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WHERE TO START: TOP TUTORS There are nearly 800 tutoring franchises across America. Parents and professionals singled these out:
HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTERS huntingtonhelps.com uFocus: Assessments take child’s learning style into account. uScope: Hundreds of locations. uOf Note: All tutors are degreed and hold state or Huntington certification; centers are accredited by either the Middle States Association or Western Association of Schools and Colleges; no contracts required.
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KUMON MATH & READING CENTERS kumon.com uFocus: Rigorous methodology requires daily practice and repetition in a self-paced environment; worksheets are completed both at home and centers. Speed, accuracy, organization and proficiency are emphasized. uScope: 1,400+ locations. uOf Note: Instructors are trained in the Kumon method, but not necessarily in subject matter.
MATHNASIUM mathnasium.com uFocus: Results are based on monthly enrollment and several weekly “workouts.” Students master computation and problem-solving as a foundation for algebra, geometry, trigonometry and pre-calculus. uScope: 1,000+ locations. uOf Note: Games build skills, encouraging a love of math; uses mental, tactile, verbal and written teaching techniques; incentive program.
TUTOR DOCTOR tutordoctor.com uFocus: In-home, personalized, one-on-one tutoring. uScope: 28,000+ global instructors. uOf Note: Offers nine tutoring programs, including those for veterans and students with special needs; tailors teaching to schoolwork; 60-day money back guarantee.
VARSITY TUTORS varsitytutors.com uFocus: Online, live-learning platform matching students with vetted experts in less than four seconds. uScope 1,000+ subjects and 40,000 tutors. uOf Note: Delivered 3 million+ hours of tutoring to 200,000 students. GETTY IMAGES
in Georgia and we needed help, there was someone available on the other side of the country — or the world. If we had to ramp up for a test or tackle challenging material, we didn’t have to sign up for a long program. So cost wasn’t a barrier.” Margie Wojciechowski of Scottsdale, Ariz., has twin girls, Miranda and Morgan, who began struggling with math in fifth grade. Wojciechowski was shocked at her daughters’ test results. “While I knew they struggled, I didn’t realize the extent of their deficit. They were still counting on their fingers, and their math confidence was low,” she says. “They were frustrated; there was complaining and tears — it took two hours a night to complete 30 math problems. I felt it was time to take math support to the next level. So we signed up for Kumon,” says Wojciechowski, referring to the popular math and reading tutoring program. While they are still working to improve, homework time has already dropped by half and test scores improved over six months. “I’m so proud of my girls’ resilience and hard work,” Wojciechowski says. “Their grades are huge confidence boosters. Now they come home and say, ‘I got this, Mom.’” l