As both a parent with kids struggling in certain subjects, and a former tutor who worked both freelance and for a company, I’ve had quite a bit of experience with tutoring in general. As a parent, you want to hire a tutor who will not simply help your child with specific homework assignments or upcoming tests, but who will inspire in your child a desire to make improvements on her own. You’ll also want to hire a tutor who gives you the best price. Here are a few reasons why you should hire local university students to tutor your child.

1. As opposed to tutoring companies, price is negotiable with college students.

Although I’ve never used the services of a tutoring company for my children, I’ve worked for one company before. These companies charge exorbitant fees (while only a small portion goes to the tutor), and they use a very formulaic training method that’s uninspiring and hardly ever produces results. College students who are tutoring to earn some extra money are often much more reasonably priced, and you have more wiggle room to bargain.

2. University students are more flexible with their time.

Everyone’s schedule is packed these days, children inevitably fall sick, or some other emergency comes up. If you purchased a tutoring package through a tutoring company like Sylvan or Princeton Review, you’ll inevitably end up paying cancellation fees. While you certainly don’t want to make it a habit of leaving your college student tutor in the lurch, I’ve found that college students are much more laid back and flexible about scheduling tutoring sessions.

3. College students can relate to your child better than adults can.

As opposed to adult tutors, college student tutors relate to high school or middle school students much better simply because they’re students, too. Having attended high school only a few years ago, they are better acquainted with the kind of pressures that students these days face. I’ve found that empathy plays a huge role in successful tutoring. Even though your child may be struggling with a specific subject, most problems stem from lack of confidence, not lack of ability. Having a relatable tutor can inspire your child to work harder. College students can also give your child advice about college admissions and other things to expect once he or she makes the transition into a university setting.

These are just a few reasons to opt for the freelance college student tutor instead of getting a tutor through a third party. The easiest way to find one is to place an ad in university newspapers. You can also find student tutors by visiting university websites and blogs, where university students sometimes advertise their services. Finding a solid tutor is no easy task, but by looking to your local higher education institution, you’ll be sure to find one who is well-versed in the tutoring subject matter, friendly, and, above all, passionate about the subject they teach.

H.E. is a freelance writer based in Houston, TX. She often contributes content to OnlineUniversities.com.

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