At some point throughout their careers, it’s very likely that the average student will struggle with math to some extent. This is understandable, as math is a subject that requires a strong foundation and deep understanding of concepts, as well as a lot of practice and patience. It’s important to remember that just because a student is having difficulty with math does not mean they aren’t intelligent enough or capable of succeeding in the subject. With the right support and resources, most students can improve their math grades and build the confidence they need to succeed in this subject.
One of the best resources for struggling math students is online math tutoring. Math tutors can provide personalized attention, support, and guidance that may be difficult to obtain in a classroom setting. Two of the most popular online math tutoring platforms are Wyzant and Varsity Tutors.
What is Wyzant?
Wyzant serves as a platform that connects students with qualified tutors. Unlike some services, which do the heavy lifting of matching you with a private tutor, customers must select their own tutors with Wyzant. Over 80,000 tutors in Wyzant’s network specialize in more than 300 subjects. Adults can benefit from finance, economics, law, managerial accounting, and public speaking courses.
Wyzant offers both in-person tutoring and online services. Students not actively engaged in a lesson can browse the archived lessons on Wyzant’s website. Students can peruse over 1 million interactive videos and lessons at their leisure.
Pros
- Students can select tutors based on price and qualifications
- Students can receive help in various subjects
- Students don’t need to commit to any packages or subscriptions
Cons
- Finding a compatible tutor can be time-consuming
- Quality differs from tutor to tutor
Bottom Line: With over 80,000 instructors in its network, Wyzant serves as a tutoring marketplace, allowing students to shop around for tutors specializing in their desired subject matter. Prices vary by the tutor and level of experience, so parents can choose tutors whose rates fit into their budget.
What is Varsity Tutors?
Founded in 2007, Varsity Tutors has been primarily an online tutoring service for the past five years. Varsity Tutors boasts a wide network of 40,000 tutors specializing in 2,500 subjects. Tutoring is available for kindergarten through graduate school students. Varsity Tutors even offers test prep and certifications for professional skills and art, chess, and music classes.
This platform gears its services toward busy high school students who may struggle to squeeze tutoring into their hectic schedules. The Instant Tutoring feature allows students to connect with tutors in seconds for quick homework help and exam preparation. The Varsity Tutors app also works across all devices, meaning students can receive support even when they are away from their laptops, whether on the bus ride to school or sitting on the bench at an away game.
Pros
- Tutors are available 24/7
- App works across all devices
- Tutoring is available in 2,500 subjects
Cons
- Quality of service differs from tutor to tutor
- Pricing is unavailable upfront (some consider the service to be overpriced)
- Extensive application process
Bottom Line: Varsity Tutors is an excellent tutoring platform for students seeking assistance in various subjects. This program works on mobile phones, making it a great service for athletes or busy students who need academic help while away from their laptops.
Wyzant vs. Varsity Tutors Benefits
Wyzant Benefits
As a tutoring marketplace, Wyzant is a great tutoring platform for customers who want complete control over the selection process. Students and their families can select tutors based on the subject matter and hourly rate. This feature is one of the advantages that Wyzant has over Varsity Tutors, as Varsity Tutors does not provide pricing information upfront. Because of how Wyzant structures its pricing, families are not locked into any packages or subscriptions. Students can get as much tutoring as they need without wasting time or money.
For the most part, Wyzant has received positive customer reviews from parents. Some of the primary highlights parents have noted about this service have been the quality of Wyzant’s tutors and the consistency of the results. Both parents and students have felt that Wyzant’s tutors provide students with an exceptional opportunity to excel in even the most complex subjects, including topics such as calculus and physics.
Varsity Tutors Benefits
Varsity Tutors is a great tutoring platform for individuals who want help selecting the best tutor for their needs. Varsity Tutors uses a placement algorithm to match each student with a tutor who will work well with them based on their schedule, learning style, interests, goals, and educational needs. The benefit of a matching algorithm or specialist is that a tutoring platform will know more about their tutors than you will. This technology gives the team at Varsity Tutors a better idea of how to match you with a tutor from its network who is a good fit.
Another benefit of Varsity Tutors is that they cater to the needs of busy high school students. The Varsity Tutors app works across technological devices, allowing students to connect to the platform from either laptop, cellphone, or iPad. Students can use Varsity Tutors' "Instant Tutoring" program if they need help with a single homework or test prep question and don't want to sign up for a whole tutoring session.
Overall, Varsity Tutors has received relatively positive customer reviews. Customers have said that Varsity Tutors employs professional tutors who meet students’ individual needs with well-rounded academic and professional knowledge and flexible teaching styles.
