How do Chase Hill tutorials work? Our tutorials function just like "in person" meetings. Therefore, they require Skype (or a telephone with speaker) and access to Googledocs, though "work-arounds" may be possible. For more information on tutorials and how they work, please see "Tutorial Format" on our Programs page.
Can I use charter school funding to pay for my tutorials? Possibly: the Chase Hill School is an Ocean Grove and South Sutter Charter School vendor. If you would like us to become a vendor for your charter school, please contact Mary.
Are scholarships available? Yes. Each year, the Chase Hill School offers a limited number of partial scholarships for creative writing students whose families are eligible for financial assistance and whose work shows exceptional talent. For more information, please contact Mary.
When do we “meet”? What if I can’t get online at the right time? Tutorials are scheduled in advance; with 24 hours notice, they can usually be rescheduled.
How do we store and organize our different drafts of papers? To simplify storage and organization of drafts, students “paste” each new draft into the same Googledoc, so that previous drafts remain handy. Therefore, except in instances of very long works, only one file will be used per project. If you would prefer to use a platform other than Googledocs, we’re open to alternatives so long as they allow for synchronous sharing and editing.
If I do not live in the United States, will I still be able to participate in the tutorials? Absolutely.
How private will my writing assignments be? All student writing goes directly to your instructor. We will never share any student work with any third party without the author’s permission.
Can I email my instructor directly? What if I want to call or Skype? Yes, email is the primary communication with the instructor. We make every effort to reply within 24 hours. Phone calls are not typically permitted (outside of previously scheduled “meetings”) but can be arranged when necessary and/or for parent-instructor conferences.
I want to write a book. Is this something you can help me with? Yes. The Chase Hill School works with students in any genre and with students of all ages from 10 years old and up who are prepared for an intensive writing course.
I know the kind of writing I want to focus on. Can I just sign up? A. Even if you know exactly what you plan to concentrate on, you'll need to complete an application and submit a writing sample, in order to ensure availability and a shared understanding of your goals.
What if I can’t get an assignment completed in time? Late assignments are always accepted. Because tutorials are scheduled either once a week or twice a month, the only “cost” of turning in an assignment late is that you may end up missing one of your tutorial sessions for that month.
What if I have computer problems and can’t connect to the internet? If for some reason you are affected by access issues, please let us know as early as possible. While we won’t be able to address your hardware or software problems, we may be able to suggest alternative solutions.
Do I need any special hardware or software to participate in tutorial? In order to participate fully in courses and tutorials, you will need a personal computer with a microphone and an internet browser, email, Skype and Googledocs access. Please let us know if you cannot meet these requirements; we may be able to create a workaround.
What if I already own a textbook that I want to use—will Mary work with our textbook too? Tutorial students are always welcome to use their own texts and their own assignments; it’s helpful to let Mary know what sort(s) of text and assignments you have in mind during your introductory conference. While Mary is open to using whatever assignments work for her students, she cannot always adopt a particular textbook or set of unique terms for each of her students. Mary uses standard terms in her lessons and comments, and provides explanations for concepts that may be new to her students, so while the idea of needing to share a text is often a concern for new families, it has never actually been necessary.
Do I have to buy a textbook? Typically any content required for tutorial programs will be provided by the instructor with your needs in mind. Texts are occasionally recommended, however; in such cases, we leave it up to our students whether they would like to purchase or borrow it from their local library.
What is the cancellation policy? Can I get a refund? Yes, refunds of up to one month are possible, though we've never been asked for one :)