Thanks for the thoughts on that. I'm slightly more weary of Wyzant just because of of the familiarity with it. If I'm going to be paying for this thoughts are I'd rather have someone that has been in the business for some time and is established. But I really appreciate your input on this
Admittedly, I'm not familiar with Wyzant as a company. I know there are a few good MCAT tutors in our area who work through them, but I suppose there are some bad ones too. Anyway you cut it, it's a crapshoot. I just like the idea that someone can shop through a few tutors before deciding on one. Maybe that's not the case in all areas, but it's the best way to find a tutor to match your needs. I'm still a big proponent of independent tutors, because they have versatility. I'm also a huge proponent of in-person tutoring where the agenda is driven by the tutee. I hope you find a perfect (or near perfect) match.
I want to repost something from the past that might help.
"In some cases, getting a tutor can be the perfect plan for improving target areas. There are a few things I would strongly suggest when shopping for a tutor.
1) Meet with them before you put any money down to make sure they match your style, have a welcoming personality, and can deliver information and answers. Try a few tutors out before deciding on the one that is best for you.
2) ONLY go with one-on-one tutoring IN PERSON! No matter how much technologies like Skype and the like allow us to
video conference, there is a disconnect in terms of body language and natural flow. A good tutor can see things about the way a student attacks a problem when you are face-to-face that they can't see via video. And the time delays, even ones less than a second, can be bothersome. In person is far more effective than via a computer screen.
3) Do not overpay. Stretch your dollar. If there is a middleman, then you are paying not only for the tutoring but also the other people in the process. If you can find a high quality independent tutor for $50/hour, then you can have more than twice as many hours as you'd get with a program's tutor where they are known to charge over $100/hour. Because you pay more does not make it better.
4) Search for an independent tutor in your area, preferably one with experience. Private tutors can be found on many campuses. If you try four out at $50/hour and then use the one you like best for an additional ten hours, you've spent $700 for 11 hours with a tutor you know you like. This is far cheaper and better than the
ten-hour packages that can cost nearly $1500.
5) Send materials to your tutor in advance of when you meet, so they can go over them and be ready. Spending part of your time together in silence as the tutor reads material for the first time and then contemplates it is not the best use of your time together.
6) Control
your lesson plan. Before you meet, have materials you wish to cover and topics you wish to review already in mind. Some tutoring programs will try to push a pre-fab lesson plan on you, but if a generic lesson is what you want, then save money and take a review course full of lesson plans. The reason you use a tutor is not to have a pre-fab lesson plan, but to instead cover material specific for you. It's okay to have them teach you a topic you wish to learn, but make sure you dictate what it covers.
7) Be prepared before you meet. Review material for an hour before you meet for an hour. Start your session primed to cover material."
