How common is it for high schooler to have a tutor?

[Anonymous]

My freshman DS has mentioned in passing multiple times (each time a different kid) that so and so couldn’t make it to something because they had tutoring. These are all kids who play sports with DS and many of whom are in advanced/intensified classes with him.

This got me wondering how common it is for high school students, especially in our area, to have tutors to stay/get ahead (not remedial from what I can tell) and if my DS is at a disadvantage for not having a tutor. Lol. He’s managing fine now as a freshman (honor roll every quarter) despite playing multiple sports and taking mostly intensified and one AP class. But wondering if we should be more proactive in making sure he’s set up for success as his coursework will get increasingly difficult as he progresses through high school.

Or feel free to tell me I’m being THAT mom and I should back TF off and relax.

[Anonymous]

Pretty much all my kids' friends have tutors in one to three subjects. These are all kids in advanced classes.

[Anonymous]

My 10th grader has a writing tutor, but it's very much remedial: writing single paragraphs is a struggle.

[Anonymous]

I teach high school math. Around 1/4 of my students have a math tutor. Another 1/4 have a parent who is helping with assignments.

[Anonymous]

Walk into your local library after 4 and on Saturday and see how many rooms and desk areas are taken up by tutors. We lived in an area where 95% of the kids went to a 4 year college after high school. Probably 2/3rds of the kids had tutoring. How do you think you get high stats? Magic?

[Anonymous]

Same story here. We were hearing about it a lot. Then, a class came around sophomore year that totally through my DC for a loop and the teacher didn't seem to know how to help. So, add us to the families that have a tutor. I think it's super common. Again, why are we in this situation? Oh yeah, the kids are pushed to take all APs and they either aren't ready, the content isn't taught well and/or the test has a 50% pass rate and that's enough to freak everyone out.

[Anonymous]

Additional thing to note is that you are likely not in a position to judge whether it’s “remedial” or not. My DD works with a tutor. She has several LDs, and working with a tutor helps her stay on track. So no longer remedial (it was when we first started working with a tutor years ago), but she’d definitely fall behind without it. Unless you know our family closely or one of DD’s close friends, you wouldn’t necessarily know about the LDs.

[Anonymous]

My DD had tutors for Algebra 2, Pre-calc, and a few sessions for AP Calc. She's just not strong in those subjects and I am completely hopeless and couldn't help her. She also has ADHD and math seems to trigger those issues more than other subjects.

[Anonymous]

My kids have had tutors in high school for the subjects they need support in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Walk into your local library after 4 and on Saturday and see how many rooms and desk areas are taken up by tutors. We lived in an area where 95% of the kids went to a 4 year college after high school. Probably 2/3rds of the kids had tutoring. How do you think you get high stats? Magic?

A very high percentage. My kids go to a college prep HS so 100% of them go to a 4 year college. Most have tutors at some point. Mine did for the SAT but not for regular subjects.

[Anonymous]

Mine had tutors where they needed help. For DS that was a writing and EF tutor in 9th grade and French in 9th-10th. For DD, French in 9th and then math in 10th-11th.

We learned with #1 that our middle school does an awful job teaching the basics of French grammar so the 9th grade French tutor was helping them get up to speed on what the MS didn't teach. We recommended that tutor to a lot of people coming out of our MS's French program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walk into your local library after 4 and on Saturday and see how many rooms and desk areas are taken up by tutors. We lived in an area where 95% of the kids went to a 4 year college after high school. Probably 2/3rds of the kids had tutoring. How do you think you get high stats? Magic?

A very high percentage. My kids go to a college prep HS so 100% of them go to a 4 year college. Most have tutors at some point. Mine did for the SAT but not for regular subjects.

It probably depends on the school and the area where you live, but in "high-performing" schools and districts, a high percentage of advanced students have either outside tutors or help from a parent or family member.

[Anonymous]

My 9th grader has math tutor to stay on track. It's not remedial and it's not getting him ahead but without it he'd likely struggle (judging from prior years).

[Anonymous]

My kids were in magnet public schools. It is common for many high performing students to be tutored by professionals or their parents, so that they can master content that goes deeper and wider than the curriculum. It is quite common to also study subjects and topics not covered in the curriculum. The depth and breadth of their knowledge not only helps them to have good grades and take advanced courses at school, but also, allows them to have opportunities at college where they can handle multiple majors with ease.

[Anonymous]

Mine does. It’s common for kids who are struggling and for kids in advanced math classes.

The reason I have one for my kid is because the teacher has a flipped-classroom model where you learn outside of classroom time and work through equations & ask questions during class. The teacher is terrifying and many kids don’t get satisfying answers. Most bomb the tests, and eventually the kids all get tutors, unless they have an older sibling who took the class.