Key Points in Choosing a Cram School: 'Quality and Personality of Teachers', 'Accessibility', and 'Track Record' Top the List! About 31% Said They Had a 'Non-Negotiable' Condition

■ More than just 'track record': The real feelings of parents when choosing a cram school

When thinking about their children's future, many families face the issue of 'choosing a cram school' at some point.

There are many conditions to consider, such as track record, fees, and accessibility.

So, what is the final deciding factor?

This time, in collaboration with 'Kuwahara Juku Co., Ltd.', a cram school in Nagasaki City, we conducted a survey on 'important points when choosing a cram school' targeting 170 men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they had 'considered or used a cram school for their children'.

*When citing the content of this press release, please comply with the following:

- Indicate that the source is 'a survey by NEXER Inc. and Kuwahara Juku Co., Ltd.'

- Place a link to Kuwahara Juku Co., Ltd. (https://www.kuwaharajyuku.com/)

Survey Overview: 'Survey on Important Points When Choosing a Cram School'

Survey method: Internet survey

Survey period: May 22, 2026 – May 27, 2026

Survey subjects: Men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they had 'considered or used a cram school for their children'

Valid responses: 170 samples

Survey questions:

Q1: What is the most important point when choosing a cram school?

Q2: Please tell us the reason. *If 'Other', please also tell us the most important point when choosing a cram school.

Q3: Did you choose 'group lessons' or 'individual lessons'? Or which would you prefer?

Q4: Please tell us the reason.

Q5: What sources of information did you refer to when choosing a cram school?

Q6: Please tell us the reason. *If 'Other', please also tell us what sources of information you referred to when choosing a cram school.

Q7: Was there a condition you felt was 'non-negotiable' when choosing a cram school?

Q8: What was it?

*Note: Percentages are rounded to the second decimal place, so totals may not equal 100%.

■ 24.1% said 'Quality and personality of teachers' is the most important factor

First, we asked about the most important point when choosing a cram school.

The most common answer was 'quality and personality of teachers' at 24.1%.

This was followed by 'accessibility' at 20.0%, 'track record of success' at 18.8%, and 'teaching policy' at 14.7%. 'Fees' accounted for 11.2%, 'word-of-mouth' for 5.3%, 'classroom atmosphere' for 4.7%, and 'other' for 1.2%.

Looking at the top items, it is clear that both the 'substance' of the school and 'ease of continuing' are valued.

We asked for specific reasons, and here are some of them.

Those who answered 'Quality and personality of teachers':

- If the teacher doesn't suit the child, the child will hate going. (Female, 30s)
- Meeting a good person makes a big difference. (Male, 50s)
- I think compatibility with the teacher changes a child's motivation to study. (Female, 50s)

Those who answered 'Accessibility':

- To reduce the burden of commuting. (Male, 30s)
- Since they will be attending for a long time, I wanted to choose a cram school in a location that wouldn't be a burden for commuting. (Male, 50s)
- It's the countryside, so there weren't many schools to choose from. I chose the one where many children go. (Female, 40s)

Those who answered 'Track record of success':

- I think track record equals teacher quality. (Male, 40s)
- A high success rate means the teachers' instruction is excellent. (Female, 40s)
- After all, results are important. (Male, 50s)

A common theme in the comments was the perspective of 'whether the child can continue'.

Compatibility with the teacher, accessibility, fees – all were mentioned as conditions for a child to continue attending without difficulty.

A cram school is a place children visit almost every week.

That's why parents may be calmly looking at factors directly related to daily continuation, not just flashy results.

■ 54.1% said they chose or would choose 'group lessons'

Next, we asked whether they chose or would choose 'group lessons' or 'individual lessons'.

The result was that 'group lessons' accounted for 54.1%, exceeding half and being the most common.

'Individual lessons' accounted for 28.2%, and 'using both' accounted for 17.6%.

We asked for the reasons for each answer, and here are some of them.

Those who answered 'Group lessons':

- I thought group lessons were essential for junior high school entrance exams. (Female, 50s)
- Being able to compete with people who have the same goals seems more motivating. (Female, 40s)
- Individual lessons seem to have more variance in teacher quality. (Male, 40s)

Those who answered 'Individual lessons':

- We tried both and found that individual lessons suited our child better, so we chose that. (Male, 40s)
- Because they can provide instruction tailored to each individual. (Male, 50s)
- They seem to be able to thoroughly teach things the child doesn't understand. (Female, 30s)

Those who answered 'Using both':

- By having highly specialized teachers provide individual instruction for weak areas, academic ability improved in a balanced way. (Female, 50s)
- Because it increases learning effectiveness. (Male, 40s)
- I let my child choose each time. It's the child who attends, after all. (Female, 50s)

Among those who chose group lessons, there were many comments praising the environment where children can compete with peers.

On the other hand, those who chose individual lessons cited a desire for instruction that caters to each child's pace and level of understanding.

Interestingly, there were comments about flexibly combining both, such as 'I tried both and decided' or 'I want to supplement unclear points individually'. The underlying perspective seems to be not which is superior, but which suits their child.

■ 25.3% said they referred to 'introductions from acquaintances/friends' when choosing a cram school

Next, we asked what sources of information they referred to when choosing a cram school.

The most common was 'introductions from acquaintances/friends' at 25.3%.

This was followed by 'word-of-mouth' at 22.4%, 'trial lessons' at 18.8%. 'Website' accounted for 8.2%, 'information from school/teachers' for 7.1%, 'flyers/advertisements' for 6.5%, and 'SNS' was only 0.6%. 'Other' accounted for 11.2%.

Combining the top three, it is clear that the voices of people who have actually experienced the school and methods of checking with one's own eyes account for a large portion.

We asked for specific reasons, and here are some of them.

Those who answered 'Introductions from acquaintances/friends':

- The experiences of acquaintances are the most trustworthy. (Male, 40s)
- Information from fellow mothers in the same situation was very influential. (Female, 50s)
- Because my child's friends were already enrolled. (Male, 50s)

Those who answered 'Word-of-mouth':

- I want to know the experiences of users. (Male, 30s)
- The voices of actual users are the most important. (Female, 40s)
- Objective evaluation is important. (Male, 50s)

Those who answered 'Trial lessons':

- You can't tell much in one day, but I thought it was good to have the child try it and judge whether they could manage attending. (Female, 50s)
- Actually trying it out is the best way to see if it's a good fit. (Female, 40s)