The Winter Olympics are only weeks away, bringing with it the excitement of medal counts and new household heroes. For these amazing athletes, Olympic gold will cement their legacies. But the competitors are so close in talent and skill that the difference between greatness and going home empty handed can be measured in tenths and hundredths of seconds. So what is it that sets the elite athlete apart from the competition? It turns out they are the same as those which separate top-tier students from the very good. Hard work and dedication certainly play a role but coaching, game-planning, and knowing what and how to train to maximize potential are what push students and athletes alike to the next level.

Creative Tutors founder, Jan Van Blarcum, Ph.D. explains what it takes to go from great to good in the academic arena. “Many times a C student can become a B student by putting in extra hours of study and a B student may become a B+ student by working even more diligently. But at a certain point the rate of return on simply working hard will plateau and additional study and stress will not help to break through that ceiling. This is when a student needs to work smart, and with the expertise and concentrated focus that a tutor brings, the sky is the limit.”

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Creative Tutors has witnessed the competition for private schools, universities, college scholarships, and National Merit Awards intensify each year and has expanded the franchise to meet the growing demands of parents and students searching for that extra edge. “With so many students striving for too few spots, the fight for the top has never been more fierce,” notes Creative Tutors of Allen/Lovejoy franchise owner Cherrie Kilby. As an educator with over twenty years of teaching experience in the U.S., Japan, and China, Cherrie understands that “a slightly higher TAKS score, a 50 point bump in Critical Reading on the SAT, or maybe even a GPA that's a few ticks higher can be the difference between getting in and being left out.”

The Creative Tutors franchise has exploded in recent years because it is built on customizing a tailor-made approach to maximize each student's unique gifts and pinpoint specific areas for improvement. “When working with top-tier students, the challenge is not to get them organized or to help them keep up in biology,” explains Creative Tutors of McKinney owner David Pulsipher. David, a longtime upper level and Advanced Placement math teacher and former basketball coach, understands the strategies for drawing out the very best in students. “They are already very gifted and therefore require highly trained professionals in specific areas of study, whether it be SAT/ACT prep or AP History. Our tutors are not only experts in their respective fields but are teachers who know how to relate to each student on a personal level. It's really the only way to squeeze out that extra 5-10% it takes to be a truly elite student.”

Creative Tutors client, Joan Daniels had this to say about Jan and the Creative Tutors methodology of drawing out excellence:

I have a gifted daughter who is now 6 years old and in the first grade in PISD. We knew something was different about her by the age of 2 because of the profound statements that she would say as well as her ability to read by the age of 3. If you are a parent of a gifted child, you will understand our panic with what to do with her!

We were very worried about how we should proceed...challenging her enough but not putting pressure on her...giving her the information she wanted to devour but not expecting too much...helping her be well-rounded and socially adept but not holding her back...Were we and her preschool teachers crazy or was she really seriously gifted?

Thank goodness we met Jan! With Jan's constant counsel, we were able to get my daughter properly tested to confirm our suspicions of her intellect. Jan guided us through the confusing world of private schools, tutoring, and testing. With Jan coaching us as parents, we were able to help my daughter supplement at home with materials that helped her to learn at her advanced pace. My daughter was one of the very few in PISD to pass the advanced placement exam to skip kindergarten and go directly into the first grade. She could not be happier there! We recently found out that she is in the top 8% of all Plano first graders in spite of her skipping kindergarten.

I would highly recommend Jan and her company, Creative Tutors, to any parent who has a child who is behind, ahead or just wants to increase their abilities. Jan Van Blarcum has an integrity that is unsurpassed and is to the core the kind of person that you want to be a part of your family's life.

Her passion for helping children love learning and reach their highest potential is undeniable!

 To find a Creative Tutor in your area please visit the website. Jan invites you to follow Creative Tutors on Twitter.