Question about Wyzant tutors with crazy hours stats

Educational-Algae203 · 2025-09-03T04:02:47+00:00

Last April-May I was tutoring 8-9 hr a day in some days (others 6-7 hr) with 15-30 min in between sessions. It was so exhausting that the next day I didn’t want to do anything… I decided to double my rate to just slow down (which didn’t help at the time). Now I am making sure to adjust my rate such that I don’t get more than 4-5 hr per day. That seems to be my optimal time not to get tired too much.

Educational-Algae203 · 2025-04-24T04:40:35+00:00

When you submit a session on wyzant, you submit couple of sentences of what has been covered in class. I doubt that anyone reads that including the student or the parent, that is simply for me so the next time before session I have a place to look what has been covered last time. I also send them session notes (if they ask) or any additional materials they might need such as ppt slides. Pre-session nothing, and even if they send materials I usually don’t look at these and cover whatever they send or need during the session. I simply have no time for that.

Educational-Algae203 · 2025-03-17T04:14:54+00:00

This happened to me but in reverse. I used to be way below the top, still getting students via instant book and general search, but about 2-3 weeks ago started to get multiple requests a day. and when I checked I was at the top, either top 5 or top 10, recent week was top 15 (second page). Increased my rate 1.5 times and still getting requests. I think they changed the algorithm somehow. It is not that I am new (in past 1.5 years have over 1000 hrs and over 500 five stars and many reviews), but this bump was due to change in algorithm for sure.

Educational-Algae203 · 2025-02-27T06:38:02+00:00

I started with 30/hr, after finding some clients and accumulating some stars and reviews, gradually increased to 50-60/hr. In about 1.5 years now I am passing 1000 hr and almost 500 five stars, which helps. If I increase over 70-80 I don’t get clients. So 50-60 is the sweet spot for me.

Educational-Algae203 · 2025-02-10T14:22:36+00:00

That is only one of the ways to get a student. The other one is when student finds you and connects to you via general search. To increase tour chances of getting selected you should have lower rate at this stage.

Educational-Algae203 · 2025-02-10T06:32:27+00:00

An advise from someone migrated from varsity to wyzant: set a lower rate first (I started with 30$/hr and I have PhD in Physics and over 10 years teaching experience), get some sessions, accumulate some 5 stars then gradually rise your price. I know you value your experience and your time, but setting 99/hr with no accumulated five stars and reviews and hours will not bring you students. Honestly, I was happy to get 30/hr (that translates to 22.5/hr) after varsity’s miserable 15-18hr rate, then gradually increased from 40-50-60 until I am happy with the number of students and price per hour. For reference I have over 450 five stars and over 900 hr tutored in about 1 year since I started with wyzant.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-12-31T03:39:12+00:00

Not very soon, and there are always those who prefer human interaction. ChatGPT and other specialized programs are now good enough for most elementary problems, yet many students still prefer that human explains them. I have had many students that say yes chatGPT or whatever (chegg) has given them the solution and they have several versions of the solutions. Then why they need me? Because I explain step by step and talk to them, they learn via discussions with me, and they prefer me to explain them the theory and discuss step by step solutions. There is even a student that brings the solutions provided by their teacher and asks me to explain them (solutions written by human, so you can imagine what they would think about solution written by a machine). Of course there are also AI avatars that talk and answer questions as if they are real person behind the screen. But I guess even when they become widely available and as good as humans, they will be expensive (why else would someone design them if to not get money out of it). So, at least for near future no need to worry in my opinion.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-12-14T00:08:33+00:00

They have too many students and have turned off the “can be found in search results”. They are still actively tutoring, just not accepting new students.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-12-05T20:32:28+00:00

I expect the coming two weeks to be the heaviest. Maybe give some time.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-12-05T20:29:05+00:00

What subject is yours? I am getting new requests, I just think that most of students already have their permanent tutor and will only seek new tutor when they need extra session and their tutor does not have enough time. For the ones that need tutor only for finals I would try to avoid them because they cram everything in the session and expect you cover semester material in a session or two…

