Getting Students Back on Track: Effective Strategies for the New School Year

Back-to-school time is here! The end of summer break marks the beginning of a new academic year, bringing with it both excitement and challenges for test-prep tutors. Throughout the summer months, you primed and prepped your tutoring business and now you’re ready for the new school year, but are your clients ready?

Even the students you worked with over the summer will need help getting back on track after the flexible, laid-back test-prep schedule they’ve gotten used to over summer break. Some of the clients you had last school year most likely took the entire summer break to relish the languid summer days with vacations and leisure time, putting their entire test prep on hiatus. And your new clients? Well, you are probably just figuring out how they spent their summer breaks, either lounging or studying—most likely the latter. 

Let’s talk about how to get your clients—the old and new—back on track for the start of a new school year after the long summer break. We’ll give you helpful and effective strategies for re-engaging old students and attracting new ones for successful test prep.

Reconnecting with Old Clients

To start, take a look at your old clients. Your past students are a valuable resource—they already know and trust you, which makes them an ideal target for your marketing efforts. 

Here's how you can reconnect and market your tutoring services to them:

• Personalized Outreach: Reach out via email or phone calls to check in on how they spent their summer break. Use this opportunity to discuss their academic goals for the new school year and mention how your tutoring services can help them achieve them.

• Offer Special Promotions: Obviously, this option looks different for every tutoring business. But if it’s something that you can offer your established clients, it’s worth it! Everyone loves a good deal! Consider offering special discounts or packages exclusively for returning students to make them feel appreciated and motivated to continue working with you.

Have an Onboarding Plan in Place

Okay, you’ve got your roster of old and new clients—now what? 

• Assess. Start by assessing each student's strengths and areas that need improvement. This will help tailor your tutoring sessions to their specific needs. Use a diagnostic tool that offers immediate, comprehensive feedback.

• Create a Personalized Tutoring Plan. The assessments will provide you with a clear understanding of where to start. From there, you’ll need to choose which concepts to prioritize. 

Identify the low-hanging fruit—the concepts that can be improved upon quickly with just a few short lessons and practice. These tangible objectives can boost motivation and provide further direction.

At the same time, be sure to pinpoint the more severe points of struggle that will require consistent attention as well as reviews of supporting skills. 

Create a Structured Study Plan

The next step is establishing a structured study plan that makes the most of your clients’ test prep. Here are a few tips to help that process along:

• Set Clear Goals. Collaborate with your students to set clear, achievable goals for their test prep. Having tangible objectives can boost their motivation and provide direction.

• Conduct Regular Progress Checks. Schedule routine assessments to track their progress. Celebrate milestones—even the little ones— and make necessary adjustments to the study plan as needed.

• Keep Open Communication. Clear communication is crucial in test prep. Maintain an open line of communication with your clients—both students and their parents. Address any concerns promptly and provide regular updates on their progress.  

The start of a new school year brings new opportunities to guide students—both old and new—toward success. By effectively reconnecting with old students through personalized outreach, establishing new clients with an onboarding plan in place, and offering all of your clients a personalized, structured test-prep plan, you can ensure that your students are well-prepared to excel this school year. 

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