Is tutoring worth the money?

[beeangkah]

Right now I only do chemistry tutoring... but I want to pick up 2u+3u eng and 2u+3u maths as well... is it worth the time & money for HSC?
Usually do private tutors go through both 2u & 3u topics in a session?

I'm kind of desperate 

[jamonwindeyer]

Hey! There is no set rule for what tutors will do - A good one will ask you what you want, and if that is 2U+3U in the same session then that's what you get

Getting tutoring for every single subject will be expensive (probably), so it's important to know that there are other options. Tutoring is amazing, if you need it, and pretty lame if you don't. For example, maybe for English you just need someone to read over your essays, you can do that on ATAR Notes for nothing. If it is just the odd question or concept in Math, again, you can do that on AN for free. Just needing more practice? Heaps of past papers, either from the NESA website or from a topic test style product like this. All of these will cost less than tutoring (if anything) and so are great options if you think they are all you need!

If, however, you need someone to give personalised assistance for an extended period on a regular basis, then of course tutoring is awesome and totally worth it. That's what it is for. Not if you need odd questions answered or the occasional read of an assignment, but if you need that regular, comprehensive help that tutoring provides.

Fit for purpose is the big thing. So many students spend heaps on tutoring when they'd be just as fine with asking a few questions on the forums and doing a couple of extra practice papers. If you do want to pick up tutoring for those subjects, be sure it is worth it so you get bang for your buck

[Potatohater]

Just to add to Jamon's points, it is perfectly possible to do well without tutoring, using free/cheap resources, as this is what I did. However, as a tutor now myself, I have met students who really do need the extra personal extended help. So yes, I'd agree it all comes down to your needs and what you expect to get out of tutoring. I've also got students who really could do much better just asking the odd question on the forums etc. and not only is this a lot more expensive than nessecary for the student but can also make things awkward for me when they run out of things they need explained within the first 10 mins or so (I guess it's good I'm getting paid but it's kinda scary that once they realise they don't need me I lose a job)
As for weather they do 2u and 3u in a session, it should be up to you, as from my experience it's important to ask the student what they want help with, rather than enforcing it upon them.
If you do decide you want a tutor, then it's definatley worth the money if they meet or exceed your expectations and you feel you are improving for a price you can reasonably afford.

[Razeen25]

Hi!
I think its really true that you can do well without tutoring with hard work. But sometimes a subject is just too much and it can be really difficult to just learn it on your own. I started getting English tutoring (now I also get biology) in the beginning of Year 12 and my first assessment results improved sooo much. Like just the extra notes, the extra feedback, the extra support, it all gives me an extra peace of mind and I feel more confident about the subject overall. Also, especially for english, the feedback and essay guides my tutor provides is 100x better than that of my teachers. So I definitely think it would be beneficial to invest in tutoring, especially since its just for a few months which is left of the HSC now!
: )

[Fizzycyst]

Right now I only do chemistry tutoring... but I want to pick up 2u+3u eng and 2u+3u maths as well... is it worth the time & money for HSC?
Usually do private tutors go through both 2u & 3u topics in a session?

I'm kind of desperate 

Totally depends on the tutor that you get and what your goals are.

If you want to be right at the very top, it is very hard (not impossible though) to do that without any help outside of the classroom and whilst resources like AN and past paper sites are awesome, they don’t substitute a good tutor going through your problems in real time, ensuring your understanding.

I find group tuition works amazingly well for students at the top (bouncing ideas around and coming up with alternative solutions etc..), whereas if you’re struggling, 1-to-1 is where your time (and extra money) should be spent, but again, if you find that tutor doesn’t work for you, don’t stay!

I would imagine for English, Tuition would be amazing! Getting constant feedback on all your memorised essays, making sure you use the correct techniques etc.. Teachers really don’t have time to give individual feedback for your essays submission after submission, but that’s what English tutors get paid to do!

I think you should try it, see if it helps and go from there!

[dcesaona]

I battle with the same question. I think it's worth it if you find a tutor that is right for you! For instance, I have had 2 modern tutors. I'm extremely indecisive so whenever I ask a question I like an opinion to help me re-direct and gather my thoughts. My first tutor would leave it up to me and say 'well what do you think', and although it did challenge me to try and work out the answer, it didn't exactly help me. However, my second tutor tells me honestly what she thinks, how I should go about it, and then she leaves it up to me. If you get a tutor, make sure they know how you like to work and what kind of teaching approach you want from them, therefore, you can get the best out of the money you're paying. Another thing, is that my second tutor edits my responses in extreme detail. She goes through each and every line and picks out what is wrong with it (down to the grammar). This is exactly the kind of depth of help I was seeking. Again, you must remember to not be reliant on your tutor. They're there as a guide and you still have to put in a ton of work to succeed.

Hope this helps!