After getting back the scores of her first SAT exam, Zoe Vourgourakis ’26 was determined to improve on the next test. After exhausting endless YouTube math videos, going through Quizlets with hundreds of vocabulary words and scouring the internet for practice tests, frustrated and desperate, Vourgourakis needed help. However, due to her financial situation, paying for tutoring or test preparation fees would be a burden on her family.
Vourgourakis, who is on scholarship and received free test preparation from Compass as a part of her financial aid package from the school, said she was grateful for the free tutoring.
“SAT tutoring helped me improve my score a lot,” Vourgourakis said. “It’s really great that the school covers it. That was a big relief for me and my family.”
Director of Financial Aid Greg Gonzalez said the school tries to support students based on their financial situation and helps them obtain test preparation through partnerships with outside resources.
“The school, in consultation with the deans, learning center and teachers, supports tutoring for students who receive financial aid when it is deemed necessary,” Gonzalez said. “Every situation is different, but we do our best to ensure students are supported academically. The school supports SAT and ACT test preparation with an outside company for every student who receives financial aid.”
63% of students use tutors or test preparation companies in preparation for the SAT or ACT, according to a Chronicle poll. The school has had a long-standing relationship with Compass Education Group, a test preparation company comparable to other groups such as the Princeton Review and Kaplan. Compass Education’s test preparation costs between $3,000 to $5,000, depending on how many hours of tutoring the student receives and the packages they select. They have outreach programs across the nation through their scholarship program and partner with schools to offer pro bono sessions. Compass Education partners with the school to offer test preparation for lower-income students for free or at a discounted rate.
Senior Director of Sales at Compass Education Sarah Bernard said she believes individual instruction is more beneficial compared to other testing preparation alternatives.
“Whether you’re looking for a private coach for golf or a guitar teacher, I don’t think there’s a negative to having help,” Bernard said. “It can only, hopefully, bring you closer to your score goals. It’s an expensive thing to add to your budget, but if you are working with a reputable company, like a tutor, or taking a class that’s helpful and well done, it should be a largely positive experience.”
Samual Krieger ’27 has used tutoring in the past for English, Honors Chemistry and ACT preparation. Krieger said the assistance helped him prepare for his classes and be more intentional with his time.
“I wanted someone who is very knowledgeable that could be at my disposal, enhance my learning and get me ready for tests,” Krieger said. “Having a tutor has really helped me in the long run. He’s helped me absorb the material more, pushed me to space my work out, and be smarter and more thoughtful in my learning.”
Krieger said the school’s rigor makes tutoring necessary in some classes, though the costs can be concerning.
“Tutoring is super expensive, and we go to Harvard-Westlake, so you need extra help because classes are very rigorous,” Krieger said. “It’s hard to balance the cost. Luckily, my parents were on board with it. The fact that some of these companies are charging ridiculous amounts for their services is a growing problem. My SAT tutoring charges $150 per hour. Some people are charging $400 to $500 for an hour, which is ridiculous and unfair.”
Krieger is part of the 15% of students nationwide that receive tutoring, according to the Journal of Consumer Affairs. At the school, 55.8% of students have received private tutoring, according to a Chronicle poll.
Brianna Ebrahemi ’27 said she was initially motivated to start collaborating with tutors because she was struggling in her STEM courses.
“I was doing badly in Geometry, so I needed to get math tutoring,” Ebrahemi said. “I have had different math tutors throughout the years. Science-wise, I was struggling in Biology. I met with some of my teachers before [reaching out to tutors] and they were unhelpful and made me feel rushed. My previous math teachers did not present the material in a way that I was able to understand. I got a tutor so I could ask my questions without fear of criticism or judgment. I was able to fully understand the concepts and have all my questions answered.”
As students aim for academic excellence, the fees of tutors, test preparation and additional expenses raise questions about the cost of performing well at the school.
Ebrahemi said she feels tutors are beneficial; however, the high price point, which often comes with more experienced instructors, is inaccessible for many students.
“[Tutoring] gives an academic advantage because you’re getting help from professionals who know the stuff really well, and not everyone has the ability to get that kind of help,” Ebrahemi said. “The more it costs, the more likely they are to be a good tutor.”
Calvin Kim ’27 is among several Honors Physics I students who work weekly with Sonny Ahad, an instructor at Dynamics Education Center. Located a few minutes away from the Upper School, Dynamics Education Center offers standardized test preparation and tutoring in various subjects. Kim said that these sessions help him comprehend the information more rapidly, which gives him time to focus on other things.
“Tutoring saves me a lot of time because it helps me understand what we learned in class, which allows me to study for other classes,” Kim said. “It’s worth it. It is helpful and has improved my performance.”
According to a former Honors Physics I student, Ahad charges $180 per hour for private sessions and $120 per hour for group classes, requiring 10 sessions be paid in advance. Ahad said he treats tutoring as a craft and teaches so his students understand physics as a broader concept.
“I consider [tutoring] an art,” Ahad said. “When you learn physics, you have to understand the big picture rather than doing problems here and there. I tell my students, ‘I don’t give you a fish, I’ll teach you how to get a fish.’”
Head of Upper School Beth Slattery said she does not believe tutors are necessary to perform well.
“There is a physics tutor that people [say] you have to get, and you have to book him before you even enroll in the class,” Slattery said. “People think if you don’t, then you’re going to get a bad grade. There’s no evidence to suggest that the kids who are using that tutor [perform better], but somebody has convinced everybody that that’s the only way to do it.”
Ahad said he helps people who are unable to pay his fee.
“Sometimes I do offer [discounted rates],” Ahad said. “I have some students who are not from Harvard-Westlake or other nearby private schools who cannot afford it. I treat them as my friends. I don’t even charge them. I try to help them, and am thinking more about free tutoring in the future.”
Slattery said she wishes students used their available resources, especially considering the cost of tuition.
“When you spend as much money as it costs to go here, it is because we have excellent teachers that you can meet with, and an excellent support system,” Slattery said. “I wish people didn’t feel like they needed [tutoring].”
The Learning Center offers Peer Tutoring, a student-led academic assistance program, for all students on campus and consists of a team of over 50 tutors. Head of Peer Tutoring Esther Goldman ’26 said the program has several benefits that private tutors do not necessarily offer.
“A really good thing about peer tutoring is you’re talking with classmates, students and teachers who either teach or have taken the exact course that you’re taking,” Goldman said. “While a private tutor might do a really good job of explaining derivatives, a peer tutor can do the same thing while also knowing exactly what material you’re responsible for each unit, which might be a little bit more difficult for a private tutor who has to tutor kids from across many schools with many different curricula. Another huge advantage is that peer tutoring is free, and it can also be done during your school day so you don’t have to take time off of a really busy weekend or after school.”
The school also encourages students to meet with their teachers frequently and build strong relationships with them. Krieger said he prioritizes meeting with his teachers and demonstrates his enthusiasm for the class.
“Always going to your teacher first is the best thing you can do because it shows that you truly care about your learning,” Krieger said. “You’re invested in the subject and are able to build a relationship with that teacher. It’s cool to have relationships with the amazing faculty and staff at Harvard-Westlake.”
Vourgourakis said she wished the school did a better job of promoting the resources that they offer.
“They should make these resources more available, accessible and known to people,” Vourgourakis said. “I know a lot of students who are also on scholarship. I told them that I got SAT [tutoring] without any cost to me and they were really surprised. It should be made more clear that they do cover that, and that you can make requests to your dean about it.”
