Academic Coaching or Tutoring – Which Does Your College Student Need?
Witnessing your student struggle in college can bring up all sorts of emotions, fear, worry, or doubt.
Parenting a college student can feel like one of the most challenging times for a parent.
It’s an incredible time of growth and change for your student.
It’s not uncommon for even the overachieving type of student to struggle with adjusting to the academic rigor of college, and their grades may suffer.
For the first time ever, you may notice gaps in necessary skill sets such as time management, problem-solving, goal setting, and stress tolerance.
Data from a YouScience survey reported that 75% of graduates felt “moderately, slightly, or not at all prepared” for what might come next after high school.
The team at Your Academic Coach is even more committed to coming alongside you as a trusted resource. We can help your student learn the necessary skills to succeed in college and beyond.
One of the questions our coaches receive most from concerned parents is, “How does Academic Coaching differ from Tutoring?”
The line may feel blurry, but there are a few key questions you can ask yourself to determine if tutoring or coaching is needed for your student.
ACADEMIC COACHING
In general, an Academic Coach will help your student with the foundational skills they need to achieve personal success in all areas of their life. Our team works specifically with executive functioning skills like time management, prioritizing & planning, task initiation, organization, as well as attention and focus.
An Academic Coach will have the goal of helping students increase their confidence and become more effective learners.
TUTORING
A Tutor may also help a student with some of the above skills, but generally, tutors help students with specific academic-related material. Tutors will help students complete assignments, prepare for specific tests or exams, and learn concrete skills the student needs help understanding.
A Tutor will have the goal to help students understand and master specific content as well as to improve their grades in a class.
Questions to help you determine which your student needs – Academic Coach or Tutor?
- Does my student struggle with a specific subject, such as Biology?
- Does my student need help to understand a particular academic skill, such as Algebra or Accounting?
- Does my student need to prepare for a standardized test such as the MCAT or LSAT?
- Does my student understand how to get started with work, understand the process to complete the work, and is capable of sustained effort to complete the work?
If you answer YES to any of the above questions, then a Tutor might be what your student needs.
- Does my student need help in several or all subject areas?
- Does my student need help with general skills like note-taking, study habits, organization, or time management?
- Is my student disorganized and needs help planning and to learn how to prioritize across their academics and extracurricular activities?
- Does my student need help with problem-solving skills or self-motivation?
If you answer YES to any of the above questions, your student may benefit from working with a personal Academic Coach.
FIND THE RIGHT FIT
Academic Coaching and Tutoring are both forms of educational support, but they have distinct differences in their goals, methods, and focus.
Here at Your Academic Coach, it’s our goal to be a valuable resource for you and your student. If you have questions about Academic Coaching, please schedule a Discovery Call.
I would love to connect and help you determine what’s best for your family. We are here to help!
