Frequently Asked Questions.

Why should I choose Hilltop?

We are effective teachers. All our tutors are highly skilled and experienced educators with a passion for the work they do. We have a comprehensive resource library including Ontario curriculum documents, university textbooks, and a wide variety of educational books and games for younger children. In special cases we can readily access advice from three teachers with over 70 years of combined teaching experience. In short, we are more than up to the job.

We tutor one-on-one. This lets us observe a client’s needs more closely, and to customize our lessons based on our observations. It encourages tutor and student to develop a rapport that encourages comfort and success for the student. For students who react negatively to a classroom environment, one-on-one sessions are a welcome break from their school hours. For sensitive or shy students, this also provides a non-judgmental, non-competitive atmosphere that helps them gain the confidence they need to succeed.

We value safety. All of our tutors have up-to-date first aid training, as well as clean police records that include vulnerable sector checks. We will never recruit tutors over the internet and send them to your home to tutor. When tutoring children we speak in a way that that affirms their worth and ability to succeed, even when they misbehave or struggle with a topic.

Our students graduate. Our students inevitably meet with more success at school, and many of them reach a point where they no longer need tutoring! When a student reaches this point, we will recommend that they 'graduate' from Hilltop and be free to try a sport or interest class or simply to save money. Tutoring is one job where working well means losing clients, but having satisfied customers makes up for that.

We are a small business. Unlike the large tutoring chains, we pay well enough to attract the best tutors. Our employees all have a personal stake in the company’s success, and are motivated to teach well as a result. We are based in Waterloo and are active in the community, and our company is driven by positive social and environmental values.

Where are your lessons located?

Waterloo Public Library University of Waterloo Client's Home

We offer you four choices for lesson location. Move your mouse over one for directions and details.

When are you available?

We are blessed with a flexible schedule that can usually accommodate your needs. Please contact us to let us know what timing you would like. We normally recommend at least two one-hour sessions a week to make sure the student's learning is retained.

How much do you charge?

For K-12 students, our normal tutoring rate is $35 per hour. For children of low-income families, we offer a subsidized rate of $20 per hour. For more information on this discount, please contact our staff.

For university students, our normal rate is $25 per hour. This lower price reflects our concern for the accessibility of post-secondary education, as well as the motivational and behavioural factors that make adults easier to tutor.

For tutoring in the client's home in Waterloo, we add up to $5 per session for gas and traveling time. Clients outside of town (e.g. in Kitchener, Cambridge, or Guelph) will face slightly higher costs for home tutoring, depending on their distance from downtown Waterloo.

For group tutoring with K-12 students, we add $20 per hour per extra student, with a maximum class size of 3. Post-secondary clients pay $15 per hour per extra student, and the maximum class size is 4.

Web design fees very depending on the project. Informational websites (such as this one, or an artist’s portfolio without an online shopping cart) can range from $300-$600. Websites requiring extensive interactivity, copy-writing or programming may be higher. For more details, please see the web design section or contact Eric for a free no-obligation quote.

Proofreading fees vary depending on the length of the piece and the deadline for completion, according to this chart.

0-1000 words, in >24 hours:	$10
0-1000 words, in <24 hours:	$20
1000-2500 words, in >24 hours:	$20
1000-2500 words, in <24 hours:	$35
2500-5000 words, in >24 hours:	$30
2500-5000 words, in >24 hours:	$50

Please see the section on proofreading services to learn more.

Are there any jobs available?

We're not actively pursuing tutors right now, but you could be the first person we contact. Please email Eric your résumé along with a cover letter that answers these two questions: what skills do you have that make you a great teacher, and what do you appreciate most about teaching? Include info on knowledge areas, credentials, availability and the grade levels you're experienced with. We look forward to hearing from you.

©2008-9 Hilltop Tutoring.

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"In the summer all the lights would shine
There'd be music playin', people laughin' all the time
Me and my sister, we'd hide out in the tall cornfields
Sit and listen to the mansion on the hill."
- Bruce Springsteen