Twelve questions, answered like a neighbor would
The questions parents actually ask at the desk — including the awkward ones about price, guarantees, and kids who'd rather be anywhere else. Something missing? Call (847) 555-0138 or use the contact page.
Is the assessment really free? What's the catch?
Really free — 60 minutes, a written plan within 48 hours, and a same-visit parent debrief. The catch is transparent self-interest: about five of six assessments turn into enrollment because the plan makes sense, and the sixth family tells their friends we said 'you don't need us.' Both outcomes are good business.
What does tutoring cost?
It's all published: one-to-one runs $50–72/hour by subject and grade level, test prep is $95/hour or $80–90/hour in packages, and Homework Help Club is $32–40 per visit. Online sessions are $6/hour less across the board. No registration fee, no materials fee, no contract.
Do we have to commit to a contract or a minimum?
No. Pay as you go is the default. Hour packs (5% off for 10 hours, 10% off for 20) exist for people who prefer them — unused pack hours keep for 12 months and are refundable on request.
Will my child have the same tutor every session?
Yes — that's the model. One student, one tutor, weekly. If your tutor is out sick we offer a substitute or a free reschedule, your choice. If the match isn't working by session three, we re-match free.
How often should my child come?
Most students come once or twice a week. The assessment plan recommends a frequency and says why; twice a week moves numbers roughly twice as fast in our cohort data, but once a week with homework done beats twice a week without it.
In-center or online — which is better?
For most students, in-center by a nose: fewer tabs, more body language. Online is the same tutor and plan for $6/hour less and wins on consistency if the drive is the reason sessions get skipped. Plenty of families mix both.
When should we start SAT or ACT prep?
Count backwards from the test date: the 24-hour package wants 10–12 weeks with a practice test every three or four. Junior fall is the common start; junior spring works if the calendar is honest. We'll tell you at the diagnostic if a later test date is the better plan.
Do you guarantee score improvements or grades?
No, and we'd ask you to be suspicious of anyone who does. We publish our cohort ranges on the results page, re-test every 12 weeks on the same instrument, and change the plan in writing when numbers stay flat. That's the honest version of a guarantee.
Do you work with IEPs, 504 plans, and learning differences?
Yes. Bring the plan to the assessment (or just tell us what works at school). Dana is Orton-Gillingham trained for structured literacy, and we schedule longer or shorter blocks when attention is the constraint. We're tutors, not clinicians — where evaluation is the missing piece, we'll say so and point you to the right professionals.
What happens if we need to cancel a session?
24 hours' notice: rescheduled free, every time. Inside 24 hours we charge half the session, because the tutor's hour is already reserved — and we waive it for sick kids. Fevers don't give notice.
Who are the tutors, and are they background-checked?
Nine employees — no contractors, no marketplace. Everyone passed a subject exam at the level they teach, a paid trial session observed by our director, and a background check. Their names, credentials, and subjects are on the tutors page.
My child refuses tutoring. Any advice?
Very normal. Book the free assessment anyway and tell them the truth: it's an hour, it's mostly puzzles, nobody assigns homework on day one. Most reluctant kids relax once it's clearly not school and clearly not punishment. If they're still a hard no after a first session, we'll refund it — dragging kids here doesn't work and we don't want the revenue that badly.
The thirteenth answer is specific to your kid
Which subject, how often, which tutor, what it'll cost — the free 60-minute assessment answers those with a written plan instead of a guess.