For college and university students, academic success is often measured by traditional metrics—grades, pass rates, and retention numbers. While these are important, they don’t tell the full story of a student’s journey. One of the most valuable, yet often overlooked, indicators of success is confidence.
At Knack, we track how students feel about their understanding of course content before and after tutoring sessions. The results are compelling:
- Before a tutoring session, the average confidence level across all tutees is 3.29 (on a 5-point scale).
- After a session, that number jumps to 4.34—a 31.71% increase.
This improvement underscores the incredible impact of peer tutoring beyond just improving knowledge—it builds students’ belief in their own abilities. And that matters, especially in conversations about access and equity in higher education.
Why Confidence Matters in Academic Success
Confidence isn’t just a "feel-good" metric—it’s a crucial factor in student persistence and performance. Research shows that students who believe they can succeed are more likely to engage with material, take risks in their learning, and persist through academic challenges. When students lack confidence, even those with potential may struggle to persist.
For students from historically underrepresented or underserved backgrounds, confidence gaps can be a major barrier. Many of these students enter college with self-doubt, often due to systemic inequities in K-12 education, imposter syndrome, or a lack of academic support structures. When tutoring effectively increases confidence, it does more than help with a single course—it shifts a student’s mindset about their own ability to succeed in college.
Confidence as a Measure of Access and Equity
Colleges and universities invest in tutoring programs to improve student outcomes. But how success is measured can reveal important insights about access and equity:
- Who benefits most from confidence growth? If confidence gains are disproportionately high for certain student populations (e.g., first-generation students, students from underfunded high schools, or those in historically difficult courses), it indicates tutoring is playing a crucial role in closing gaps in preparation and academic self-efficacy.
- Does confidence growth correlate with engagement? Students who experience a boost in confidence may be more likely to return for tutoring, participate in class, or persist in challenging courses rather than dropping out.
- How does confidence impact overall retention? If students feel more confident in their abilities, they may be more likely to stay enrolled and complete their degrees—especially for those at risk of stopping out.
Tutoring as a Scalable Solution for Building Confidence
Peer tutoring provides an accessible, scalable way to boost student confidence. Unlike traditional faculty office hours or structured academic interventions, peer tutors can provide a unique sense of relatability and encouragement, making learning environments feel less intimidating.
By tracking confidence as a key metric of tutoring success, institutions can ensure they aren’t just providing access to academic support—they’re making meaningful progress toward equity. A tutoring program that helps a student go from "I don’t belong here" to "I can do this" is more than just a support service—it’s a retention and success strategy.
Looking Ahead: Prioritizing Confidence as a Key Outcome
Colleges and universities should think beyond just who is using tutoring and start asking how those students feel afterward. If students leave tutoring sessions with greater confidence in their abilities, they are more likely to take ownership of their learning, persist through challenges, and ultimately succeed.
At Knack, we believe confidence is a crucial outcome of effective academic support, and our data confirms the power of peer learning to instill it. As institutions strive to improve student success, focusing on confidence—not just grades—can provide a clearer picture of what it really means to support students equitably.
Want to learn more about how to improve the academic confidence of your students? Reach out for a meeting today.
