Lamorinda’s Lucrative Tutoring Industry
When cruising through the downtown areas of Moraga, Lafayette, or Orinda, it’s quite likely you’ll find yourself passing by one of the dozens of commercialized “tutoring” practices boldly promising you an A. From Mathnasium and Kumon, to more high school-oriented practices like Lafayette Academy, Lamorinda boasts a wide array of tutoring destinations catering to the academic needs of students.
At Campo, many juggle a wide selection of rigorous AP courses all while attempting to execute a perfect 4.0 GPA. So when learning in class or studying at home isn’t enough, many turn to the helpful, but often expensive outlet of tutoring.
Junior Sydner Han who tutors at Lafayette Academy explains, “I had tutoring for SAT prep, and also for physics. I think tutoring is really helpful because it explains concepts in a different way and makes the material more accessible.” Junior Ayush Sarkar added, “I do two classes, AP Physics and Honors Pre Calc, and I think it’s pretty helpful.”
It’s no secret that extra help catered to an individual’s needs can be monumental to a student’s success in a particular subject area. The issue comes rather from the sheer cost of tutoring. Oftentimes, 1-hour individualized tutoring sessions can cost upwards of $60, leaving many unable to grasp its clear advantages. And with only 15% of high schoolers receiving tutoring in 2024 according to ConsumerAffairs, access to high-quality tutoring has become increasingly unattainable.
At the same time in Lamorinda, as Sarkar said, “The concept of tutoring has been blown out of proportion. Realistically, tutoring shouldn’t be somewhere you go just to do your homework. It should be where you go after doing your homework when you have questions.”
Han added, “I feel like the people who have tutors for every single subject, maybe that’s a sign that you should take easier courses or that you’re over-exerting yourself.”
One solution to the tutoring dilemma could be to alter teaching methods so that students who may need extra help in a specific subject can receive it from teachers during Academies or in class. Another solution could be to utilize school Peer Tutoring networks like those offered at Campo.
Junior Dylan Meeks, who is a current AP Euro peer tutor said, “I think sometimes it’s easier for peers to explain things in a better or a more clear way. And I find that if my students don’t really get what their teacher is saying, it helps if I can kind of explain it in a way that they understand better.”
So, while the glass windows and popcorn machines of Lamorinda’s tutoring industry may be permanent, the idea of tutoring is something that can be easily replicated through a multitude of more cost-efficient ways.
