31st December 2010 9:51
By Harriet Boulding
The biggest story in the tutoring world this week is the report that demand from undergraduates is increasing faster than any other demographic. Many agencies report a surge in requests from undergraduates for a broad range of subjects, evidence which supports the view that A’ levels do not adequately prepare students for university. In the past, parents of children preparing for school entrance were the most likely to employ private tutors. Now students who have experienced a stressful first term at university are contacting agencies themselves in an attempt to fill in the gaps between school and university.
A common request from students is help with writing and structuring long essays, a task which is common place at degree level but not required by schools. This adds weight to the arguments of critics who claim that the current A’level system, which is predominantly exam based and allows students to retake if they are not happy with their grade, leaves students unable to cope with the rigour of a university course.
This year 1 in 3 students who applied to university did not get a place, despite A level results being a record high. Graduates are also finding fierce competition for jobs during the recession, meaning that they are far more willing to pay for tuition which might help them beat the odds