A recent survey conducted by Tutor Doctor showed that underachieving
students did not achieve their academic goals because of a lack of motivation
and not getting enough help at home. With bigger classes and working parents,
it’s becoming increasingly difficult for struggling students to find the time
and assistance they need to succeed.
Tutor Doctor’s ‘Why
Students Fail” Survey Results
Respondents of the “Why Students Fail” survey, estimated
that only a shockingly low 2.6% of students reach their full academic
potential. There are a number of reasons for this poor academic performance; nearly
all of the respondents agreed that students freeze during test taking (96.8%)
and cited an ability to handle pressure/stress (56.8%), being unprepared
(54.1%) and lack of confidence (45.9%) as the most common stumbling blocks to
academic success.
Deep financial cuts
to education budgets have meant that many schools have had to cut tutoring
programs. Working parents have no alternative but to seek help for their
students elsewhere. Tutoring programs like those offered by companies like Tutor Doctor Longmont not only help build basic educational
foundations, but also help to improve test taking skills and build confidence
and self-esteem. In-home programs that offer one-on-one tutoring get the best
results and produce marked improvements in very little time.
Peer Pressure and
Academic Anxiety
61.5% of the educators surveyed cite peer pressure as
causing anxiety and stress…stirs up an unhealthy competition…and ultimately
causes poor academic performance. Pressure to get into a good college begins to
impact students in their sophomore year, according to 37.1% of respondents,
followed closely by freshman (34.3%). Educators were nearly divided on
whether this pressure helps or hinders students’ performance, with 51.7% saying
it helps and 48.3% believing it hinders.
As competition for
the limited college openings increase, the pressure to excel academically in
high school also exponentially increases. Boosting a student’s test taking
ability, building confidence and self esteem can help to reduce stress, combat
peer pressure and provide an environment where academic excellence is possible.
Another hurdle to
academic performance is often the fact that students often don’t ask for help.
Catching issues before they get too far behind or before bad grades ruin their
college dreams is the best route. Regularly meet with your student’s teachers
to get a sense of where they are academically and how they are performing.
Tutors are also
able to teach valuable organizational and learning skills which help your
student to plan their academic years. If your student is active socially and
plays a high school sport, they need to have great organizational skills to get
everything done.
Contact Tutor Doctor Longmont for a
FREE consultation and to invest in your student’s future today.
