“I have an exam in two days, and I am completely lost. Can you find someone who can teach me the material?”
At Signet, we get this type of call pretty often. When a student has reached this point, it’s too late to worry about deep learning, and a tutor will most likely be doing damage control. We can still help, but not nearly as much as we could have if you had called us earlier!
To help you or your student avoid this situation, here are four warning signs that might help you recognize that it’s time to call a tutor before it’s too late.
1. “I’ve done everything I can, but nothing is working.”
There are a number of reasons why, despite putting in the time and energy, your efforts just don’t seem to be paying off. Maybe you missed a fundamental concept, or maybe you need to rethink your approach to studying the material. Whether it’s test prep, tutoring, or staying organized, an expert perspective from the outside can help troubleshoot your issue quickly and effectively.
2. “Things were going so well, but now I’m struggling.”
If you were previously succeeding but have recently seen a decline in grades or understanding, an expert tutor can help figure out where you fell off track. A tutor can help, regardless of whether the drop off occurred within a single semester or in the transition to middle school, high school, college, or graduate school.
3.“I couldn’t care less about this subject.”
If this is you, watch out! Especially if your task is challenging, this is a situation that can lead to procrastination and less-than-stellar performance. If you have a test or class that you just can’t seem to get excited about, a dynamic tutor can help make it more exciting, or at least help you get through it more quickly.
4. “I’m bad at ________.”
This is an all-too-common scenario that is usually remedied by some patient, focused tutoring. We’ve seen students go from being “bad at chemistry” to wanting to major in chemistry, all because of an inspiring and effective tutor. A tutor can quickly diagnose your weaknesses and give you clear strategies for overcoming whatever obstacles you may be facing.
If you’re encountering any of these issues, consider getting a tutor immediately. In many instances, if you catch your issue early on, just a few tutoring sessions can get you back on track. And, it’s never too early! A few hours of focused tutoring at the beginning of your studies might save you days of frustration and anxiety in the long run.
