10 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Sylvan Learning

For Sylvan Learning*, personal education has always come first. Which is why, today, the brand has emerged as a leading supplemental education resource and provider of tutoring to students of all ages and grade levels. Now, as Sylvan continues to position itself for success in the decades to come, more and more people are taking notice of the unique opportunity its 37-year-old system of 750 learning locations offers—including potential investors.

In addition to transforming how students learn and inspiring them to succeed in school and life, Sylvan Learning boasts a great business opportunity for franchisees. Here are 10 reasons why entrepreneurs should consider Sylvan Learning.

Sylvan has some of the most advanced technology in the industry.

Technology is changing the world, enhancing the way we live and learn. But technology doesn’t teach students—teachers do. Sylvan has blended unparalleled teaching with advanced technology to engage digital learners, connect with Sylvan families and help franchisees expertly manage their operations. 

This starts with Sylvan’s unique SylvanSync program. Launched system wide in 2011, SylvanSync™ is a comprehensive instructional system designed to support each student’s individual learning needs with the aid of specialized, tablet-based, digital technology. SylvanSync™ facilitates adaptive, teacher-led instruction that creates a unique learning experience for each student while streamlining communication and strengthening relationships among student, instructor and family. 

Sylvan Satellites makes learning more convenient for families.

Sylvan also allows franchisees to take the brand’s digital instructional system anywhere in their territory. The SylvanSync system enables current and potential franchisees to tutor anywhere in their community that has internet access. Called Sylvan Satellites, these locations let franchisees expand their own footprint in their territory while also providing more convenient locations to families.

“Aside from the robust technology and digital lessons that provide the base of SylvanSync, the best part is that these satellite locations require a very minimal upfront investment while being even more convenient for families to gain access to great education,” said John McAuliffe, Sylvan Learning’s CEO. “In the past, if a franchisee wanted to penetrate a territory, they would have had to build multiple brick and mortar locations. With the SylvanSync system, they only need one brick and mortar location and can then put these satellites throughout their territory with the potential to see true growth with very little incremental investment.”

Sylvan Learning offers a unique emotional return on investment.

What truly sets Sylvan apart is its ability to partner with families and guide them through every step of their academic journey. From tutoring to enrichment, including STEM, to getting into college, Sylvan is right there with a family, preparing their children for greater success in life.

"We were very hands on owners, building relationships with parents. We knew all of our kids by their first names. We also built a strong relationship with our community. They say if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. We found that with Sylvan," said Kathy Smith, who owned mutiple Sylvan Learning Centers with her husband, Steve Huff, before entering into retirement recently.  

Sylvan Learning offers a franchisee-friendly licensing agreement.

This year, Sylvan Learning restructured its business model with a new franchise license agreement and operating requirements designed to increase flexibility and profitability for franchisees. Center operations will be optimized through state-of-the-art technology, and targeted marketing practices will be used to reach new families.

“Sylvan offers a flexible business model with startup fees that are significantly reduced,” McAuliffe said. “We work with our franchisees in terms of their operating hours and royalty rates. Instead of throwing multiple fees at our owners, we have a flat rate. That attractive and affordable model—in addition to Sylvan’s wide breadth of programs and services—makes our business opportunity one of the best in the industry.”

Sylvan is the largest branded provider of STEM education.

No other company incorporates technology into its STEM programs like Sylvan. From the use of netbooks, to award-winning software, Sylvan is sparking kids’ imaginations every day. And when it’s time to unplug, the brand has mastered that, too, with fun, hands-on courses and unique experiments.

“STEM is a powerful way to engage families early in their academic journey, and Sylvan is great for STEM. Our innovative programs—robotics, coding and engineering—introduce kids to a fun experience with STEM at a young age. That can ultimately make a lifetime of impact, from success in school to high-demand careers. We love creating that spark,” McAuliffe said.

Sylvan offers unrivaled franchisee support and training.

When you invest in a Sylvan franchise, you join a culture that supports ongoing growth and development. Sylvan’s franchisee training program includes local operations training; a weeklong training program to introduce you to Sylvan; hundreds of hours of on-demand, self-paced training courses to make a franchisee more successful; weekly strategy calls and a personalized focus from a franchise business consultant; local marketing training; and access to the Sylvan University team, a dedicated department that supports a franchisee’s success through in-person and online training.

Sylvan utilizes a unique approach to teaching.

Sylvan believes that true learning—the kind that makes a child smarter and more motivated—calls for a personal approach. That’s why, the brand uses a proven four-step approach called Sylvan Insight to truly engage a child.

First, Sylvan’s unique personal learning method starts with an assessment. Called Sylvan Insight, this begins with analyzing a child’s academic strengths and weaknesses, as well as his or her attitude about school and learning. The outcome? Through Sylvan Insight, the brand identifies the right Sylvan program and exactly where a child needs to start to get the best results.

Then, Sylvan develops a personal plan tailored to a child’s needs and creates a learning program unique to each child. That’s where the teaching begins. Sylvan blends personal instruction with digital tools in an instructional system called SylvanSync. Sylvan tutors lead interactive lessons on iPads, so lessons can adapt to a child’s skill level and pace. This approach lets tutors guide and motivate a child in a way that’s personal and fun. And, finally, come the results. With Sylvan Insight, the brand can measure the progress a child is making with each lesson, including how well a child is applying his or her new skills.

Sylvan is one of the oldest and most established education brands.

With nearly 37 years of experience, Sylvan knows what works—and what doesn’t work—when it comes to growing a supplemental education and tutoring business. Because of the brand’s storied history and impressive track record, Sylvan Learning franchises enjoy 85 percent brand awareness—the strongest in the tutoring industry.

"The Sylvan brand name is very strong. If you want to join a brand that's recognized as a leader in the tutoring industry, Sylvan is the perfect fit for you," Smith said. 

Sylvan has impressive growth opportunities.

Whether you’re interested in operating a single education franchise or multiple franchises, there’s never been a better time to consider Sylvan. The brand’s education franchise system is undergoing rapid expansion across the United States, Canada and international markets, and there are dozens of new territories in the pipeline.

There’s a high demand for supplemental education.

A Sylvan education franchise helps a local franchisee meet the real needs of his or her community. That’s because tutoring services are in high demand, and the $4 billion education industry is only continuing to grow. In particular, school budget cuts, low test scores, increased college competition and the risk of failing high school are all driving more and more families to seek out Sylvan’s personal learning experience.