5-Step Checklist for Finding a Good High School Tutor

As we near the end of the spring semester, you might be wondering if a tutor can help you pull up your grades. But what exactly makes a good tutor? And how can you find a good tutor that is actually affordable?

Here is a 5 question checklist that can guide your search.

1. Do they know the subject?

High schoolers are working on advanced subjects. It is best to find a tutor who has expertise in the specific class you need help in. This may seem like common sense but tutors are often hired because they “seem smart" or come from a well-known university. Sometimes parents just hire any older student who has passed the same class in the prior year. However, research shows that a tutor’s expertise in the subject matter makes a difference. If you need help with AP Bio, you want someone who has actually mastered AP Bio.

Luckily the nonprofit UPchieve has qualified tutors in over a dozen subjects. All UPchieve tutors must be certified in the specific subject that they teach. For example, tutors must pass a Calculus qualification test and not just a generic math test. Plus, UPchieve’s online tutors receive additional subject-specific training material, courses, and support.

In fact, many of our tutors are professionals in their fields. The next time you log into the UPchieve app (iOS, Android, browser) you may meet a neuroscientist, biologist, or mechanical engineer! You can feel assured that your UPchieve tutor has mastered the topic you need help with.

2. Do they have tutoring experience?

Being brilliant at math does not necessarily mean you can be brilliant at teaching math. As they say, teaching is a craft that gets better through practice.

All UPchieve tutors have tutoring training. Many join UPchieve with a lengthy background in tutoring (both paid and volunteer). However, if a new volunteer has never tutored before, we provide tools and training to bring them up to speed. We want our students and our coaches to be successful.

Students write to us saying

[My UPchieve coach] MICHEAL IS AMAZING. MY Geometry teacher has a masters from an Ivy League university and still can’t teach. Y’all are literally the best.

- Fatoumata, Student

This is one reason why we call our UPchieve tutors "Academic Coaches." A great coach does more than help you with homework. They provide an all-around enriching learning experience.

You can expect your UPchieve coach to break down the topic that you are struggling with. They can guide you, step-by-step, to find the answers you need. They will make you feel comfortable enough to ask questions. They can mold your study skills with solid advice and a growth mindset.

3. Are they affordable? Free?

Many students hesitate to look into tutoring because of the cost. High-quality tutors usually come at a high cost, especially if you go through a professional agency.

UPchieve tutoring is 100% free, always. No, seriously. UPchieve is a nonprofit aimed at supporting low-income and Title 1 students. Our tutors are passionate about equity. They are motivated to bring high-quality education to every student. You can reach our coaches as many times as you need to, talk as long as you want, and never pay a single penny.

I never thought I would come across a “free” tutoring. Every other place just haunts you with free trials but this was magical, amazing and outstanding class of help I have EVER received. Please keep up the awesome job, a lot of students need you guys!

- Zainab, Student

There are some other free tutoring options available to most students. For example, some high school teachers might offer free study sessions during office hours or after school. Public libraries and community centers may host after-school tutoring programs. The challenge in those situations is finding a match in your schedules. Which brings us to….

4. Are they available when I need them?

Match your tutoring schedule to your learning goals. If you need extra help for a one-time project, you might search for a tutor who can spend a block of time with you. If you are trying to pass a class, you might want to meet with a tutor more frequently for extra study support. However, if your goal is to understand a difficult subject, you may need to see a tutor regularly - even daily.

Find a tutor who is available when you are. Some tutoring agencies limit sessions between 3 pm - 7 pm. However, your afternoon schedule might be packed with activities, work, and family life. There might be long nights when you find yourself with no one to call for help. Wouldn't it be perfect if you could call a tutor at midnight? 

UPchieve tutors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How? Our tutors live in different time zones across the country (and even across the world). Our tutors are professionals and students who can set their own flexible hours to log into the app. It takes less than 5 minutes to be connected with our coaches. 

“This was a really fast and convenient experience. It is so late night/ early morning where I am, and the coach responded very quickly. I love this and I will definitely use this again.

-Shay, Student

5. Do I feel comfortable?

Granted, your tutor does not have to be your best friend. However, it is really important that you feel safe, listened to, and supported during a tutoring session. Sometimes students can feel negative and self-conscious after struggling with school. The best kind of academic coach can help you remember how capable you are.

We are flooded with UPchieve student testimonials that vouch for our level of support. It is the most common kind of feedback students send, which shows us how important that comfort is for learning.

I’m a very shy person even remotely talking to someone but I felt free talking to [my UPchieve coach, Ferzana]. She made the conversation engaging and educative at the same time.

-Osa, 9th Grade Student

Here is what other high schoolers have said about UPchieve tutors:

• “[My coach] held my hand through the entire process and wouldn’t let me give up. I now understand soooo much more about my homework., - A’Zariah, Student

• ‘[My coach] was nice and patient and I really liked her as a coach. I wish I could meet her in real life and give her a hug :) “ - Tacarra, Student

• “Normally when I ask for help my teachers get frustrated with me and plow through it but [my coach] was really good about helping me understand no matter how many times I asked,” - Hailey, Student

• “Alexander is the GOAT” - Dylan, Student

We wrote earlier that experienced tutors know how to make students feel comfortable. It is no wonder that our sessions have been called "magical, amazing, and outstanding."

Plus, UPchieve is anonymous. UPchieve tutoring takes place online but not on Zoom. There is no audio or video component, so you don’t even need to set up a camera. Instead, tutors meet students in a text-based, whiteboard-equipped virtual classroom. This platform offers the most secure environment for even the shyest of students.

Final Checklist for Finding a Good High School Tutor

• Subject mastery

• Tutoring experience

• Affordability

• Time availability

• Supportive, safe environment

Upchieve meets all of your tutoring needs! To see if you qualify for free tutoring, check your school or zipcode on our student page. We can’t wait to meet you!