Online tutoring is one of the most common resources college students use for help with homework, essays and exam preparation. Having access to experts in a wide variety of subject areas from the comfort of your own living space can revolutionize the way you learn — and impact your success in college. 

But with so many tutoring resources at your fingertips, it's important to learn how to maximize the benefits of online tutoring. Below are some tips and tricks, including how to prepare for a session and what questions to ask tutors to help you make the most of online tutoring resources.

Write Down Specific Questions Ahead of Time

When you schedule an online tutoring session, write down any questions and concerns you have regarding a particular class or assignment. This practice can help focus the tutoring session and ensure that you won't forget to ask pertinent questions.

Come Prepared

In addition to writing down any questions to ask your tutor, you need to come into the tutoring session fully prepared in the following ways:

• Have any necessary documents uploaded for sharing.
• Set up all of the technology you need for the tutoring session.
• Have a quiet, clean working environment with minimal distractions.
• Bookmark specific pages in your textbooks that would help with the tutoring session.
• Make sure your technology is working properly by testing it before the session starts.

Eliminate Distractions

Distractions are everywhere. From text messages to noisy neighbors, you can get continuously bombarded by distractions that keep you from your goals. When you set yourself up for a tutoring session in an online learning environment, make sure you silence your phone and any alerts that may pop up on your computer. If possible, set up for your session in a quiet place where you won't experience any intrusions or loud noises.

Be Mindful of Time Limits

Most tutoring sessions conducted online have strict time limits. It's important to be mindful of session time limits when preparing your questions for the tutor so you can spend your time wisely. Ask the most important questions first in case you run out of time at the end — and, of course, prepare for the session ahead of time.

Familiarize Yourself With the Online Learning Environment

Especially if you're new to a particular online tutoring service, it's important to take a bit of time and explore the tutoring tools and resources available to you on the service's website. Many online tutoring services include virtual classrooms with advanced learning tools such as HTML5-based whiteboards, document and desktop sharing functions, video and audio file sharing, and much more. 

When you know how to use all of the features of your virtual classroom and follow online tutoring best practices, you can make the most out of your tutoring session. For more information about our tutoring service and its exciting new features, visit 24HourAnswers's tutoring information page. You can also schedule an online tutoring session today to get started.