Can I make money tutoring step 1?

[Troll-Like-Receptor]

I got a Step 1 score of 245. Would people pay me to tutor them like $50 an hour?

I ask this because I see guys with 260-270 charging 200+ an hour and I was thinking, I got some free time; but I don't think I've seen people without ridiculous scores tutor step 1, however, I do think I did very well on step 1.

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[Jepstein30]

Tutoring for tests with limited consumers is all about being able to attract clients. This isn't like the SAT where nearly every single HS student is taking it at least once. You have a very limited consumer base.. just those in medical school and even then, just those looking for additional help.

Test scores are among the worst ways to evaluate a tutor's abilities. Yes, it's important because you need to know the tutor knows his stuff.. but what's way more important is his ability to actually teach. That being said, it's way easier to sell yourself to clients when you have an elite score (it alone just doesn't mean you're qualified to tutor though). Considering that's the hardest part of the game, that usually weeds most people out. For instance, would you have considered a tutor with a score of 245? Would you have believed enough in the strength of the score to evaluate their other related skills? Don't know the answer to either question. How about when you change that to a 270?

I think if your pitch will be "I only charge $50 an hour vs. $200 an hour", it's not going to work out. There's not enough of a consumer base that people will opt to go cheap. If you needed tutoring to do well on Step 1 so badly, you're going to spend the extra money.. especially considering this isn't a test you can basically just try again like the SAT and (to a lesser extent) MCAT.

Do you have teaching experience? How do you plan on attracting clients? Where will you be doing so (how big is your medical school/are there other schools around)? There's a lot more involved than simply declaring yourself a Step 1 tutor.

I think tutoring becomes much, much harder as you advance from SAT --> MCAT --> Step 1 because the consumer base shrinks and it's hard to really sell yourself without showing you're capable of improving scores on each specific test.. and finding that guinea pig is the hard part as tests become more and more important.

IMO, if you're keen on tutoring to make some extra money.. try the SAT or MCAT.. or just college level/med-school level sciences.

 

[Troll-Like-Receptor]

Tutoring for tests with limited consumers is all about being able to attract clients. This isn't like the SAT where nearly every single HS student is taking it at least once. You have a very limited consumer base.. just those in medical school and even then, just those looking for additional help.

Test scores are among the worst ways to evaluate a tutor's abilities. Yes, it's important because you need to know the tutor knows his stuff.. but what's way more important is his ability to actually teach. That being said, it's way easier to sell yourself to clients when you have an elite score (it alone just doesn't mean you're qualified to tutor though). Considering that's the hardest part of the game, that usually weeds most people out. For instance, would you have considered a tutor with a score of 245? Would you have believed enough in the strength of the score to evaluate their other related skills? Don't know the answer to either question. How about when you change that to a 270?

I think if your pitch will be "I only charge $50 an hour vs. $200 an hour", it's not going to work out. There's not enough of a consumer base that people will opt to go cheap. If you needed tutoring to do well on Step 1 so badly, you're going to spend the extra money.. especially considering this isn't a test you can basically just try again like the SAT and (to a lesser extent) MCAT.

Do you have teaching experience? How do you plan on attracting clients? Where will you be doing so (how big is your medical school/are there other schools around)? There's a lot more involved than simply declaring yourself a Step 1 tutor.

I think tutoring becomes much, much harder as you advance from SAT --> MCAT --> Step 1 because the consumer base shrinks and it's hard to really sell yourself without showing you're capable of improving scores on each specific test.. and finding that guinea pig is the hard part as tests become more and more important.

IMO, if you're keen on tutoring to make some extra money.. try the SAT or MCAT.. or just college level/med-school level sciences.

 

[fssca20]

Do people actually pay $200/hr for step 1 tutoring? Yikes

 

[Jepstein30]

Do people actually pay $200/hr for step 1 tutoring? Yikes

I know people making similar amounts for SAT tutoring in high density areas so I'm sure.. there's always a market for good, proven tutors.

 

[PL198]

200 bucks an hour? That's insane. Get some review books and read over them a few times for the SAT. for step 1 it's not like people don't know what works. Sounds like people with more money than brains looking for a short cut to me.

 

[Donald Juan]

I know people making similar amounts for SAT tutoring in high density areas so I'm sure.. there's always a market for good, proven tutors.

I just realized I should quit med school and go tutor SAT, ACT, GRE, and MCAT full time.

 

[sazerac]

Right before MS-1, I met a fellow classmate who was an MCAT tutor. We worked out when he would be make more money as a physician than as a tutor, given the tuition and opportunity cost.

The answer was the year 2041.

 

[PL198]

Right before MS-1, I met a fellow classmate who was an MCAT tutor. We worked out when he would be make more money as a physician than as a tutor, given the tuition and opportunity cost.

The answer was the year 2041.

I would have kept being a tutor then. I'm assuming after a decent amount of time doing it you'd be able to step your game up/ improve business model, unless you factored that in .

It seems strange MCAT tutors are so popular with how basic the material is. I can sorta see it for step 1 but still think it doesn't make sense . I have a hard time buying an hour with a tutor is gonna be better than an hour with goljan

 

[CrossFit]

Do people actually pay $200/hr for step 1 tutoring? Yikes

I did some Step 1 tutoring early M3 year when I had most of my evenings free (family med, outpt peds etc). It was $100 / hr and entirely through Skype. Posted an ad on a certain other usmle forum. All FMG students, and honestly most of the stuff they asked I could answer just by looking in First Aid. Had to cut it once I had the more time consuming clerkships.

 

[massmocha]

I did some Step 1 tutoring early M3 year when I had most of my evenings free (family med, outpt peds etc). It was $100 / hr and entirely through Skype. Posted an ad on a certain other usmle forum. All FMG students, and honestly most of the stuff they asked I could answer just by looking in First Aid. Had to cut it once I had the more time consuming clerkships.