Wyzant vs. Varsity Tutors Tutoring Services
Wyzant
Wyzant is a tutoring marketplace that connects students with qualified tutors. With more than 80,000 tutors in its network, selecting a tutor may feel daunting; however, customers can use filters to hone in on a tutor based on budget and subject matter. For instance, if you are looking for a high school ELA tutor who charges less than $60 an hour, you can use Wyzant’s filters to find an instructor who fits that description. Wyzant includes an option that allows students to chat with a tutor before booking a lesson. Wyzant also offers a "Good Fit Guarantee" that grants students a complimentary first hour if they aren’t satisfied with their experience.
Wyzant lessons can take place online or in person at your chosen location. All online lessons occur on Wyzant’s platform, which includes video, audio, and an interactive whiteboard. Wyzant also has hundreds of thousands of free resources available on its website for students to take advantage of, including interactive archived lessons and videos on various subjects.
Varsity Tutors
When it comes to tutoring with Varsity Tutors, students have a handful of options they can choose between. Students can choose between working with a private tutor or participating in a larger group course. Varsity Tutors teach classes in core curriculum subjects like math and English, but also offers courses in test prep and certifications for professional skills. In addition, if students need quick homework help, they can use Varsity Tutors’ Instant Tutoring feature, which allows them to connect with a tutor in minutes. Varsity Tutors’ instructors are available 24/7.
Varsity Tutors uses a placement algorithm to match each student with an instructor in its network unless you choose the Instant Tutoring feature, in which case you are given a tutor at random. The placement algorithm looks at the student's schedule, skill level, learning style, interests, and goals to find a tutor who is a good match.
Wyzant vs. Varsity Tutors Tutoring
Wyzant Tutors
Every tutor in Wyzant’s network has varying qualifications. However, customers can easily view each tutor’s qualifications by looking at their profile, teaching experience, and how many hours they have tutored on the Wyzant platform. You can also check a tutor’s profile to see if they have undergone a background check.
Wyzant’s network does include tutors with Ivy League degrees and advanced qualifications; however, their services do not always come cheap. Some of Wyzant’s most experienced instructors charge hundreds of dollars for an hour of tutoring.
Varsity Tutors Tutors
Like Wyzant, the 40,000 tutors in the Varsity Tutors network have varying experience levels. Unlike Wyzant, however, customers can't choose which tutor they get. This means you might be matched with a teacher who doesn't have the best qualifications for your needs. Varsity Tutors require all tutors to have a high school diploma, and most tutors also have a college degree. Tutors are not required to have past teaching experience when applying to Varsity Tutors.
All of Varsity Tutors’ instructors must pass a background check and become “certified” in the subjects they teach. However, these certifications sometimes offer little credibility, as some merely involve instructors completing a 10-minute assessment online.
Wyzant vs. Varsity Tutors Cost
Wyzant Cost
Every Wyzant tutor sets their own hourly rate. Some tutors may charge rates as low as $10 per hour, while others charge up to $500. On average, you can expect to pay between $35 and $80 an hour for tutoring at Wyzant. Wyzant also charges an additional 9% service fee on top of the hourly rate. If you are unsatisfied with your first hour of tutoring, Wyzant offers a full refund under its Good Fit Guarantee.
Varsity Tutors Cost
One of the most significant downsides of Varsity Tutors is that this platform does not provide pricing information upfront. Students must go through an extensive application process and provide their zip code, interests, and goals before receiving a quote. Some customers have stated that sessions range from $70 to $95 an hour, while others say that sessions range from $15 to $35. Varsity Tutors offers specific packages, too. For instance, its monthly learning membership, including one-on-one tutoring and unlimited live classes, starts at $269.
Small group sessions are less expensive than private tutoring. If you sign up for a certain number of hours, Varsity Tutors also allows family members to share these hours with each other.
Why Choose Learner
While Wyzant and Varsity Tutors are both popular tutoring platforms with a handful of benefits, Learner is a platform that checks each and every one of our boxes.
One of Learner’s biggest advantages over other tutoring platforms is its network of highly qualified tutors. Learner conducts a thorough background check on every tutor applying to its network, and only 5% of those who apply are accepted. Applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university and several years of teaching experience. Like Varsity Tutors, Learner uses a matching specialist to connect students with the most compatible tutor in its network. Rather than scrolling through hundreds of thousands of profiles, parents can simply explain their interests and goals to this expert. In addition, parents will also have peace of mind knowing their child is learning from one of the best in their field.
Another significant advantage Learner has over these two services is their personalized curriculum. Every student receives lesson plans customized to their strengths, weaknesses, interests, learning style, and personality. Learner prioritizes students building long-term relationships with their tutors, which leads to more personalized instruction and consistent feedback. This prioritization also allows students to establish a relationship of comfort and trust where they feel open to asking questions, making mistakes, and taking risks.
Final Thoughts
Online tutoring is one of the most convenient and affordable resources for struggling math students. While there are numerous companies that students can turn to, Learner is the gold standard. This online platform has high-quality tutors, personalized instruction, matching specialists, state-of-the-art virtual classrooms, and affordable prices. If students are unsatisfied with their first lesson, Learner will match them with a new tutor for free.
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