How Tutoring Shaped My Path To College

When I decided to embark on my undergraduate degree in computer science, I did not even have an idea about the level of work that was going to be expected of me. I could only read so much information online about university courses before I decided to let fate take control of my success in college. This was before I began tutoring mathematics to my friends, people on the basketball team, and struggling classmates. Much has been said about the benefits of a good mathematics education, but this proved to be especially true during my college acceptance process.

I decided that mathematics would be at the core of my education in computer science, and as such, I could learn more about the subject if I taught it to others. As Palomar College has written, tutors receive many benefits by sharing their skills, including the ability to take learning into your own hands. As I reflect on this point of my life, it becomes clear that the decision to engage with both mathematics and tutoring were essential towards my success in college.

There is a handful of avenues you can take when it comes to studying and tutoring. You can enroll in SAT classes with a group of students, buy endless amounts of the best practice books the web has to offer, sign up for online classes, maybe you love television, you can even watch Math Tutor DVDs. But none of these options can come close to the intimacy, or effectiveness of one-on-one tutoring.

 As I began to study for the entrance exams provided by my high school, it was obvious that my math skills were more than adequate to complete university level classes, but I also ended up scoring highly on my reading comprehension and science portions.

Many of the tips provided by the ACT test givers came to me naturally. The questions which I had trouble answering, were broken down and explained part by part. Taking those tests assured me that I had been preparing for my college education in the best fashion, which came from helping others. Not only did I pass both the SAT and ACT with flying colors, but the amount of universities I could choose to attend were astounding.

As an eighteen-year old, having the stress of potential financing along with the pressure of finding the right school can be quite daunting. Thanks to my academic performance, this pressure was incredibly reduced. To any aspiring college attendee reading this now, I highly recommend learning the skills necessary to teach others about the subject you are passionate in, or else most will be hoping to hit the lottery to be able to afford tuition.

Obviously my story shows that teaching others can help you understand better, but in addition to my academics, being a tutor made it rather easy to find a job my first year of college, especially in a subject like mathematics. Therefore, don’t let the intimidation of teaching for the first time deter you from learning to become a tutor. Just like anything else, tutoring takes time to understand but provides you with rewards far beyond your expectations.