High school tutoring: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What high school tutoring is

High school tutoring helps students with advanced coursework, homework and exam prep in subjects such as math, science and English. Students and parents book it when a course gets harder, when a unit test is close, or when a student wants to raise a grade before the end of the term.

Signs you need it

  • The student's grade is dropping in a course that used to be manageable
  • Homework takes much longer than it should, and the student does not know where to start
  • The student has a big test in two weeks and no plan for reviewing the material
  • The student wants to take an advanced course next year and needs to fill gaps first
  • The student is overwhelmed by several classes at once and needs help with time management

What the pro does

  • Checks the student's skills in the course and the gaps that are causing the drop in grades
  • Works through homework and the hardest topics, with the student doing the problems
  • Builds a test review plan with practice questions that look like the test
  • Teaches how to break a long assignment into steps, with a deadline for each
  • Shares a short note with the parent or student after each session about what changed

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Length of each session and how many sessions are in a series
  • The subject and the course level, such as regular, honors or AP
  • Whether sessions are in person or online
  • One-on-one tutoring versus a small group
  • How much homework help versus test prep each session needs
  • Whether the tutor works from the school's textbook or the student's own materials

What a written quote should spell out

  • Number of sessions, session length and start date
  • Whether sessions are in person or online
  • Whether test prep materials and progress notes are included
  • Cancellation and make-up policy
  • Whether the tutor will share progress with the parent or the student's teacher

Questions to ask before you hire

  • How do you find the gap that is causing the grade drop before we start?
  • Will you help with the homework the way the teacher expects?
  • How do you prepare a student for a test that the teacher writes?
  • Do you have experience with the course and level my child is taking?
  • How will we know the sessions are helping, and when do we stop?
  • Have you passed a background check, and do all of your tutors pass one?
  • What should the student be able to do on their own by the end of the term?

Red flags

  • Does the homework for the student and does not check their understanding
  • Promises a grade change without reviewing the student's work
  • Will not say whether the tutor has a background check, when the student is a minor
  • Pushes a long package of sessions before a first session

What you can do yourself

A student can use the course's study guide, do the practice questions from the textbook, and check answers with the teacher or class notes. Ask the teacher for old tests. Hire a tutor when a grade is falling in a subject with clear gaps, when a test is close and the student has no plan, or when the student needs a tutor who understands the course's exam style.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to tutor high school students privately. If the tutor works in a school or program, that program may have its own rules. Ask whether the tutor has a degree or teaching experience in the subject, and check with your state or local licensing agency for any rules that apply to the program.

High school tutoring questions

How many sessions does a student need before a test?

It depends on the gap and the test. A tutor can review the material and the test format with the student in a few sessions, and then keep practice steady to the test date.

Is it better to get help before or after a bad grade?

Earlier is better. A tutor can fix a gap before it turns into a grade problem, and a plan made before a test is easier to follow than one made the night before.

Does my child need a background check for a tutor?

Many parents and programs ask for one when the tutor works with a minor. Ask for proof of a background check before the first session, and ask about the rules for pickup and supervision.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer high school tutoring remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

Edit history

How guide reviews work

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

More tutoring and test prep guides

Find a pro near you

Find a pro

About this guide

Request high school tutoring