How Do I Become a High School Tutor?

A tutor is a person with expertise in a specific area who offers additional instruction and guidance outside of the normal classroom. If you have aspirations to become a high school tutor who teaches a specific age group and ability level, you have several options depending on your training, education, and experience. Some high schools will hire a tutor or tutors to work onsite with students who are specifically assigned to tutoring sessions. In other cases, you may become a high school tutor independent of any school, thereby opening up the possibility of working with students from several schools rather than just one.

First and foremost, you will need to research the various requirements you will need to meet in order to become a high school tutor. These requirements can vary drastically depending on the setting in which you intend to work. At some high schools, for example, it is possible to become a tutor while you are still a high school student; you will generally work with students who are at a lower ability level than you are, and you probably won't get paid for your work. If you intend to become a high school tutor who can provide instruction to any high school student at any ability level, it is likely that you will first need to graduate from high school and possibly even earn a college degree.

You have two general options if you intend to work independently of any specific high school: you can start a tutoring business on your own, or you can apply for a tutoring position with an established tutoring agency. If you choose to apply for a job to become a high school tutor with a tutoring agency, you will need to research the specific requirements outlined in the job description. Starting a business on your own will offer you more flexibility, but you will also have to work much harder to get the business established and running.

It is best to build your credentials as much as possible if you want to become a high school tutor. Many tutors are actually teachers themselves who offer additional instruction outside of the regular school day. In other cases, the tutor may have some teaching experience, and developed skills in a particular subject area. Having a college degree or professional credentials is best so you can ensure potential customers feel comfortable trusting you with tutoring duties.