Why We Don’t Accept New Tutoring Clients After Week 10 of the Semester
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Author: James Tierney, CEO & Founder
Read time: 5 minutes
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At Tierney Education, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality, meaningful support to students. Over the years, we've refined our approach to ensure our tutoring services not only help students improve academically but also foster skills that lead to long-term success. One of our key policies is that we don’t accept new tutoring clients after Week 10 of a standard semester.
This decision is rooted in our commitment to sustainable learning and academic success—not just quick fixes. Here’s why this policy exists and how it benefits both students and tutors.
1. Learning Takes Time
Effective tutoring isn’t just about cramming for the next exam or rushing through problem sets. It’s about helping students truly understand the material, develop better study habits, and build confidence.
Starting with a new client after Week 10, when the semester is nearing its conclusion, doesn’t provide enough time to address underlying academic challenges or help the student establish productive routines. A rushed approach may result in short-term gains, but it undermines the deeper learning that we strive to promote.
2. Finals Require Preparation, Not Panic
The weeks leading up to finals are critical for consolidating knowledge, practicing retrieval, and strengthening areas of weakness. For students already working with our tutors, this is a time to focus and fine-tune strategies.
For new clients, however, starting tutoring during this period often means addressing a significant backlog of material while simultaneously preparing for high-stakes exams. This creates unnecessary stress and limits the effectiveness of tutoring sessions.
3. Tutors Need Time to Personalize Support
Our tutors take pride in providing personalized, student-centered learning experiences. Developing a tailored approach for each client requires time to understand their strengths, challenges, and learning preferences.
By starting with a new client late in the semester, tutors are left with less time to create an effective plan, making it harder to deliver the high-quality support our clients expect from Tierney Education.
4. Encouraging Proactive, Not Reactive, Support
We believe in addressing academic challenges early. Our policy of not starting new clients after Week 10 encourages students and families to seek help at the first sign of difficulty rather than waiting until it’s too late to make a meaningful impact.
This proactive mindset fosters a culture of preparedness and continuous growth, which aligns with our mission of helping students achieve long-term success.
5. Protecting the Integrity of Our Services
At Tierney Education, we maintain a high standard of service for all clients. Accepting new students late in the semester risks diluting the quality of support we provide to existing clients, as tutors may be stretched too thin during an already busy time.
By capping new clients after Week 10, we ensure our current students receive the focused, intentional support they need to finish the semester strong.
What Can You Do If You’re Struggling After Week 10?
While we don’t take on new clients late in the semester, we understand that challenges can arise at any time. Here’s what we recommend:
Plan Ahead for the Next Semester
Use this time to identify areas for improvement and schedule tutoring or academic coaching for the upcoming term. Starting early allows for a more comprehensive and stress-free approach to learning.Attend Review Sessions
We offer exam review sessions that focus on key concepts and study strategies for students preparing for finals. These sessions are a great way to reinforce understanding without the commitment of one-on-one tutoring.Consider Academic Coaching
Our academic coaching services help students develop better study habits, manage their time effectively, and build executive functioning skills—all of which are critical for success during finals and beyond.Attend Office Hours
Your professor and your TAs are required to hold weekly office hours. Schedule an appointment by emailing your professor or TA, and go in prepared with questions.
Get Support from your University’s Learning Center
Your institution should have a learning center with free resources. Most of our clients attend Penn State University as we are a tutoring company located in State College, PA. Do a Google search, find your school’s learning center, and take advantage of their resources.
Use YouTube or Khan Academy
Look up topics you are struggling with on YouTube or Khan Academy. There are great self-study options when private tutoring is not an option.
Long-Term Success Over Short-Term Gains
Our Week 10 policy reflects our belief that education is about more than just grades. By prioritizing early intervention, sustainable learning strategies, and high-quality support, we ensure that every student who works with Tierney Education is set up for success—not just for finals, but for the future.
If you’re interested in tutoring or academic coaching for the next semester, now is the perfect time to start planning. Fill out the form below to get started.