Study skills coaching teaches students how to learn, not what to learn. A coach helps a high school or college student replace rereading and last-minute cramming with methods that actually stick, then builds those methods into a weekly plan the student can keep. Blackburn Mentoring offers study skills coaching one-on-one for students 13 and up, by video nationwide, in person in Los Angeles.
The problem with “I studied for hours”
Many students who disappoint on tests genuinely put in the time. They reread the chapter, highlighted the notes and looked over the study guide the night before. Those habits feel productive because the material looks familiar on the page. Familiar is not the same as remembered, and the gap shows up when the student faces a blank question on a test.
Study skills coaching closes that gap. The coach looks at how the student currently prepares, what the tests in each class actually ask for, and where the time is going, then helps the student practice more effective methods on real coursework.
Signs a student needs study skills help
- Test scores do not match the hours the student says they studied.
- Studying means rereading notes or the textbook, and little else.
- The student cannot explain the material out loud a day after a test.
- Every test week ends with a late night of cramming.
- Grades are fine on homework but drop sharply on exams.
- The student says they “just are not a good test taker.”
That last belief is worth challenging. Test performance is partly a skill, and skills can be practiced. Many students who describe themselves this way have simply never been taught how to prepare.
Methods a study skills coach teaches
- Retrieval practice. Closing the book and writing or saying what you remember, then checking. It is harder than rereading, and far more durable.
- Spaced study. Several short sessions spread across a week instead of one long session the night before.
- Practice tests and question writing. Turning notes into questions and answering them under realistic conditions.
- Mixing problem types. For math and science, practicing different kinds of problems together so the student learns to recognize which method to use.
- Note-taking that works for the class. Different approaches for lecture-heavy courses, reading-heavy courses and problem-based courses.
- Reading for understanding. Previewing, questioning and summarizing a textbook section rather than reading it straight through.
- Test-day routines. Sleep, a short review plan and a strategy for difficult questions.
A study plan that fits the week
Methods only help if they happen, so coaching always includes the calendar. Coach and student list upcoming tests and projects, decide which study sessions go on which days, and protect those blocks from practice, work and social plans. For a student with five classes, that might mean three short review blocks spread across the days before each test instead of one marathon. The coach checks in between sessions to see whether the plan held.
Our free weekly planner for students is a good place to start building that structure.
What the first session covers
The first session is a diagnosis of habits, not of the student. The coach asks to see a recent test, the notes that went with it and the student’s calendar from the week before. Together they reconstruct how the student prepared: when they started, what they did and for how long. Patterns appear quickly. Maybe all the studying happened the night before, or the student made beautiful notes but never tested themselves on them.
From there, the coach picks one or two methods to try before the next test, puts specific study blocks on the calendar and sets up a check-in for the day before the exam. After the test, the next session looks at what worked. Over several weeks, the methods that fit the student become a routine.
High school students
For high school students, study skills coaching is often most valuable at transition points: the start of ninth grade, the first honors or AP courses, and junior year when the workload peaks. A coach helps the student set up routines before grades slip rather than after.
For students under 18, a parent or guardian can join the intro call, share what they see at home and agree on goals. Parents can get updates when needed. Our page on academic coaching for high school students covers the broader academic side.
College students
College tests cover more material, happen less often and count for more of the grade. A student who could cram successfully in high school often finds that the same approach fails in a large lecture course with two midterms and a final. Study skills coaching helps college students build a study rhythm across the whole term, use office hours and practice exams, and plan for finals weeks in advance. See academic coaching for college students for more.
Study skills coaching vs tutoring
A tutor explains the content of a specific subject. A study skills coach teaches methods and habits that work in every subject. If a student understands the material but cannot hold onto it or perform on tests, coaching is the right first step. If they are confused by the content itself, a tutor helps. Many students benefit from both. Blackburn Mentoring does not provide subject tutoring.
When something else is going on
Sometimes poor study results come from something a coach cannot fix alone: test anxiety that causes freezing, an undiagnosed learning difference, attention challenges or low mood. A coach can notice those patterns and help the family find the right professional, and coaching can continue alongside that care. In a crisis, call or text 988.
How it works
- Complete a short assessment about the student’s classes, current study habits and goals.
- Our team reviews it personally and sets up a free 20 minute intro call.
- If it is a fit, the student is matched with a mentor within 2 business days.
- Weekly video sessions begin, using the student’s real assignments and upcoming tests, with check-ins between sessions.
Mentors offer early morning, evening and weekend sessions. Read about how virtual mentoring works and the free intro call.
Common questions
What does a study skills coach do?
A study skills coach teaches a student effective ways to learn and remember material, such as retrieval practice and spaced study, then helps them build those methods into a weekly plan using their real classes and tests.
Is study skills coaching the same as tutoring?
No. A tutor teaches the content of a subject. A study skills coach teaches methods and routines that work across every subject. Blackburn Mentoring provides coaching, not subject tutoring.
Can study skills coaching be done online?
Yes. Online sessions work well because the coach and student can look at real notes, assignments and course sites together on screen. Blackburn Mentoring coaches by video nationwide, in person in Los Angeles.
What age is study skills coaching for?
Blackburn Mentoring works with students 13 and up, including students starting high school, high school students with a parent involved, and college students.
How long before study skills coaching improves grades?
Students often see better results on the next test or two once they use active methods. Making those methods a habit usually takes a full grading period of consistent practice.
Related guides: online executive function coaching, executive function coach vs tutor and college success coaching.
Get started
Ready to change how your student studies? Call (888) 305-5422, or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.
Free, by video, 20 minutes, with a member of our team. Weekdays 9 to 5 Pacific.