By Judy Wakefield
If you're the parent of a senior in high school who has no clue about a college major, or you have a child who stresses out when it's test time, perhaps you'll be interested in a new tutoring center opening steps from a hangout for teens — Brueggers on Main Street.
Chyten Tutors & Test Preparation has opened an office on the lower level of 10 Main St. The company opened 10 years ago in Newton and is named after its founder, Neil Chyten. There are now franchises in nine communities in the state, including Wellesley, Lexington and Westwood.
"We're growing, but we've been around," said Joshua Landman, who is in charge of the Andover franchise. "We know Andover is a town that is serious about education and we're happy to be here."
Landman said his company's tutoring strategy has been proven to work. Clients have seen their scores improve on several standardized tests, such as the SAT, PSAT and ACT, he said.
"All of our tutors have master's degrees and teaching experience," said Landman, who opened the Andover center on Aug. 1.
He said his tutors have worked with both stellar students who want to stay on top and the more challenged students who need help with their confidence in the classroom.
"It's a diverse group of students and our approach, which keeps tutors, kids and parents connected, has been proven to work," said Landman, who earned his undergraduate degree at Notre Dame University and a law degree from the University of Connecticut. "We know how busy kids are these days and we work around that."
Chyten offers tutoring for students in kindergarten through grade 12, though most clients come from the older end of that age range.
Teens can turn to Chyten for help with organization and note-taking skills, in addition to typical tutoring help with reading, studying and test-taking skills.
Landman, the son of a middle school principal, said having a tutor is like being concerned about your health.
"We all know we should eat well and we do, but we take vitamins, too. Well, we are the vitamins," he said.
Chyten offers two payment structures Clients can sign up for each tutoring session or enroll in a membership plan.
Landman said those interested in costs should call him to discuss the options at 978-474-0101.
The Chyten Web site list costs between $125 and $165 per hour for tutoring. Personal tutoring services cost $265 per hour.
