Before beginning any formal tutoring plan with Sylvan, your child will complete the Sylvan Skills Assessment test. This assessment helps reveal your child's specific academic problem areas, allowing tutors to tailor their lessons to fit individual needs. Your child will take the test again at periodic intervals, providing parents with a detailed report of their child's progress.
Results from the Skills Assessment Test inform the type of learning plan that will be crafted for your child. This approach harnesses your child's strengths to improve their weakness. For example, if a student displays deficiency in math but outstanding proficiency in reading, her plan may emphasize word problems to help develop their mathematical prowess.
Sylvan Learning Center caters to families with busy schedules. Most campuses are open for morning, afternoon and evening tutoring sessions. Many also offer weekend hours by appointment. If you prefer that your child receive tutoring via phone or computer, Sylvan also offers this service.
After 36 hours of tutoring (for example, three hours a week for 12 weeks), Sylvan Learning Center guarantees that your child's reading or math performance will improve by a full letter grade. An additional 12 hours of free instruction will be granted to your child if they do not show this improvement.
Reception from parents ranges from overwhelmingly positive to deeply negative. At best, Sylvan is a service committed to providing your child with the skills required for academic success. Many parents praise the flexibility of Sylvan's tutoring sessions and the abilities of specific tutors. The main criticism is that the quality of service provided by the program varies. This inconsistency means that one center may be effective and organized, while another may be poorly staffed and chaotic. The cost of the 12-week sessions is another issue brought up by many reviewers, as many assert that hiring an individual tutor is a more appealing choice.