Christa C.

I agree with Sean, and will add to what he wrote with what I've experienced.

WyzAnt is very strict with their rules, which I can understand, but it's a bit over the top in my opinion. I read through all the rules and regulations and thought it was a pretty good site to at least get the ball rolling. My experience has been that after I finally talk to parents on the phone, they tell me that they were hesitant about adding their billing information and didn't realize that 40% of a tutor's earnings goes to the services of WyzAnt. Although they didn't know this information ahead of time, all the information is in the rules and regulations and on the 'how WyzAnt works' page. It also includes that if parents question the security of adding their billing information and are hesitant, there are different things we can tell them, which a list is provided of what we can say, one is assuring them that they will not be billed until after the tutor submits lessons and another is that they can call WyzAnt directly to ask further questions about it. For that reason, it is so important to read through everything before signing on so that the tutor and client are not surprised later when something is brought to their attention. So, WyzAnt informs us that nothing is billed to the parent or whomever, till after lessons have been recorded and submitted. This allows time for parents to get to know the tutor via phone and during the first session with the child. And, interestingly enough, that is when a parent also learns more information about WyzAnt from the tutor and then can decide whether they want to move forward with the website or drop the website and just pay the tutor in full. So far, my clients don't like that 40% is going towards the website. However, another way to look at this is that 100% is paid to the tutor via the website, and that it's the tutor's decision to have 40% taken from their earnings. This is what the tutor agrees to when he/she signs on with WyzAnt. If it's approached that way, then the client doesn't have to feel like they're paying for WyzAnt's services, but instead, the one tutoring is paying for the services. While there are both pros and cons to the website, I personally am not impressed with the site and was also terminated. I wasn't given a reason for my termination other than "You violated the rules." I let the parents know this, and it gave them even more reasons to not like and not trust the WyzAnt website. Additionally, I think it's a downfall on the part of the site to not be able to exchange phone numbers before the billing information is submitted. I believe that the site would be more successful, more popular, and more trustworthy if clients can speak with tutors on the phone before proceeding. It seems to me that tutors can begin submitting lessons before the first lesson even exists, or at least that would be the fear of the client. I received a message from a mother asking if I could tutor her son and she left her phone number. Of course on my end, instead of seeing the number, it was all Xes. I wrote back letting her know that WyzAnt requires billing information before we can exchange numbers and before we can meet for our first session. I did not hear back from this mother after that. What a bummer! I don't know if it was something I said that made her not respond, or what. I don't like that and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I agree with others that the website has potential, but it certainly has flaws that need improvement. Many say they have had positive experiences and are satisfied with how the website works, but like I said, I was never given a reason as to why my profile was terminated, so it can happen to anyone. I thought about contacting them, but it sounds like they don't accept people's responses and that they don't give them a second chance. That is their lost... They aren't the only service that exists or the only way to find clients.

And taking the short quizzes in order to be certified or qualified to tutor is a whole other subject to discuss. Some of the quizzes are super easy, but the language ones are a bit advanced. Even though I have a BA degree in specifc languages and have passed the language quizzes, I wasn't planning on tutoring advanced level language students. I only want to tutor beginning learners or 1st-year students, so knowing advanced knowledge is irrelevant. I think the quizzes should be designed for different levels and not for experts only. Those who are experts aren't going to be looking for tutoring jobs anyway. If I was an expert, I'd be applying for full-time teaching positions, a job that requires translations or interpreting, or even for the CIA. Well, that's all I have to say at this point.