Online Tutoring For College and University Students: Academic Support And Exam Preparation

Are you searching for the scope of online tutoring for college and university students? Then you’re on the right page.

According to a survey conducted by Bramble, an impressive 84% of participating students expressed that online tutoring was more effective than in-person tuition. Moreover, a substantial majority, with 73% of parents and 72% of tutors, agreed that students who embraced online learning achieved superior academic results.

After all, what’s so great about online learning? Continue reading to learn the advantages of online tutoring for college and university students.

Looking for private tutors? Book a Free Trial Lesson and match with top tutors for concepts, homework help and grade improvement on Wiingy today!

Benefits of online tutoring for college and university exams

Let us start by looking at some data to establish the growing popularity of online learning activities: 

• 63% of the students in the US utilize online learning activities every day. 
• The University of Potomac publishes that close to 70% of all students believe that online instruction is either as good or superior to a traditional classroom setting.
• According to a survey conducted by Duffin in 2019, 52% of graduate students in the United States reported that their online college-level education offered a superior learning experience compared to their traditional classroom education.

The explosive growth of online tutoring can be attributed to its flexible schedule, time-saving convenience, personalized attention, and cost-effective study plans. Read on to learn the detailed benefits of online tutoring for college and university exams.

No traveling required

Studies show that online learning can reduce the learning time for a subject by 40-60%. For college and university students, the greatest benefit of online tutoring is its convenience and flexibility. Students can study at home. They need not travel to attend classes at a learning center, library, or the tutor’s home.

Suits part-time work schedules

According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, almost 70% of all college students work while enrolled in their studies.

With online tutoring, university students can study whenever it is convenient for them. They can balance their jobs and studies without conflict.

Accessible for all students

The benefits of online tutoring remain the same, regardless of a college student’s background. 

Whether you do a correspondence course or study at regular universities, you can access various modules and test papers for exam preparations. 

Advantages of recorded lectures

College lectures can be long and difficult to understand in one go. One benefit of online tutoring is that recording sessions are a breeze. If a student has missed a class or fails to understand a specific topic, they can follow the recorded session to catch up with the syllabus.

Personalized attention

Students need study plans tailored to their specific goals. To your benefit, online tutors teach in small groups or on a one-to-one basis. So they can closely address your issues and build strategies that cater to your academic goals.

Better grades in college

Online tutoring makes it easier for students to access the best tutors across the world. This means you can study from tutors who bring in the experience of teaching students from different countries. 

The experience can be highly beneficial as you can get a plethora of perspectives and insights from such tutors. Learning with them helps solidify your concepts and accomplish better grades in exams.

Cost-effective

Different factors affect tutoring rates. The typical in-person tutoring rate for college students is $60-$100 per hour, whereas online tutoring is cheaper. You can get classes starting at $20 per hour.

Those being the benefits of online tutoring, let’s discuss the different types of online tutoring for college and university students:

Types of online tutoring for college and university students in the US:

A virtual class can comprise different learning and teaching styles. You must understand which type of online tutoring would fulfill your academic requirements. Thus, here we go with various kinds of online tutoring:

Subject-specific tutoring: (Remediation)

Subject-specific tutoring lets you focus on a particular skill, discipline, or subject. It falls under the Remediation form of teaching. 

For example, a student struggling with calculus can opt for an online tutor specialized in calculus to help them understand the concepts and solve problems.

Test-prep tutoring

Online tutoring for college and university students also includes test preparation tutoring. Test prep tutoring is designed to help students prepare for upcoming exams. For example, an SAT student can hire an online tutor to help with practice exam papers and test-taking strategies.

Test-prep tutoring helps the students understand the approach required for specific college exams. It involves practicing test papers, understanding question patterns, scoring techniques, marking systems, and other guidelines of the test. 

Maintenance tutoring

Maintenance tutoring helps maintain the performance of students. It keeps students focused on their work and enhances time management. Maintenance tutoring ensures you stay ahead of the syllabus and the knowledge gaps are constantly filled. 

General academic support tutoring:

General tutoring is a combination of Remediation tutoring and Maintenance tutoring. General tutoring helps you with homework, self-study, and other academic tasks.

For example, if you need help catching up with your college lessons in class, you can hire an online tutor to help you with the general understanding and homework. 

Now that you know the different types of online tutoring, you certainly want to find a reliable online tutoring platform. Keep reading!

How to find a reputable online tutoring platform?

