Varsity Tutors Employee Reviews about "training"

Pros

Varsity Tutors consistently provides me with opportunities for finding clients. They offer flexibility so I am allowed to accept or reject potential new students without any obligation. They provide information about potential students so that I know a bit about them before I begin lessons. Also, as an independent contractor I have independence as far as planning my lessons and dealing directly with the families; there's no management looking over my shoulder or telling me how I should teach. I find their record keeping system simple and unobtrusive. Overall, it's a great way to meet new students.

Cons

There's no training; I believe that Varsity Tutors hires tutors whom they feel already know what they are doing and can operate independently. Also there is no actual tutoring center, so if you have a full compliment of students there will be a lot of commuting involved, but such is the life of an independent contractor.

Pros

Independence, no micro-managing about teaching style, 100% remote. Non-exclusive contract, can teach/tutor elsewhere. If you want to practice your teaching skills without the responsibility of a full-time contract and a full academic course load, this is a good starting job. It's a great way to try teaching different subjects/age groups and see what's the best fit for your future career. I'd recommend it for teachers finishing their degrees, prepping for exams, or re-entering the field of education.

Cons

Low pay, especially considering their reputation is built on having highly-qualified tutors. Hard to predict income even if you are a top-rated tutor due to seasonal fluctuations. You're expected to pay for all your own materials, and educational training is not provided (just basic tutorials on how to use the Live Learning Platform.) It can still be a good experience to build your teaching resume, but you will have to look elsewhere for professional development and mentorship. New jobs are usually offered with very little lead time, so you have to be flexible and ready to adapt your schedule. It's a contracted position with no benefits, but the company is clear about that up-front. If you're a newbie teacher, join professional organizations to find free/low-cost training and instructional materials to improve your teaching and beef up your teaching portfolio. There's no social aspect to this job (other than the students you teach and building client relationships), so you have to look elsewhere to find colleagues.