As California’s education budget suffers numerous cuts, parents have been turning to tutoring programs for help.
A recent tutoring increase throughout the nation has emerged for a number of reasons. Competitive college admissions, distracted students and larger classroom sizes have caused modern learning environments to change drastically, forcing parents to seek assistance outside the classroom.
Tutoring costs can be as cheap as $20, but for more elite business can charge upwards of $200 per session. With tutoring company giants such as Princeton Review or Sylvan Learning Center charging hundreds of dollars for test preparation, local companies can often offer a better deal for parents.
Founder of San Diego Tutor Dennis Adelpour said his company tries to make it inexpensive by offering scholarships and financial aid.
“We try to make it as affordable as possible,” he said.
Adelpour said he has seen tutoring needs increased since he started his company 10 years ago, and credits it to increasing competition for college admissions.
“Schools are getting much tougher to get into, but students aren’t getting the one-on-one assistance that they used to,” he said.
Aside from offering a price advantage, smaller companies may also be able to offer a more personalized plan for students.
Owner of Atutors.org Jupiter Morissey critiqued larger tutoring companies for not being individualized enough. Since many use a classrooms-style approach, Morissey worries that students don’t get the full benefit.
“Parents need to make sure they’re getting one-on-one home tutoring … it will make a huge difference.”
Even in a struggling economy, the tutoring business is continuing to grow nationwide. Adelpour believes the reason the business could become recession-proof is because parents will always be willing to invest in education.
“Parents know that their kids are our future to build our economy in years to come,” he said.