Ditto above, with your scores you may need to drop rates to compete with people who have higher Step 1s, but there is a market

 

[PL198]

do you like screenshot proof of your step 1 score or something or how do you validate your creds

 

[operaman]

Srlsy, 200 bucks an hour?!

I've been missing out

Might have to try this on some lighter rotations in residency.

 

[FFH]

I just realized I should quit med school and go tutor SAT, ACT, GRE, and MCAT full time.

You will not be the first one. There are tutoring companys with former JD and MD that can charge over $500/45mins

 

[medicalstadent]

My friend tutored. His score was around yours. I think people will be up for that.

 

[quakeroats]

If the 200/hr you're talking about is for tutoring companies --- only between 60-100/hr of that goes to tutors with the rest going to the company. Just FYI.

 

[DrEnderW]

If the 200/hr you're talking about is for tutoring companies --- only between 60-100/hr of that goes to tutors with the rest going to the company. Just FYI.

Agreed.

I worked for a tutoring company doing MCAT and AP sciences for rich UES families in NYC and got a fraction of what was charged. It was still decent pay but was <50%. The USMLE payout was no different.

 

[PL198]

cut out the middle man and do it yourself

 

[Apoplexy__]

This thread is blowing my mind. Has anyone seen flyers for Step 1 or 2 tutors at their actual school?

 

[PL198]

This thread is blowing my mind. Has anyone seen flyers for Step 1 or 2 tutors at their actual school?

I don't think its generally for american students.

 

[notbobtrustme]

200 bucks an hour? That's insane. Get some review books and read over them a few times for the SAT. for step 1 it's not like people don't know what works. Sounds like people with more money than brains looking for a short cut to me.

I tutored Step 1 during 3rd year, mostly on the weekends. **** is pretty lucrative, but I'm in a city with ~1000 2nd year medical students and probably another 200 2nd year off-shore med students, so I have a big base. If you're in a state with only one or two medical schools, it'll be slim pickings.

First, you'd be very surprised at how many people don't know what to do for Step 1. My job isn't to regurg the material, it's to instill concepts. For example, the murmur in HTCM routinely trips up a fair number of medical students. I walk through how the LVOT is narrowed but flexible in HTCM due to septal thickening. With increased preload, you have a fuller heart, which makes the LVOT more patent, which reduces the murmur. Anything that reduces preload, in contrast, narrows the LVOT, causing the murmur to increase in intensity. Once they have this down, they never miss another question regarding how any heart murmur works. It takes 15-20 minutes, but once you know it, you will basically never miss another murmur question.

Secondly, a lot of medical students don't realize how deficient in understanding concepts they really are. They are great at regurgitating facts and 1st/2nd order thinking that is straightforward. Give them something outside of their comfort zone and they flounder.

I bring a copy of my score report to prove that I'm not full of ****. I charge 100/hour with a minimum of a 2 hour session.

 

[massmocha]

I tutor exclusively via skype and GoToMeeting, I have worked with med students from all over the country. Doing it in person is tough because you have travel time and whatnot. Easier just to set a time to meet online and do it from the comfort of your living room

 

[massmocha]

I use PayPal and send an invoice each weekend for the hours from that week. I have never had an issue with payment, almost everyone pays that same day. If they didn't I wouldn't do anymore sessions with them, but it has never happened.

I signed up to tutor USMLE Step 1 and 2 on a bunch of tutoring websites and Craigslist. I started prices low and then raised them once I had worked with a number of students and was confident people would pay more per hour.

 

[PL198]

I use PayPal and send an invoice each weekend for the hours from that week. I have never had an issue with payment, almost everyone pays that same day. If they didn't I wouldn't do anymore sessions with them, but it has never happened.

I signed up to tutor USMLE Step 1 and 2 on a bunch of tutoring websites and Craigslist. I started prices low and then raised them once I had worked with a number of students and was confident people would pay more per hour.

why not get payment first like how every other service works

 

[Jepstein30]

because the end effect is the same and that would take up more time handling the logistics

you're tutoring medical students, the odds they're going to run and scam you for two hours of free tutoring aren't too high

 

[massmocha]

why not get payment first like how every other service works

It's different when you are doing a one-on-one service working with a peer. I like to demonstrate value before I ask for money. I guess if you can find someone to pay upfront you could do it that way

 

[PIacebo]

It's different when you are doing a one-on-one service working with a peer. I like to demonstrate value before I ask for money. I guess if you can find someone to pay upfront you could do it that way

I always ask for it upfront and always have received it no problem for tutoring MCAT

 

[massmocha]

I always ask for it upfront and always have received it no problem for tutoring MCAT

I don't do defined hours though. I just tutor until they feel like stopping, so I don't know how much time it is going to be ahead of time. I guess you can do it however works!

 

[PIacebo]

I don't do defined hours though. I just tutor until they feel like stopping, so I don't know how much time it is going to be ahead of time. I guess you can do it however works!

It's probably because I do it over Skype and have set times for appointments

 

[Modeselektor]

I have a hard time buying an hour with a tutor is gonna be better than an hour with goljan

I don't.... but I think goljan is garbage as far as step 1 prep goes.

 

[PL198]

I don't.... but I think goljan is garbage as far as step 1 prep goes.

I meant audio not RR, or do you think audio sucks too

 

[Modeselektor]

I meant audio not RR, or do you think audio sucks too

I never used the audio to be honest. I think I aimlessly listened to the first track and then realized I was better off listening to music. This was probably right around the time I decided studying while on the toilet, considering whether I had enough time in a day for a shower, and sleeping for 4 hours a night was a bit insane as well.