For Families and Franchisees, Sylvan Learning is a Brand for All Seasons

Offering tutoring and other educational enrichment programs might seem like a strictly academic-year enterprise, but Sylvan Learning franchisees know that is definitely not the case. 

The tutoring and educational enrichment franchise, which has more than 40 years of experience and more than 750 points of presence throughout North America, offers a wide variety of programs that can help students of all levels of academic prowess and keep franchisees in business year-round. 

In fact, the brand’s peak times are when schools are out of session, according to Senior Director of Franchise Services Leslie Poteet. 

“Whether it’s summer break, winter break or spring break, Sylvan Learning tends to offer an increased variety of options,” Poteet said. “Since students are not in school, their schedules are more open.”

These increased options include more sessions of Sylvan Classroom, which puts first through fifth graders in small academic groups, as well as more offerings in STEM classes referred to as Sylvan EDGE, including robotics and coding, all of which “amp up the fun factor while keeping things academic,” Poteet said. 

Sylvan Learning also offers SAT and ACT preparation classes throughout the year. When school is out, students can even take one-day boot camps aimed at helping them sharpen their test-taking skills. Sylvan Learning supports students who struggle in school and need to catch up and helps them get to a place where they can thrive. This variety of program offerings also translates to major revenue potential for franchisees. 

“We meet students where they are,” Poteet said. “In fact, something we see with a lot of elementary students, for example, is that they are bored in the classroom and want something more stimulating. People, especially children, are curious by nature, and so at Sylvan Learning we want to meet them where they are and give them the knowledge that will help them in the classroom and have a successful experience in school.”

This year, in particular, is proving to be a pivotal one for Sylvan Learning, as an increasing number of families are reaching out to their local center to inquire about services due to COVID-19-related virtual or hybrid learning.

“Even the families of students who never struggled in school are now seeking support for their kids,” Poteet said. “They’re worried that their children are simply not getting the education that they need, and we’re ready across our system to help them.” 

One franchisee who has seen the impact Sylvan Learning makes on students year-round is Susan Steron. Steron owns and operates two Sylvan Learning locations in Rochester, NY.  She noted that summer is typically the busiest time of year for her centers. 

“At Sylvan Learning, we look at summer as the best catch-up time,” Steron said. “The summer is really a critical time to help students get ahead, especially if they struggled in the previous year of school. Since students don’t have to worry about homework or daily classwork, they have time to focus on simply catching up to where their peers are.”

Steron noted that summer is also a popular time for students to take advantage of Sylvan Learning’s pre-teaching services, especially in math and science, where they can become familiar with a subject they are scheduled to take during the school year. 

Like Poteet, Steron noted a heightened interest in Sylvan Learning’s services from families who are worried about the effects of COVID-19 on their children’s education. 

“Families that may not have seen the need for Sylvan Learning before COVID-19 are reaching out to inquire about the support we can provide,” Steron said. “Working parents have had to balance a lot of things, and they’re feeling the stress. They want their kids to fill in any gaps and get them back up to speed.” 

The opportunity to work with a wide variety of students year-round who all have different educational needs is precisely what makes being a Sylvan Learning franchisee so interesting, according to Steron. 

“There are so many different opportunities to meet the needs of families,” she said. “Sometimes, you even serve a different population in the summer than you do during the school year.”

Thanks to a variety of programs designed to meet a wide array of student needs, Sylvan Learning ensures that franchisees enjoy a lucrative business opportunity all year long. 

The startup costs for a Sylvan Learning franchise range from $70,270 to $163,625. The franchise fee is $24,000. To learn more about franchising with Sylvan Learning, visit https://sylvanfranchise.com/.