How to Become an SAT Tutor – 7 Essential Elements

If you are reading this, you are probably thinking about how to tutor high school kids to benefit their lives and earn some extra cash in the process. But did you know that some people make legitimate careers out of being SAT tutors? Figuring out how to become an SAT tutor may seem difficult or even impossible for some people. However, many SAT tutors have found a way to make tests a legitimate business.

Now, while this may not be your career path, becoming an SAT (or ACT) tutor and doing it well can be a great side business and help students achieve their SAT score goals in the process. Here we have outlined some of the most important and essential elements to become a successful SAT teacher.

7 Essential Elements to Become a Successful SAT Teacher

1. Learning the SAT

Before you become an SAT tutor, you will want to know all of the ins and outs of this exam. A successful SAT (ACT) tutor knows how to effectively utilize the SAT prep books and other SAT material because they have already scored high on the SAT (or ACT).

Those shopping for a tutor likely will want to verify your test scores before hiring. If you have not taken the SAT, that does not mean you can’t be a successful tutor. If you clearly understand how to break down a standardized test into easy-to-learn pieces, you can help many students who would typically be overwhelmed with all of the practice questions.

2. Find a Way to Motivate Your Student

Motivating a student to learn for a test will likely not be necessary. However, someone who struggles with exams may need a lot of positive reassurance and motivation. Tutoring is all about breaking down the material into pieces that students can absorb a little bit at a time.

Any student taking the SAT knows that their scores are the key to getting into a good college and ultimately getting that dream job. Students are also very aware that higher SAT scores equate to free money for the institution of choice.

Take your time with each of your students in working with them to figure out how they retain information best. Work in one-on-one sessions if needed. Find a way to connect with your student and use what you learn about them to help them score big on that college entrance test!

Keep reminding them that achieving the desired result on the SAT exam is a goal that can benefit their entire lives. Overall, your job is to prepare your student for the SAT and get them motivated to put in the amount of work necessary.

3. SAT Teaching Certifications

In short, becoming an SAT tutor does not require you to have any official certifications. However, private organizations are leaders in the education and tutoring industry that have programs to allow you to receive an SAT tutoring certificate. If you choose to take the extra effort to become a certified expert as an SAT tutor, the experience in studying the standardized SAT may be helpful.

PrepScholar is always looking for SAT/ACT tutors. They offer flexible hours and locations with a set payment of $30.00 – USD 50.00 per hour. You can read more about the hiring process on the PrepScholar website.

4. Getting Started with SAT (ACT) Tutoring

At a minimum, offer your services to accommodate actual SAT prep at least three to five months before the test. Advertising several months before you want to start your services is also something to consider. Give students plenty of working time on the practice tests and review questions as this may be overwhelming to the typical newbie taking the exam.

Moreover, a typical high school student may have many different things in their schedules. That said, work with your student to create a review schedule to best meet their needs.

5. Organise Your SAT Teaching Materials

First off, there are a lot of online materials and articles on teaching strategies available for free. Second, recognize that you need to get SAT prep books to grow the tutoring business. These SAT books have practice tests that will be sure to help your student score big. Without the right books, students paying for your tutoring services might get a less than desirable score. A great tutor knows to teach with the right material with methods that will most benefit the student.

6. Have a Teaching Strategy

Having unique and successful strategies will help you become a successful SAT tutor. Create teaching strategies for score review that look specifically at questions the student is struggling with the most.

Allow the student to be part of the review process, teach them to look at their tests objectively, and how to study for the SAT. This way, even if the student can’t work with you for one session, they know how to examine SAT questions at home get more quality study time. It is like the adage, give a man a fish, and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime.

Learn about teaching styles and choose the one that suits you and your students best.

7. Set A Price for SAT (ACT) Teaching 

First, do your research to determine how much you should charge for your services. Look at whether or not you want to be a freelance tutor (being your own boss) or if you want to be part of a tutoring agency.

Some companies charge upward of $180 per hour for their services! Individual tutors can potentially expect to Use good judgment when creating your pricing. Many people hiring SAT tutors will be sure to associate the price with the amount of time in the business. Once you get a few clients, use their positive words to help propel other potential clients in your direction.

Last Words

Overall, the reason to get into this business, to begin with, is to help kids achieve their college goals. In some sense, it is crazy to think that a single test and a few points can separate someone from the education of their dreams and potentially thousands of dollars in funding. Doing something that has the potential to change someone’s life can be a gratifying endeavor.

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