Are you thinking about finding a tutor for your elementary, middle school or high school student?  Your first concerns might be: how do I go about choosing a tutor? And which kind of tutoring – online or in-person – will be the best fit for my child? You might also wonder whether online tutoring is as effective as in-person tutoring. Is it worth the investment?  Furthermore, you may be asking yourself whether your teen has the time after school or practice to go to a tutoring center. Or, if your own busy schedule allows you to drop off your younger child for a lesson. 

At Tungsten, all our tutoring is convenient and personalized one-on-one support. There is no tutoring center to get to and no parking spot to find. Instead, our highly qualified tutors meet with your student online or in-person at your home, school, or local library. 

During your first meeting with our Outreach Parent Coordinator we will get to know you and your family’s needs as we help you decide whether online or in-person tutoring is the best fit for your student. 

Our personalized process matches your child with an experienced and personable tutor to provide academic subject support, AP or standardized test prep, or college application essay coaching. 

Still undecided about how to proceed? Here are some considerations to inform your thinking about online versus in-person support:      

When Online Tutoring is the Better Fit: 

Online tutoring has become increasingly popular over the past five years. The pandemic significantly impacted the rise of virtual education, when most schools shifted to online learning. Students became familiar with new models and learned how to navigate the intricacies of Zoom and other online platforms. Although the pandemic is behind us, online tutoring may continue to be the best choice for some students. 

• Online tutoring can be perfect for a busy high school student’s schedule. When time is of the essence, your student can easily squeeze in sessions after school, later in the evening, during study hall, or on the weekends. 

• When tutors work from their own homes, they have more flexibility and don’t run the risk of getting stuck in rush hour traffic. With online tutoring, your child’s tutor will always arrive on time! 

• Choosing a tutor who can work virtually gives you the widest selection of tutors since an online tutor is not limited by geography or time zones. Tungsten tutors work online with students living many time zones away – from Hawaii to London – and with students who live all across the DMV. 

• Parents can get a discount for online tutoring. Many tutoring companies have kept their in-person rates the same as their online tutoring rates. At Tungsten, we believe families should enjoy a discount if they save our tutors a commute. 

• Online tutoring eases health considerations. If a student or a tutor has a cold or another mild illness and still wants to meet, the online session can easily move forward without concerns about getting the other party sick. 

• Online tutoring is also great for students whose families travel regularly and for students who go out of town often for athletic commitments. When a lesson is online, there is no need to reschedule; the student and the tutor continue to meet regardless of their location. 

• Online meeting platforms have become increasingly sophisticated at meeting educational needs. Students and their Tungsten tutors are adept at screen sharing, whether it be working together to review and edit essays and research papers on Google Docs or studying authentic practice content for the SAT and ACT. Tungsten math tutors also utilize software to help write out equations and visually demonstrate practice problems.   

When In-Person Tutoring may be the Better Fit: 

Despite its convenience and flexibility, online tutoring may not be a good fit for every student. Our personalized support means understanding that tutoring location matters.  

• Online tutoring is typically not the best option for younger students. A student in elementary school or lower middle school often learns better with an in-person tutor sitting beside them to help them navigate schoolwork. The younger the student is, even if they are digital natives, the more quickly they will develop a good rapport with a tutor if they are in the same room. 

• Online fatigue is a real thing. Students, from middle school age on, may spend much of their free time online (on Instagram, TikTok, or messaging their friends) and may welcome a break from socializing through their devices and look forward to meeting with a tutor in-person. 

• In-person lessons can be particularly effective for students of all ages who have various learning challenges such as ADHD, auditory or language processing disorders. These students may focus best by having a tutor in the next chair or sitting across from them at the dining room table. An in-person tutor can more easily observe the facial expressions and body language of their student and know when to take a break or change the topic to refocus a wandering mind.  

• Having a tutor come to your home may be helpful for parents as well. Getting a chance to meet your child’s tutor in person and being able to ask questions in real time gives a parent a chance to check-in. While there are certainly opportunities to check-in with a tutor online as well, it can be easier for a parent at home to speak with a tutor at the beginning or the end of a tutoring session. Sometimes a parent may even want to sit in on a portion of a lesson and observe how the student and tutor work together.  

• Online tutoring may be convenient, but occasionally it is not without its technical glitches. If the internet connection at your home tends to be inconsistent, learning may be impaired. In-person tutoring is free of technological concerns. 

Finding a Tutor 

You may still be undecided as to whether an online or in-person tutor will be the best fit for your child. 

This is where Tungsten‘s Parent Outreach Coordinator, Sheena Martin comes in. In your introductory meeting with Sheena, you can share information about your child, their academic experiences, and their individual needs. Using this and her knowledge of our tutors, she helps pair families with the best tutor for their needs in the location that best supports the student. 

• The care Tungsten Prep takes in finding a great student-tutor match distinguishes us from many of our competitors. We believe that students learn best when they work with a tutor who not only knows the content, but also has the right personality and approach to boost their confidence, motivate them, and make learning enjoyable. Many students learn best when they can relate personally to their tutor.  

• Whether you choose an online or in-person tutor, you will receive a detailed report after each session. Our Parent Outreach Coordinator maintains open lines of communication with each family and is available to discuss any academic goals or testing plans. Regardless of the subject, you can be assured that they will receive the same level of quality support through online tutoring as they would through in-person tutoring. 

• Another factor that sets Tungsten apart from other tutoring companies is our emphasis on building long-term relationships with our families. For this reason, many of our families return to Tungsten for help year after year, either with the same child or with their siblings, and recommend us to their friends and loved ones. 

Tungsten Prep is dedicated to providing a personalized approach in its one-on-one tutoring both online and in-person. It is the mission of our tutors to help your child find the joy and success in learning at every age.  

To learn more about our services, check them out now or get in touch. We look forward to meeting you!