Why Doing Your Homework is a Smart Investment: Tutor Doctor's Private, In-Home Services Earn Top Grades in $4 Billion Segment

By: Tutor Doctor | 2 Shares 266 Reads

May 07, 2009 // Franchising.com // TORONTO - As vast demand for tutoring services gives rise to new and improved franchise concepts, a market leader is clearly emerging. By honing in on what's most important to students and their families - affordability, privacy and convenience - Tutor Doctor is on course to become a global franchising giant in the supplemental education industry.

As one company executive puts it, "when it comes to creating the ultimate franchise concept and teaching model in supplemental education, Tutor Doctor has studied the competition and aced the marketplace test."

Today, with 41 franchises operating throughout Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, parents and students are increasingly choosing Tutor Doctor's affordable, in-home, one-on-one teaching model over traditional storefront learning centers. The trend has lead to a parallel interest in the franchise opportunity.

Tutor Doctor's original founder started the concept nearly a decade ago with a simple idea and a desire to make a difference. He wondered why parents had to adjust to their families' busy schedules and drive halfway across town just to put their child into a crowded classroom, when in fact it was the classroom experience that their child was struggling with in the first place. A few years later, investors saw the market opportunity and began franchising the concept.

"Quite simply, our franchise system is growing because we've pinpointed and we're delivering exactly what parents and students want - privacy, flexibility and personalized, quality tutoring services," said Tutor Doctor President Frank Milner, who is known for growing one of Canada's hottest technology franchises to top in its category. "Every day, students silently struggle with the many-to-one teacher to student ratio in our school systems," he said. "Tutor Doctor's one-on-one model provides the push these students need in a setting in which they are extremely comfortable. As a result, everyone in the house breathes a little easier."

The Tutor Doctor model particularly resonated with Milner, who experienced firsthand the toll that academic struggles can take on a family. He recalls many nights coming home after work to find his school-aged child having a "math meltdown" as his frustrated wife struggled to help. After researching the segment and talking with families, he quickly realized he was not alone.

In fact, the rise of tutoring is becoming so pervasive it is changing the face of American education. Due to heightened competition in the classroom and governmental programs requiring schools identified as failing to provide tutoring to students, this $4 billion dollar per year industry, once an upper-class phenomenon, has extended to the middle class and beyond and continues to grow at a rapid pace.

"In today's fast-paced world where dual incomes and high academic competition are the norm, Tutor Doctor is a business that will continue to be in demand because of its flexibility and proven results," Milner said.

In addition to servicing school-age students needing help in various subjects, many families also hire Tutor Doctor to help students get ahead and prepare for larger challenges, such as advanced classes that could help them get into a preferred college or university. Tutor Doctor has also proven valuable for the rapidly growing home-schooled population, as well as for seniors wanting to learn technology skills.

Tutor Doctor franchisees often say with pride that more than making a dollar they make a difference by helping students and their families. They also become involved in community events, as well as work with school districts and the tutors.

About Tutor Doctor

Tutor Doctor was founded in 1999 as an alternative to the "one-to-many" teaching model most extra-curricular learning centers offer by providing a personalized one-on-one, in-home tutoring service to students. The company quickly grew and in 2003 turned to franchising as a way of expanding the company's impact and meeting the vast market demand. Now with offices internationally in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, the Tutor Doctor vision is becoming a reality as the lives of students and their families are being positively impacted throughout the world. Tutor Doctor is affiliated with the National Tutor Association (NTA) whose mission is to foster the advancement of professional and peer tutoring, support research into best practices and standards for all tutors, support tutor training, advocate for tutor certification, and uphold the NTA Code of Ethics.

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