Tutoring for Top-Flight Students Soars

Eighth-grader Michael Chen scored an amazing 1490 on the Scholastic Assessment Test last year, landing him a prestigious spot in Johns Hopkins University’s summer program for the gifted.

But the ambitious 13-year-old from Anaheim Hills thinks he can do better, maybe even earn a perfect 1600 on the SAT by the time he is old enough to apply to college. To help him, his parents have spent thousands of dollars on college prep programs at the Elite Institute near his home, where Chen has spent much of the summer memorizing 3,700 vocabulary words and solving math problems.

At Elite, a Rowland Heights-based tutorial service mainly for high-achieving students, hard work is the standard.

“Most of our students push themselves,” said William Hong, an Elite assistant director. “But some get pressure from their parents, many of whom are immigrants, didn’t have a full education and want to give every opportunity to their children.”

Though some child development experts raise concerns that too much attention on accelerated learning can rob youngsters of their childhood, parents in increasing numbers are shelling out money for high-power crash courses, turning what was once a cottage industry for remedial tutoring into a booming business targeting top-flight students.

“The supplemental education industry used to be more for students who had trouble in school,” said Melissa Mack, spokeswoman for Kaplan Educational Centers, a Washington Post Co. subsidiary with 185 locations nationwide. “Now the bulk of our students are those who excel in school.”

Analysts estimate that learning centers are now a $1-billion-a-year industry nationwide, providing assistance to 2 million students in kindergarten through high school. As new companies have opened, established ones have added programs to remain competitive.

A menu of accelerated learning programs are now being offered, ranging from advanced math courses for kindergartners to private tutors who will travel with students to their vacation spots. Prices range from $75 a month for a basic program at a learning center to $350 an hour for a private tutor.

Among the most popular are SAT prep programs, which are often sought out by parents of children as young as 8.

But most program officials say they turn away elementary-age students because they are too young to benefit from the training. Junior high students, however, are accepted at some centers because SAT scores are required for acceptance to college-sponsored summer camps and other academic enrichment programs.

“We’re serving a different marketplace these days,” said John Katzman, president of Princeton Review, a New York-based accelerated learning company.

Katzman concedes that college entrance exams do not measure intelligence, but high test scores boost students’ status in a multitude of ways.

“SATs are a horrible way to select students,” he said. “But it’s part of an important game. It not only gets you into the college you want, but it also determines financial aid, scholarships, etc.

“People acknowledge that these are coachable tests. . . . That’s why they pay for our programs,” he added.

Kaplan’s newest venture is its Score study centers, which accept children 4 to 17. Usually located in suburban shopping areas, the centers are set up like arcades in which youngsters complete math and reading exercises on computers. One-on-one tutoring in various subjects is also offered.

Students typically drop by twice a week, go through lessons on the computer and get help from young “academic coaches.” If they earn marks, they win prizes and get to shoot a basketball.

On one day, first-grader Morgan Wong had correctly answered a set of third-grade math problems. Mission Viejo Score director Ian Hayden shouted, “Good job,” giving the boy a high-five.

Morgan Wong’s mother watched proudly as he skipped toward her, clutching a toy he earned for his good work.

“We look at this as trying to give him an edge above the pack,” Jenny Wong said.

One major selling point is convenience: Parents can drop off the kids for an hour of tutoring while they go shopping or run errands. And the centers are open year-round after school and on weekends.

Score, which costs about $90 a month, is so popular that Kaplan is opening a new center every two weeks throughout the country, officials said.

Myron H. Dembo, professor of educational psychology at USC, said several factors are driving this explosion of learning programs for the ambitious.

Many parents, mindful that new technology has prompted workplace layoffs and more competition for scarce jobs, realize that their children may need more advanced degrees to get ahead. Educational companies capitalize on those parents’ concerns, Dembo said.

“Like in any commercial business, they are trying to meet a need, they are preying on parents’ insecurities and time pressures,” Dembo said. “Parents realize it’s tougher to make it in the world. If you get kids involved you feel better.”

Dembo advised that parents should enroll their children in programs that meet the students’ needs and interests. But supplemental programs should not sap all the children’s time, he added.

“Part of childhood is leisure time to allow children to discover our world. It doesn’t always have to be productive,” he said.

Educational companies retort that they are merely providing a beneficial service, not fueling public anxiety.

“There’s a demand and we can help improve results,” Princeton Review CEO Katzman said. Just listen to the parents and students, he added.

Nhiem Nguyen, a recent graduate of Irvine’s University High School, spent his summer at Princeton Review’s introductory course to medical school, called MedStart. At $675, the five-week program involved taking condensed versions of three college-level science courses, complete with midterms and final exams, and a seminar on life in medical school.

Nguyen, to enter Caltech in the fall, described it as a “quick-fix deal” to keep his mind active during the summer. Though he is only 18, Nguyen said it’s never too soon to plan for the future.

“My dad sees college as an investment, and so do I,” he said. “Others may see it as a journey, or a time to discover yourself. I see it as, you get more out of it if you put more into it.”