will find offers for individual lessons starting at around 15 dollars. But that is rather the lower end of the flagpole.
Tutoring feigns security
Tutoring alone is not enough. Getting a few minutes of study support once or twice a week isn’t enough for you to be successful in your studies. It’s a nice addition, but you’ll have to do the hard, actual work yourself.
Taking advantage of tutoring can make you feel overconfident and think you don’t need to do anything else with your studies. And that attitude is dangerous.
Conclusion
Tutoring can be really good for you and significantly improve your academic performance. But it can also be a failure and slow you down.
It is only worth investing your time and money in tutoring if you have a really concrete, factual problem. So, you should ask yourself where you actually need help and whether you can help yourself or someone else (fellow students, tutors, professors, study advisors).
Tutoring is not a miracle cure for problems in your studies. Especially not if these problems have to do with your organization, learning strategy or motivation. If you have understood this and use tutoring to solve technical difficulties, you are on the right track.