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Does Your Child Need Extra Help With Schoolwork?

By U.S. News & World Report

Complex math problems, involved science projects, classroom presentations and reading outside of school (as well as in school) are part of every elementary student’s daily curriculum. College prep courses, including advanced math and foreign language, along with high-tech classes, such as computer-aided design and digital electronics, are becoming the norm for many high school students. While some students are hyper-motivated to make good grades, others are just trying to survive the day-to-day pressures of academic life.

In years past, academic assistance was often used only for struggling students. Today, parents hire tutors to help their kids boost their GPA, prepare for admission tests and to get a better handle on complex subject matter. Private tutoring has become a $5 billion dollar a year consumer-driven industry. When, however, is the right time to pay for private educational services?

The most compelling reason to employ academic assistance is poor grades. However, children as young as 4 or 5 years old can benefit from some extra help to learn basic concepts. Older students who need help with a specific subject area or who have difficulty understanding a teacher’s lessons may also benefit from having a tutor.

[Read: How to Help Your Inattentive Child Thrive at School.]

Consider if your child is working to capacity to understand course content. Many students put forth appropriate effort but still struggle to pass a class. Review homework and determine if the work is sloppy or incomplete or if your child is just getting the answers wrong. Also, consider your child’s emotional state. If your child is experiencing test anxiety or seems to have become much less confident in the classroom, he or she may need some additional support. In many situations, help or a referral to a school-based program for reading or math is all that is needed, while in other cases outside tutoring may be needed.

Some kids face challenges due to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or a learning disability. To better understand your child’s needs, engage in a formal psychoeducational evaluation. A proper assessment will identify cognitive concerns, such as the inability to quickly process math problems or unusual difficulties organizing long-term projects. Once your child’s learning style is properly defined, a specially trained tutor can provide personalized strategies. In these situations it’s also possible your child may qualify for an individualized educational plan, or IEP, which will provide school-based accommodations, such as extended time for testing or one-on-one classroom help.

While many students work with a tutor because they are struggling at school, others get assistance to advance their studies. Even before the school year begins, many teens realize they will have an extremely challenging teacher or a particularly difficult class. In such cases, proactively engaging a professional, so that a student knows he or she has scheduled one-on-one assistance prior to encountering a complex concept, can minimize the anxiety a student feels and improve grades.

[Read: The Upshot of a Learning Disability or Attention Deficit Disorder.]

Many who pursue sports or enjoy artistic endeavors, or who are engaged in another time-consuming extracurricular activity, struggle to fit everything in. Sometimes a tutor can help a student get organized and maximize their time. In other cases, however, a weekly conversation and a good calendar may be all that’s needed to keep your child on task.

While there are many excellent books and websites that help students with standardized test-taking strategies, many families are overwhelmed by these exams. These parents often hire test prep specialists who can assist their children to prepare for an independent school admission exam like the SSAT or a college admission test like the ACT. These instructors create a customized learning experience by adapting their curriculum and teaching pace to match a student’s strengths and weaknesses. These experts can also make a student test-wise, since they teach about test format, penalties for guessing and exam-specific strategies.

Do your research, though, before hiring a tutor. In addition to asking about scheduling, verify credentials, especially if seeking specialized assistance. Fees can range from $15 an hour for a college student homework buddy, who gets your child on task, to more than $85 an hour for a specially trained teacher.

[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids’ Health.]

While many students benefit from private tutoring, other students may just need some after-school help or parental guidance. Before hiring a tutor, make sure that your child’s struggle is with academics and not created by personal issues, such as friend drama or stress. Also, give your child a voice in the decision to get academic assistance to ensure the child’s unique needs are met.

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Does Your Child Need Extra Help With Schoolwork? originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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