If you had asked me in 2006, when Beyond BookSmart was in its infancy as a company, if it’s possible to coach students online to be more effective and productive, I’d have likely answered with a resounding “Inconceivable!” After all, our work is built on a foundation that emphasizes rapport and respect for our students. Without that, it’s an uphill trudge to influence kids to change their work hab...

Online courses can be a wonderful way to learn almost anything—from accounting to zoology. It can help to fill skill gaps, earn credits toward a degree, and contribute to personal enrichment. Many options are low-cost or even free and there is no commute! So, everyone should sign up for online classes, right? Hold on - first consider some of the possible pitfalls before you click to enroll.

Every week, we open emails from parents and students who are thrilled with their outcomes from coaching. Last month on our blog, we shared one mom's heartfelt thanks to her son's coach, Samantha (Sam) Raimondi. Sam coached Mark (not his actual name) via Skype for a few weeks during his fall semester of his sophomore year in college. By the time Mark began online coaching, he was in deep academic t...