An Argument for Online GMAT Tutoring

An Argument for Online GMAT Tutoring GMAT MBA Admissions Blog Let’s start with a brief exploration of online tutoring in general, before tackling the question of why and how to pursue online GMAT tutoring. In a sense, online tutoring is a bit like online shopping. In the early days of the internet, circa 1995, if you listened to the hype, you would have thought that people were going to be doing all of their shopping online within 5-10 years. It seemed inevitable. It’s now been over 20 years, and we aren’t really close to that “100% online” scenario. On the other hand, if you think about how much online shopping we do indeed do, you realize the internet has fundamentally changed the way we shop in significant, positive ways: it’s a) much more convenient and b) has increased competition and lowered prices. What are the major general benefits of online tutoring vs. in-person tutoring? In general, there are three major benefits to online tutoring relative to in-person: a) convenience b) the ability to review the session in video or written form and c) pricing. I won’t go into too much detail here, but consider an in-person tutoring session. One or both parties (student and tutor) must leave their house, travel to a different location, and meet to conduct the tutoring. Information may be written down on paper, or spoken in real-time. Not all that is spoken is captured however, and the danger of losing the paper used during the session is always there. A lot can potentially be forgotten or lost. Online tutoring solves most of these problems, particularly if you use a virtual whiteboard that creates a PDF of the session, and records the entire experience for later review. In this article, Studiosity suggests that some students actual prefer to seek help electronically. That said, I see a few reasons why online tutoring didn’t gain faster traction and still has its detractors: The human element is hard to ignore for some people. There certainly is something to the physical connection of discussing an issue face-to-face. It’s why businesses continue to spend so much on airlines and hotels when WebEx meetings have been around for 15 years. Connectivity issues were a significant barrier for many years. If both parties didn’t have a fast-enough internet connection, listening to your tutor’s voice and following what is being written on the whiteboard would be buggy, slow, etc. Lack of comfort with technology is a significant barrier for some people. Online tutoring does require some amount of “set up,” software downloading, etc., there are enough barriers for that person to shy away from giving it a try. The ability to write well online was certainly lacking for a period of time, and drawing figures or doing math problems with a mouse doesn’t work very well. Even as tablets became more available and less expensive, the ability for any given tablet to interface with any given combination of computer, web-chat service, and whiteboard is still sometimes questionable. Reviewing notes was historically, something that was much easier to do “offline” by looking at the physical paper you worked on with your tutor. However, almost all of these barriers to online tutoring have been overcome, and new benefits have emerged. The human element is still an issue and a major barrier for some people, but I’d argue that it’s essentially the only issue at this point. In 2017, most people under 40 have been around technology long enough that lack of comfort with the basic tools required to engage in online tutoring isn’t an issue. Connectivity and the ability to write are problems that have been solved with faster internet speeds and low-cost writing tablets. And now, new benefits have emerged. Many services allow you to save PDF copies of notes from online tutoring sessions, and the ability to record sessions in their entirety is now widely available. This means you can go back and recall exactly what the instructor was talking about and how a problem was solved. Why is online GMAT tutoring a particularly good idea? I see six major reasons that online tutoring is particularly attractive for someone studying for the GMAT: The GMAT is administered online. Certain tests, like the ACT or the SAT, are still given via paper and pencil. But that’s not the case with the GMAT. The GMAT is administered online. It’s quite a different experience than taking a test in person. You must choose answers using a mouse, and if you do need to write something down, you are given a little mini erasable whiteboard to use. Getting comfortable working through problems while you’re studying for the GMAT is going to increase your familiarity with the environment you’ll face when sitting for the actual test. Efficiency and flexibility is particularly important for most GMAT test takers. In general, if you are studying for the GMAT, you’re a motivated, young professional with an increasing amount of professional responsibilities. To build a solid resume and application, you should probably be engaged in leadership and community service activities as well, and of course everyone wants to maintain relationships with friends and family. Saving time on travel, and negotiating schedules due to travel, is more important than it might seem. It takes time and adds stress to the whole process of working with a GMAT tutor if you must coordinate travel and logistics issues. The GMAT is a particularly difficult test, one in which both content expertise and strategy is critical. Restricting your tutor options to those who are physically near you may put you at a disadvantage. By getting comfortable with an online approach, you can access the most qualified GMAT tutors in the world, instead of just who happens to be available near you. The range of content covered, and question types used on the GMAT is broad, from reading comprehension to mathematics to “data sufficiency questions” to the “integrated reasoning” section. As a result, it is often more helpful to have the ability to record a session and review it later when studying for the GMAT than it would be if you were studying for a different test. GMAT tutoring is expensive. Because working with an online GMAT tutor allows for a reduction in travel time, most tutors will accept lower hourly rates. Summary Online GMAT tutoring is more efficient than an in-person approach, and in some respects, more effective. If it’s something you’d at least consider, we think it makes sense to at least try it out. It could save you time and money, both of which you’ll need when you tackle the b-school application process.

Helping Your Child Start the New Year Right

Helping Your Child Start the New Year Right One of the best things about starting a brand-new year is the pervasive feeling of a fresh, new beginning. For children who have experienced a bumpy start to the school year and adopted a negative attitude as a result, the new year is also an opportunity to hit the reset button and change the attitude. Here are several tips on how to help your child start 2020 off right: Get to the root of the problem(s). Maybe your child has had a difficult time in one class. Maybe he or she doesnt see eye to eye with some teachers. Or perhaps a subject that went well last year has suddenly become difficult this school year. Start off the year with an open and honest conversation with your child. Resist any judgment and simply listen. Knowing what has led to your childs feelings of frustration and negativity will help you develop a 2020 action plan that you both feel good about. Set goals or revisit goals set earlier in the year. The goal-setting process is valuable in so many ways. It encourages students to think about things they would like to accomplish in the remainder of the school year, and it helps renew their motivation. Sit down together to review any goals your child set at the start of the school year to see how he or she is progressing. Adjust them as needed and discuss how your child will take steps in the coming weeks and months. Reflect on achievements last year. If the start of the school year has been a little rough, its understandable why your child might feel down or negative. Point out your childs strengths. Talk about a few of the high points of the first semester of the school year (and even the end last school year). Even small successes are worth noting. Refresh your childs perspective. A recent report card with across-the-board bad grades is certainly grounds for concern, but it isnt the end of the worldand it certainly isnt a problem that cannot be fixed. Remind your child that talking about these issues and making a plan to correct them is the first step toward turning things around. Instill resilience in your child. In school (as in life), problems arise all the time. The more you can teach your child to learn and grow from difficult times, the stronger your child will become. Remind your child that when confronted with challenges, he or she should take a deep breath, believe in him or herself, and persevere. That grit is a trait that will serve your child well in life. Lastly, it is important that you have a good attitude about school as well. Your child witnesses how you react to and talk about school, and it rubs off. If your child is struggling, he or she likely feels worse about the situation than you do. Be positive, action-oriented, and most of all, supportive. Let your child know that education is important but his or her well-being is even more important. Together, youll make this year a great one. Huntington is here to help your child achieve his or her best and regain that self-esteem. Call 1-800 CAN LEARN to talk about how we can help your child make this year his or her best one yet.