Students across the world can access online tutoring. However, you need a reliable online tutoring platform to get started. Now, the question is, how do we find the right online tutoring for college and university students? Here you go with the steps:

Step 1: Choose a discipline

What are the subjects you want to study? Do you want to join a particular study program or online tutoring course for college students? Selecting a discipline will naturally filter down your options. You can also take online tutoring for specific college and university test preps. 

Step 2: Determine the type of online tutoring

Now that you already know the different types of online tutoring we discussed, which type of tutoring will help you reach your academic goal? Hence, pick a tutoring method from test prep tutoring, subject-specific tutoring, general support, or maintenance tutoring. You may also determine whether you want to learn in small group sessions or with one-to-one tutoring. 

Step 3: Figure your budget

Different online tutoring platforms have different fee structures for distinct subjects or courses. Decide a sustainable budget for your online tutoring. Contact the platforms to know their fee structure. 

Compare the costs of different online tutoring platforms. Stick to a realistic budget.

You can find online tutoring platforms catering to your needs based on these steps. Well, here’s a listing of 4 reputed online tutoring platforms you must check!

1. Chegg:

• Subjects: Chegg covers a wide range of college and university subjects including Math, Science, Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Humanities, and more.

• Tutoring Method: Chegg offers on-demand tutoring services, homework help, and access to various textbooks. 

• Cost: Chegg offers subscription plans for their tutoring services, which include different pricing options based on the number of tutoring minutes required per month.

• About: Chegg is a comprehensive educational platform that provides tutoring services and offers textbook rentals, study guides, and solutions to textbook problems. 

2. Wiingy:

• Subjects: Wiingy provides extensive online tutoring for 60+ college and university subjects that include math, computer, physics, STEM, AP, SAT, ACT and many more.

• Tutoring Method: Wiingy offers one-to-one online tutoring. 

• Cost: Demo sessions are free. Paid classes start for as low as $28.

• About: Wiingy offers one-to-one academic tutoring in a diverse pool of subjects. It aims to provide personalized academic support to students of all disciplines and ages worldwide.

3. Preply:

• Subjects: Preply covers 120 subjects, including Languages (English, Spanish, French, etc.), Math, Science, Arts, and many more for college students.

• Tutoring Method: Private tutors conduct one-on-one lessons through video calls.

• Cost: Tutors set their own rates so that the prices may differ. However, the rates are typically within the $10 to $40 per hour range.

• About: Preply is an online tutoring platform specializing in language learning and offering academic tutoring in various subjects. It aims to make language learning and educational support accessible to students worldwide.

4. Tutor.com:

• Subjects: Tutor.com covers Math, Science, English, Social Studies and many other subjects.

• Tutoring Method: Tutor.com offers on-demand one-to-one tutoring services.

• Cost: Tutor.com offers subscription plans for their tutoring services, which provide a certain number of tutoring minutes per month. 

• About: Tutor.com is a well-established online tutoring platform that offers personalized learning solutions. It partners with educational institutions to provide tutoring support to their students.

Step 5: Choose an online tutor

Wondering how to choose an online tutor for college and university subjects? Keep scrolling!

How to choose an online tutor for college and university students?

Every tutor has a unique teaching strategy, which you may or may not be impressed with. The worst step you can take when choosing an online tutor is rushing your decision. Do not just settle for anything. Consider these steps when selecting your online tutor:

Step 1: Take a demo session

Often, reliable online tutoring platforms for college and university students offer free demo sessions so students can take a trial and choose their tutors. If you like your tutoring experience with a tutor, you can book further sessions. 

Step 2: Compare tutors

Don’t restrict your research to just one tutor. Search for a compatible tutor until you find the right match. Often, platforms allow you to change your tutor free of cost whenever you want. You may reach out to your online tutoring platform in case you need such assistance. 

Step 3: Consider the five factors

When choosing an online tutor, it is essential to consider the tutors’:

1. Availability

You may find tutors across time zones when searching for experienced online tutors for colleges and universities! Check their availability before hiring them. When can they tutor you?

Many college students like to attend their colleges thrice a week. Check your college timings, holidays, and vacations to match your tutor’s availability.

Sometimes, your academic year is divided into three unequal trimesters: two 4 months and one trimester-month. Consider these situations while choosing a tutor.

2. Expertise

If you’re a college or university student, you won’t expect a high-school tutor to teach you. Your online tutor must have the necessary certifications and degrees to demonstrate their expertise in tutoring college subjects. The tutor should be able to provide thorough clarifications on the given subject.

3. Experience 

A qualified teacher may or may not have expertise in online tutoring. Get to know how many students have benefitted from their tutoring. 

You may check for reviews on their tutoring profile page. 