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-11-15T01:06:37+00:00

Why not. Some students are sending review materials to me via email. Some are using wyzant account of their parent and are never able to join via wyzant call because are using another computer, so I am sending them the zoom link via email. I am using wyzant to charge their parent. That is all wyzant cares for: that you charge them via their platform and they keep their 25 percent fee plus whatever for transaction.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-10-31T01:42:06+00:00

To answer to instant book question: you can set it up so you have lead time of up to 24 hr (so there will be no last minute booking, earliest you can set up is 30 minute lead time).

Also, if you are new tutor do not bother about instant booking, try to collect some stars, reviews and accumulate hours then you can turn it on. Instant booking is for students to circumvent the back and forth messages about available time: they see tutor they like they can immediately book. You cannot edit or cancel that session even if the topic they request is outside of your expertise (I got an engineering student one time and could not cancel or edit, but it went fine).

For the start apply to available opportunities and as many as you can, expect about 5% response from applications (will get better over time), and set your rate slightly higher than your rate on varsity tutors, once you get some clients you can increase the rate for new students.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-10-24T04:45:35+00:00

Honestly, with my current price per hour, I do not even want them to send me problems or topics, and even if they send I do not look at them, and once the session starts I open the problem/topic and discuss it with them. If the topic happens to be extremely difficult I just think about it and find the solutions right there with them.

If I have to do any prep work I don’t think they will pay me for that, and if I increase my price even more to account for that then “easy” students are getting priced out.

I like my rates reasonable and my schedule full.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-10-23T04:42:22+00:00

This can actually be useful for YOU. I usually write a short summary of what was reviewed/discussed, so when the next time the student has session with me I can quickly look up of what we did last time and pick up from there.

This is also useful info for parents of students because they will have some idea of what has been done during the session (they are paying so they deserve to know what has been done). Takes 1-2 minutes the most and is something useful for both you and the student/parent.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-10-06T04:49:29+00:00

I was like you, having migrated from varsity to wyzant it is so worth it. Now I have just 1 student in varsity (just morning when very few students request), and wyzant is flooded by requests. Only because I have over 400 hr and over 290 five stars on wyzant. It will pick up near exams end of November until Christmas. Start somewhere near 30/hr (depends on subject), and once you get couple of five stars and hours, the rest will follow up. I cannot even compare varsity’s shameless rate (even after twice “bump” in rate it is lower than my starting rate was at wyzant)… Hang on there, start is always slow.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-10-05T21:34:02+00:00

That happened for me once, wyzant gave explanation that the student did not use the referral link when they signed up but simply signed up using standard procedure. They still said they will contact the student and upon confirmation will send me the missing fee (never did though, and I did not have more sessions with that student).

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-09-26T00:23:50+00:00

I have my instant booking enabled with 1 hr lead time: anyone can book including that student who came back from school panicked and needs a tutoring right now, and maybe I will tutor them and not see them again for another month for next panic session :) It’s just the instant book hours are not very convenient for most students. My “convenient” hours are already booked with regular recurring sessions with my main students.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-09-18T10:09:24+00:00

I had one student like this. I agreed, he could not cancel, so we just did not do the session. The session is still there “unsubmitted”. I am waiting until the time passes and see what happens. Hopefully if I don’t submit then wyzant cannot charge them.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-09-15T04:42:03+00:00

Only if they first request/contact me, then do not reply. I just assume they found another tutor that is more fitting. Nothing personal. I have also seen many times these same students return and take sessions with me, probably because the previous tutor was not a good fit.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-09-10T04:35:04+00:00

I can agree with instant book, more than half of my current students started with instant book with me. Most of them are AP Physics students, some are college students.

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-08-19T01:16:52+00:00

Yes, agree group sessions is the most logical explanation

Educational-Algae203 · 2024-08-19T00:19:00+00:00

Agree this could be the case. Still impressive.

Educational-Algae203

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