- Joined
- Dec 27, 2010
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 0
Does anyone know the difference in quality between Private, Master, and Premier tutors? I'm really dubious about the 14k pricetag attached to a premier; for that price, I better get a 45.
Princeton Review Tutoring
- Thread starter concretebomber
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2010
- Messages
- 230
- Reaction score
- 0
lol
The upper level ones have more experience in teaching. But that's too much to pay IMO. If you really want to get one though, I would just call them and ask them if you can meet someone for 1 or 2 hours (and just pay the 2 hour price) just to see if you like the tutor or not.
If you're getting it for the sciences, I think that's a waste of money. I would just buy a couple books like TBR or TPR and read the content, do passages, and go ask ur school professors on ur weak areas or attend some SI sessions or something.. im sure u have tutorial classes at ur school...so yeah good luck
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2010
- Messages
- 660
- Reaction score
- 3
I thought this was a joke at first, so I actually went and checked. WTF ... who in their right mind would pay 14k for a Private Tutoring session. Even if I had that type of money to spend, I wouldn't pay that...
I know the MCAT is a difficult exam but come on now ... that pricetag is just rediculous for a private tutoring session. You're better off studying independently at your own pace using good prep materials and occasionally refering to online resources as a supplement imo. Or if that doesn't work for you, enroll in a classroom course which is 10 times less than that pricetag. I wonder how the people who coughed up that much money for the MCAT would manage when it comes time to take the USMLE.
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2009
- Messages
- 623
- Reaction score
- 21
Premier instructors are generally master trainers (they teach and certify TPR teachers). They have been with the company for several years and routinely get the highest evaluations in Live Classes.
Master instructors have been with the company for a while and gotten awesome reviews. They have generally tutored MCAT for well over a dozen of students and have been promoted to "master" as a result.
Private tutors are instructors that have been permitted to tutor because they have extremely good live class evaluations. In some ways, these are the best bang for your buck because if one is a great tutor and puts in the time, he/she can become a master tutor.
Not everyone is permitted to tutor when they get hired, they must first prove themselves in the live classes before they can tutor. Therefore, the tutors are extremely gifted at what they do.
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2011
- Messages
- 407
- Reaction score
- 1
True, but $14,000........
Having spoken to TPR tutors, I know that most of the kids who pay for the tutoring sessions come from wealthy families, or have somehow independently been very successful financially. While many middle-class families and students are willing to drop 2k for a class, you really have go to where the money is to find those willing to pay 14k.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2008
- Messages
- 145
- Reaction score
- 0
damn 14k. I think i would learn more if i just took two different review classes at the same time. BR/TPR would be awesome content review.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2010
- Messages
- 106
- Reaction score
- 0
I couldn't have answered the OP's original question better. Thanks PiBond!
Just for the record I am a Master Trainer (trains teachers) and also a Premier Tutor. Much like my colleagues that are Premier Tutors, I have years of educational experience not just at TPR but also as a former university faculty member as well as an advisor.
That being said, I would never guarantee a 45 nor any other score. I will help you achieve a reasonable score for you that we decide as the goal together. Every student is different and that is what a Premier Tutor brings to the table - the ability to coach the students that need a significant amount of guidance with a customized and pedagogically sound plan.
A Master Tutor is certainly a good way to go for the financially strapped as well as the student that needs less comprehensive guidance. These students already tend to have reasonable goals set and need an expert in standardized tests to help them develop strategy.
A Private Tutor is a great idea for someone who is very self motivated and is looking for mainly content review.
If you have any specific questions about what our different tutoring levels provide, please feel free to contact me privately.
My first thought was that the $14K option was there to make the other high-priced tutoring services look better. It's a common marketing strategy. But reading the replies from two people with the company makes me think it's a product PR actually thinks is reasonable to offer.
Maybe being poor taints my view but I seek $14K as two years of rent, a reliable car, tuition and books for two years of college, or a six month drinking binge. $14K is not what anyone should spend for MCAT review.
