Tutoring: the wake up call!
From time to time, our tutors tell me that the first couple of tutoring sessions is a wake up call for students who have fallen behind. In the second half of the spring semester, the margin for error becomes slimmer, and students really need to step on the gas to make up for lost time. When the tutor presents a plan to the student for doing this, what usually results is a little jolt to the system-- a wake up call.

Parents usually are relieved to have someone take over and get proactive about getting their student in gear. They also know that having a third party expert handling the situation makes it more likely the student will listen and follow through. When the weeks are slipping by toward May and June, there is no time to lose!

Of course, we never want a tutor to alienate a student by being to hard on him or her. That is why our tutors are experts at developing rapport with students quickly, getting on their side, and laying out a plan that is both doable and has a high probability of success. And the tutor is there every week, many times more than once per week, to guide the student through the plan.