Besides, don’t judge an online tutor by their number of years of experience. If one online tutor has 2 years of tutoring experience and another has 5, go for the one who explains the topic better.

4. Compatibility

“If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” — Ignacio Nacho Estrada. Does the tutor’s teaching style match your learning style? If not, you may want to look for other options. 

5. Communication

Always look for a healthy tutor-tutee relationship. Is the online tutor warm and approachable? That’s a good sign. 

Alternatively, does the tutor’s presence make you anxious? Are you hesitant to ask him questions? Well, then you must look for other tutors. 

Answer the questions honestly before deciding on your tutor. You should be able to approach and communicate with your tutor frankly regarding your doubts.

Well, now comes the time to prepare for college and university exams with online tutoring. Find out how!

How to prepare for exams with online tutoring?

Preparing for college and university exams with online tutoring can be a highly effective and flexible approach. Not only can online tutors tailor study plans for exam prep requirements, but they can also work closely with your strengths and weaknesses throughout the journey.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of online tutoring and excel in your exams:

Review exam guidelines

When are you supposed to attempt the test? What are the basic guidelines of the test? What’s the clock time of the exam? Is it an online or offline test? You may ask these questions to your online tutor and ask for detailed guidance.

Exam date, exam duration, question pattern, and answer format might vary from one test to another. Prepare for your test accordingly.

Create a study schedule

Online tutors are mostly available at a flexible schedule. So, select a schedule that suits you. Set an adequate time to complete the syllabus. Divide your study material into smaller chunks. Refrain from speeding through the syllabus. 

Do your homework

Consistency is key to headway, so set aside specific weekly hours for self-study and stick to them. Utilize these hours to: 

• Go through chapters and topics that are about to be taught. Skim through the pages and get an idea of the lesson. This will help you relate to topics when the online tutor discusses it.
• Complete assigned tasks. If your online tutor has allotted some homework exercises, complete them on time. 
• Revise what’s already taught. Do you find specific areas in subjects like organic chemistry, linguistics, and math that need further clarification? Ask for help from your tutor. 

Practice regularly 

Besides the tutoring sessions, practice regularly on your own. Solve problems and complete exercises. Review the course materials. This reinforces your learning.

Quantum physics, Newtonian mechanisms, math, and linguistics need regular practice. Avoid procrastination. Create a daily to-do list to ensure you cover all necessary topics.

For a deeper dive into overcoming struggles in demanding subjects like chemistry, check out: Private Tutoring: The Key to Mastering High School Chemistry.

Identify weak areas

Before starting tutoring, identify your strengths and weaknesses in the subject matter.

Share this information with your tutor so they can tailor their teaching approach and focus on the topics that require more attention.

For example, if you’re good in mathematics but struggling to solve a physics calculation, you must communicate the same to your tutor.

Ask questions

Take an active role in your online tutoring sessions by asking questions and seeking clarification on challenging concepts. Never shy away. Conversing with your tutor will help you better understand the material.

Review previous year question papers

Review past exams and assignments to understand the university exam format if available. 

Understand the type of questions asked and measure the difficulty level. This will give you an idea of what to expect in the question papers and where to focus your efforts.

Some questions will be factual- MCQ types, some detailed, and some require critical analysis. Prepare for the topics accordingly.

You may follow this guide from Cornell University to understand how to tackle exam questions. 

Utilize online resources

Take advantage of online resources, such as educational websites, videos, interactive quizzes, and digital textbooks. These resources can supplement your tutoring sessions and provide additional explanations on the given topics. 

Stay organized

Set weekly, monthly, or yearly targets and update them without fail. Keep your study materials, notes, and assignments organized. Use digital tools like cloud storage or note-taking apps to make everything easily accessible.

Ask for feedback

Request feedback from your tutor regularly to gauge your progress and identify areas for improvement.

Wish you luck!

Remember that success in exams depends on consistent effort and dedication. Online tutoring can be very advantageous in exam preparation for college and university students. You can ace your college and university studies by finding a reliable tutoring platform, an expert online tutor, and planning an effective test-prep schedule!

Looking for private tutors? Book a Free Trial Lesson and match with top tutors for concepts, homework help and grade improvement on Wiingy today!

Other Useful Reads

The Ultimate Guide to Online Tutoring

Online Tutoring vs In-Person Tutoring: Pros & Cons

How Online Tutoring Supports Homeschooling: Benefits & Strategies

Overcoming Challenges in Online Tutoring and How to Solve Them

Tips for Engaging and Motivating Students in Online Tutoring Sessions

How Online Tutoring Can Help Students with Different Styles of Learning

How to Find a Tutor for Your Child

Frequently Asked Questions