5 Signs Your Student Could Benefit from a Tutor (and 3 Signs They Probably Don't Need One)

The Tutoring Question

At some point, almost every parent asks the question: "Should I get my kid a tutor?"

Maybe it's after a rough report card. Maybe it's after watching your student spend three hours on homework that should take one. Maybe it's because other families in your circle have tutors and you're wondering if your student is falling behind.

I run a tutoring company, so you might expect me to say "yes, everyone should have a tutor." But I don't believe that, and I think being honest about when tutoring helps — and when it doesn't — is more valuable than a blanket recommendation.

Here are the signals I look for when parents ask me this question.

5 Signs a Tutor Could Make a Real Difference

1. The Effort Is There, but the Results Aren't

This is the single most important indicator I look for. When a student is genuinely putting in the time — attending class, doing homework, studying for exams — but their grades don't reflect that effort, something is usually off with their approach, not their ability.

Maybe they're using ineffective study methods (re-reading notes instead of active recall). Maybe they have a gap in foundational knowledge that's making new material harder than it should be. Maybe the way the material is being taught in class doesn't match the way their brain processes information.

A good tutor can diagnose what's going wrong and fix the method, not just re-explain the content. This is where tutoring has the highest return on investment — a student who is already motivated but needs a better approach.

2. One Subject Is Dragging Everything Else Down

I see this a lot with math. A student is doing well in English, history, and science, but struggling enough in math that it's affecting their confidence, their GPA, and even their willingness to engage with school in general.

When one subject becomes a source of dread, it can create a negative spiral. The student avoids it, falls further behind, feels worse about it, avoids it more. A tutor who specializes in that subject can break the cycle by helping the student get enough traction to feel capable again.

The goal isn't to make them love the subject (though that sometimes happens). It's to get them to a place where it's no longer a source of anxiety.

3. Your Student Has Stopped Asking for Help

This one is subtle and easy to miss. When younger students struggle, they usually say so. But by high school, many students stop asking for help — out of embarrassment, frustration, or a belief that they "should" be able to figure it out alone.

If your student used to ask questions about homework and has gone quiet, it doesn't necessarily mean they've mastered the material. It might mean they've given up on understanding it and are just trying to get through it.

A tutor provides a private, low-stakes space to ask the questions they won't ask in a classroom of thirty peers. I've had students tell me things in the first session that they've been confused about for months but never brought up in class.

4. A Big Transition Is Coming

Certain academic transitions are predictably difficult: middle school to high school, the jump to honors or AP courses, the shift from concrete math (arithmetic, basic algebra) to abstract math (proofs, calculus concepts), or preparing for standardized tests.

Proactive tutoring during these transitions can prevent the kind of "falling behind" that's much harder to fix after the fact. This isn't remedial — it's strategic. You're giving your student a head start on material that's about to get significantly harder.

I especially recommend this for students moving into AP coursework. The jump in expectations between honors and AP classes catches many capable students off guard.

5. You've Become the Homework Helper (and It's Not Going Well)

I hear this one from parents regularly. "We spend every evening at the kitchen table arguing about math." The dynamic has shifted from parent-child to teacher-student, and it's creating tension that neither of you wants.

This is completely normal, and it's not a reflection of your parenting or your student's ability. Teaching requires a kind of emotional distance that's almost impossible to maintain with your own child. When your kid gets frustrated, you get frustrated. When you try to explain something differently, they hear criticism.

Bringing in a tutor isn't giving up — it's protecting your relationship. Let someone else be the homework person. You get to go back to being the parent.

3 Signs They Probably Don't Need a Tutor

1. They Got One Bad Grade

A single bad test score or a rough quarter is not, by itself, a reason to hire a tutor. Students have off days, off weeks, sometimes off months. If your student generally performs well and can articulate what went wrong ("I didn't study enough" or "I didn't understand that specific unit"), they probably have the self-awareness to course-correct on their own.

Give them a chance to bounce back first. If the pattern continues over two or three assessment cycles, then it's worth having a conversation about additional support.

2. The Issue Is Motivation, Not Comprehension

There's a meaningful difference between "can't do the work" and "won't do the work." If your student understands the material when they engage with it but simply isn't engaging — not doing homework, not studying for tests, not putting in effort — a tutor is unlikely to solve the underlying problem.

Motivation issues are real and worth addressing, but they usually stem from something a tutor can't fix: stress, social dynamics, sleep deprivation, a mismatch between the student's interests and their course load, or sometimes something more serious that warrants a conversation with a school counselor.

A tutor can help a student who is trying and struggling. A tutor generally cannot make a student try.

Now, I'll add a caveat here — sometimes what looks like a motivation problem is actually a comprehension problem in disguise. A student who feels hopelessly behind may stop trying because effort feels pointless. If you're not sure which camp your student falls into, it's worth having an honest conversation (or asking a professional to assess).

3. You're Trying to Optimize an Already-Strong Performance

If your student is getting A-minuses and you're hoping a tutor will push them to straight A-pluses, I'd gently push back on that.

Diminishing returns are real in academics. The difference between an A-minus and an A-plus is rarely a knowledge gap — it's usually small execution details, grading variability, or the difference between 93% and 98% retention. Hiring a tutor to chase that marginal improvement can send your student the message that their strong performance isn't good enough.

There are exceptions — if your student is genuinely interested in mastering a subject more deeply, or if they're preparing for a specific academic competition, additional instruction can be valuable. But "optimization tutoring" for the sake of a slightly higher GPA is usually not the best use of anyone's time or money.

How to Choose the Right Tutor (If You Decide to Get One)

If you've identified that tutoring could genuinely help, here's what I'd suggest looking for:

• Subject expertise matters. A tutor who specializes in the specific subject your student needs help with will always outperform a generalist. Especially for upper-level math, science, and AP courses.
• Teaching ability is different from content knowledge. The smartest person in the room isn't always the best teacher. Look for someone who can explain concepts multiple ways and has patience for the learning process.
• Rapport with your student is essential. If your student doesn't feel comfortable with their tutor, the sessions won't be productive. A good tutor should feel like a trusted mentor, not another authority figure.
• Ask about their approach. A tutor who says "I'll re-teach the material" is offering something different from one who says "I'll figure out where the breakdown is happening and address that." The latter is usually more effective.
• Set clear goals. "Get better at math" is too vague. "Build confidence with quadratic equations and bring the next test score above 80%" gives everyone something concrete to work toward.

The Honest Answer

The honest answer to "does my student need a tutor?" is: it depends. And anyone who gives you a blanket yes or no without understanding your student's specific situation is selling you something.

What I can tell you is that the students who benefit most from tutoring are the ones who are willing to engage with the process, who have a specific area where they need support, and whose families approach it as a tool — not a fix-all.

If you're on the fence, I'm always happy to talk it through. At Plato+, we start every relationship with a free consultation where we get to know your student, understand what's going on, and give you our honest assessment of whether we can help. Sometimes that assessment is "you don't need us right now, and here's what to try on your own first." That's okay. We'd rather earn your trust than your money.

Book a free consultation whenever you're ready, or just reach out with questions. No pressure, no pitch — just a straightforward conversation about what your student needs.