F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you schedule sessions? Can I just show up?
How many hours should I schedule?
How and when do I pay?
What if I can't make to a scheduled session?
Why do you charge for no-shows?
Are discounts available?
Will you tutor my child in my home?
Will I always have the same tutor?
What if I come in for chemistry normally, but need help in math one week?
What are your hours?
What is the Referral Program?
Can I bring a friend to my tutoring session?
Should I take the SAT or ACT?
Should I do one-on-one SAT prep or should I take the SAT class?
Do you guarantee improvment?
What is your average improvement rate for SAT prep?
Can you help me with my online class?
I'm doing independent study, can you help?
What if I come for one session and go away feeling that it was no help?
How do you schedule sessions? Can I just show up?
Sessions must be scheduled in advance so that the appropriate tutor is available. For convenience, most students come in at the same time and day each week, such as Monday at 5:00 pm.
How many hours should I schedule?
This is up to you and your parents. Most students do well with one hour of instruction per week, however, if more time is needed, we are happy to schedule a second day.
How and when do I pay?
Payment is due at time of service. You may pay for sessions in advance if you prefer. We accept cash, personal check, debit card, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover. You may also make payments on our web site via PayPal.
What if I can't make to a scheduled session?
As long as we receive 24 hours notice, there is no fee for a missed session. If you know you can't make it, pleased let us know if you want to try for a makeup time. We'll do our best to accomodate your request.
Why do you charge for no-shows??
We will never charge for a missed session if we receive 24-hours notice. The reason we must charge students who miss sessions without notice is because it is unfair to the tutors (who don't get paid unless they have a student) and students who could have made use of that time. Many students who have an unexpected test will call to schedule an appointment with their tutor last-minute. When we are notified of cancellations, we can provide help to students in these last-minute situations.
We recommend programming our number into your cell phone so you always have our contact information on hand. If you don't have a cell phone, please keep one of our business cards in your wallet. No matter what time of day, you may always call and let us know you won't be able to make it. If we're not here, please leave a message. You may also cancel through e-mail, or on AOL Instant Messenger. Add us to your buddy list. Our name on AIM is: WiseOwlTutoring.
Are discounts available?
Although our rates are already low, we reduce the fee to $30/hour for families who schedule 4 or more hours per week on a regular basis.
Will you tutor my child in my home?
All of our tutoring services are in our convenient location in Winter Park. We are open late (until 10pm, Monday-Thursday) in order to accommodate students whose participate in extracurriculars, as well as parents who work.
For a lot of students, in-home tutoring is not very effective. We have found that the distractions present in the home often outweigh the convenience.
Will I always have the same tutor?
Our goal is to keep each student with their assigned tutor. If a tutor becomes sick, or has an emergency, we will find a suitable substitute for the session. Also, sometimes we will move a student to a different tutor if we feel the change would further help the students progression. We always notify parents and students beforehand in situations involving a permanent change of tutors.
What if I come in for chemistry normally, but need help in math one week?
Most of our tutors are experienced in several areas and are flexible as to the subject they help you with during your sessions. However, none of us is competent in everything. In other words, don't expect your chemistry tutor to help you with your literature assignment until you have confirmed your tutor feels competent in that area.
What are your hours?
We are in the office Monday through Thursday from 12noon-10:00 p.m., and Friday from 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. However, all of our tutors have individual schedules. Most tutors are available at least two days a week. Please call to find out when your tutor is available.
What is the Referral Program?
The referral program is our way of saying "thank you" to students and parents who have helped spread the word about Wise Owl Tutoring. We give $5 off the price of an hour to students who refer a new student who attends at least 1 hour of tutoring with Wise Owl. We give a free hour to students who refer a new student who attends 6 or more tutoring sessions. We give $10 off the price of an hour, or SAT class, to students who refer a new student who signs up for one of our 8-week SAT classes.
Can I bring a friend to my tutoring session?
Yes, as long as it's okay with your parents. Our hourly rate is the same for students who share their tutoring session with a friend, so students often share the cost.
Should I take the SAT or ACT?
We recommend you take both, either officially or unofficially. Some students do much better on one than the other. The only way to know which test suits you better is to take both.
Should I do one-on-one SAT prep or should I take the SAT class?
It depends on several factors. With individual tutoring, the student has the option of focusing more on one area of the test and has the undivided attention of the tutor. In the class, there is more discussion and the questions other students are beneficial. Also, the class includes two full-length tests.
Do you guarantee improvment?
Improvement is so closely tied to the student's effort that we can't make guarantees. Some students who have worked hard have achieved great improvement, while others who do little work see little gain.
What is your average improvement rate for SAT prep?
Our average improvement is 170 points (out of 2400). Two students improved by 330 points, and three others improved by 280 or more. But others have shown little improvement. It depends so much on the amount of homework the student does, including vocabulary study.
Can you help me with my online class?
We are happy to help students with online classes. You may bring in your own laptop, or use our spare one here. We have wi-fi available.
I'm doing independent study, can you help?
It depends on the area of study. If we have a tutor who is a good match for your area, then we will be glad to help. If we don't, we'll be straightforward and tell you that we can't help. When we're uncertain, we can offer you a "test drive" session to see if it's going to help. If you feel that the session was no help, you don't owe us anything.
What if I come for one session and go away feeling that it was no help?
Then there is no charge for the session. Depending on the reason for disappointment, we will either concede that we can't help, or we will offer another tutor in hopes of a better match. We want every student to feel that every hour of tutoring is worthwhile.
Schedule Tutoring with Wise Owl
To schedule an appointment to meet with one of our tutors, please call 407-678-4945.
Have more questions? Feel free to give us a call, send us an e-mail, or check out our F.A.Q. page.
Network with Wise Owl Tutoring on the web:
 |
 |
 |
 |