I have been impressed by your answers to many SDN questions Doug, but do you honestly think you are worth $200 per hour in tutoring costs? A family doctor pulls about $60 an hour working a standard schedule. The thought of paying three times that for tutoring is crazy to me. Put all of the adjectives you want in front of the word tutor, no one is worth $200 per hour. Evn if I could afford that much, it just wouldn't make sense to pay that much.
Maybe being poor taints my view but I seek $14K as two years of rent, a reliable car, tuition and books for two years of college, or a six month drinking binge. $14K is not what anyone should spend for MCAT review.
I have been impressed by your answers to many SDN questions Doug, but do you honestly think you are worth $200 per hour in tutoring costs? A family doctor pulls about $60 an hour working a standard schedule. The thought of paying three times that for tutoring is crazy to me. Put all of the adjectives you want in front of the word tutor, no one is worth $200 per hour. Evn if I could afford that much, it just wouldn't make sense to pay that much.
I don't think I would ever pay 14k, but money is relative. Also, tuition and books can cost a lot more at a private school, so 14K for two years is only valid at some public schools. Even many public schools will charge nearly 10K for tuition alone for a year. Also, the tutors themselves don't earn 200 dollars an hour, but rather close to 50. It's the same with any service, though. A typical visit to a family doctor for 15-20 minutes cost about 100 dollars, although you only pay the copay (for most insurance plans). Also, the doctor only makes a profit of about 20-30 dollars because he has to pay his employees and his business expenses.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2010
- Messages
- 106
- Reaction score
- 0
To be completely honest... That price tag even makes me cringe and I am on the receiving end of it (and Rabolisk is correct that we don't see that entire amount). That being said, if somebody is willing to pay the price, the I am willing to do what it takes to make sure they get exactly what need and what they are paying for.
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2010
- Messages
- 129
- Reaction score
- 0
What? That is an absurd statement...
Someone who is very self motivated can spend $500 to acquire all of the best prep materials and study 2 - 3 hours/day for 3 months and do very, very well, like many of the SDNers here. If you are self-motivated I would assume you are the last person dropping $14,000 on an MCAT tutor...
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2010
- Messages
- 106
- Reaction score
- 0
Private Tutoring does not have that price tag and in fact, many folks need the assistance if reviewing the content even if they are self motivated.
Tutoring is not for everybody and I understand that many on SDN do not need nor want tutoring.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2010
- Messages
- 106
- Reaction score
- 0
I am not at liberty to discuss rates here as that would be overt advertising. To get the real scoop on the price of each of our different levels of tutoring, please visit the TPR website.
So like most in the world TPR preys on the rich. I have a friend whose parents paid for TPR course and she still got a 16....and she is smart.....so then they paid for a private tutor. YES the money is insane but she has improved like 5 points per section....so yeah her score was freaking terrible before and perhaps they can only improve on the horrible scores of the rich, but she made a 14 on the physics section.
I find it interesting that Medical School testing services screw people out of money when I don't feel they should be promoting the unnecessary.
I guess I can just hope when the time comes for their medical care their DOCTOR is extremely crooked like them and orders tons of unneccesary tests to increase their billing through CPTs and ridiculous ICDs....
However I am looking for a tutor....and have found some previous tutors with companies who are willing to let me pay what TPR actually pays them! If you hear of any others PM me and I'll try and work out a database to refer you to some expensive...but reasonably priced tutors... $50 an hour or less.
I find it interesting that Medical School testing services screw people out of money when I don't feel they should be promoting the unnecessary.
I guess I can just hope when the time comes for their medical care their DOCTOR is extremely crooked like them and orders tons of unneccesary tests to increase their billing through CPTs and ridiculous ICDs....
However I am looking for a tutor....and have found some previous tutors with companies who are willing to let me pay what TPR actually pays them! If you hear of any others PM me and I'll try and work out a database to refer you to some expensive...but reasonably priced tutors... $50 an hour or less.
