If money is easy, then finding a good tutor is similarly easy. Call up a popular tutoring agency nearby and put in the request. If the tutor isn’t a good fit, you can request another until satisfied.
If you’re on a budget, then a tutoring agency may be too expensive. But do not despair! Finding a good tutor on a budget is simple.
CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMEN
Cut out the middlemen who take commission, ie tutoring companies and referral websites, and hire tutors directly. That way, you can get a similarly experienced tutor for significantly less hourly. Plan to invest several hours into this, but know that you’ll get a good tutor who is certainly less expensive than one working for a company.
SIDE NOTE: Tutoring companies take a significant portion of tutor hourly wage. This commission is often in the range of 20-40% for one-on-one tutoring, and significantly more for classroom-size courses. Many tutors take this cut because many do not want to spend time marketing themselves. A tutoring company spends most of its profits on marketing.
BEGIN THE SEARCH
Now it’s time to look around for a tutor.
HOME. If you haven’t already done this, first look close to home. Ask family and friends if they know someone who can help. They may be able to spare the time to help on a weekly basis, maybe for free or in exchange for dinner. Or, they may be able to refer you to another.
YOUR SCHOOL. Ask a teacher your child likes if they can help, or if they can recommend someone. They may refer you to another teacher or a competent student. If your child utilizes teacher office hours, this may be free as well.
ONLINE. Turn to the internet. Craigslist is a mixture of ads for larger companies, and private tutors trying to expand their clientele. The private tutors that advertise are a mix of amateur tutors, and veteran tutors who enjoy the benefits of being self-employed. There are also oddballs.
SIDE STORY: When I started my private tutoring practice, I confidently put up my first Craigslist ad. It received no hits.
Craigslist is flooded with tutors. Do not settle on the first one! Look through many ads to get a sense of who’s out there, make a list of those you like, and call each one. Talk on the phone and ask about the tutor’s experience. Be wary of people who do too much talking. A good tutor is a great listener whose talking is usually in the form questions: What would you like from tutoring? How long has your child been struggling? What are your child’s interests outside of school? After you have a shortened list of potential tutors, schedule trial sessions. Many tutors offer a free trial session, though some won’t advertise it. Remember to ask.
MAKE SURE IT’S A GOOD FIT
It doesn’t matter how good you think the tutor is in terms of budget or skill, what matters is how your child likes working with them. If your child shows respect and interest towards the tutor, then it’s likely a good fit.
SUMMARY: Cut out the middlemen and hire tutors directly, look close to home and school before going online, filter through multiple candidates and take advantage of trial sessions, enjoy the benefits of quality one-on-one tutoring on a budget.
APPROXIMATE PRICES (2015)
Depending on where you live, you can get great private tutors for $40-60 hourly. You may be able to find some that are less hourly, but keep in mind that you’ll be digging through many novices. I’ve seen Craigslist tutors advertise $15 hourly, but I know that the particularly odd tone, small typos, and use of caps lock indicate the low rate compensates for big red flags.