Tutor 180 • Cedar Park

Tutor 180 • Cedar Park

By JJ Velasquez Friday, 15 May 2009

When Suzy Mahoney started tutoring students out of her Cedar Park home in 2000, it was more hobby than career. She first tutored one child from her block. Quickly, the word spread, bringing in new clients.

“From there, we just decided hey, this might be an opportunity to start our own business, which is something that we always wanted to do,” said Dan Mahoney, her husband and business partner.

The Mahoneys hired two other tutors to work out of their home and settled on a name, Tutor 180, that reflects Suzy’s mission to turn students 180 degrees toward academic excellence.

Her services were in such high demand that the Mahoneys moved the business from their home to a business condominium on Cypress Creek Road.

In 2007, to increase the visibility of the business, they moved down the street to their current location in a retail center.

Suzy, an educator for 17 years, taught math at middle schools, high schools and community colleges in suburban Chicago before she and Dan moved to Cedar Park in 2000.

Because she was focused on raising her son, Danny, and isn’t certified to teach in the state, she has not taught since moving to Texas. But the business gave her the chance to focus on her passion: tutoring.

Suzy said she finds tutoring more gratifying than teaching.

“You could see the light go on quicker when you’re working with one or two students at a time as opposed to a whole class,” she said.

Tutor 180 helps students at the primary, secondary and college education levels in charter, private, home, or public schools on subjects such as math, science, statistics, Spanish, English and reading. The business can operate seven days a week, depending on demand. Tutoring sessions are all appointment based and not bound to contracts.

Tutor 180, operating regularly in the summer, plans to host summer camps and will provide courses on SAT and ACT preparation.

Dan said the summer is a vital time for students to stay on track with their studies, whether they are excellent or poor students.

“Summertime is great, but the majority of schools, come August or September, they’re reviewing,” he said. “That June-July-August time frame is so important to us to be able to help kids of any level.”

Tutor 180 will have the math and science books used in the Leander and Round Rock school districts available so students can prepare for the next level.

Summer Programs

Tutor 180 offers ongoing courses and tutoring throughout the summer. Some of the courses available are:

• SAT and ACT prep courses include work on test-taking strategies, verbal, math and essay skills. Classes are made up of small groups. The course is six weeks long, but students may register at any point and can pick and choose subjects. Courses run during the six weeks before the next test. The current course lasts through the week starting June 1.
• Study skills course includes organization, time management, note-taking and test-taking skills for grades 5-12.
• TAKS tutoring for all ages
• Summer school tutoring
• College application essay tutoring

Tutor 180, 1540 Cypress Creek Road, Ste. 113, Cedar Park, 401-9469, www.tutor180.com