HeyTutor

Tutoring services, both on-site and online, have exploded in recent years. And we have learned that many users of our site are looking for more than just writing services. They are looking for real-time help with tough assignments, with preparation for undergrad and grad school entrance exams, and for help just getting through tough courses in which they are struggling.

Because of this increased interest in and use of tutoring services, we have expanded our reviews to include these companies too. Heytutor.com has been on our radar for a bit, due to our user comments and requests for a formal review. And so, we are now getting around to it.

We have to look at tutoring services a bit differently. Basically, we study all of the content on the website, look at tutor profiles and how they are “employed” by Hey Tutor, and what customers have to say. We also look at pricing, methods of tutoring and communication between students and tutors, policies, customer support, contact information, and the role the company plays that promote trusted and reliable service to customers.

What follows is all that we have reviewed.

Products and Services You Will Find

Hey Tutor is a California-based company primarily serving students in the U.S. at all levels of study, Pre-K through college and grad school levels. 

If you count tutors as “products,” then you will certainly find them here. The services, of course, involve tutoring and homework help.

In-home tutors are found by entering the subject, choice of gender if desired, and your zip code, into the request form. You will then receive a list of suitable tutors within 15 miles of your residence. They can come to you or you can choose to meet them at a library, coffee shop, etc.

There are also online tutoring services available for students who do not live in geographic proximity to tutors, and it is promoted as on-demand online tutoring 24 hours a day.

For parents who home-school their children, there is a full range of course tutoring services in all content fields, and at all academic levels.

It is the student’s and parent’s responsibility to connect with potential tutors and have discussions before making a final selection of one that is the best match.

The Real Proof – Quality of Tutors and Quality of Services

When we look at quality, we have to look at three factors:

• Academic background and credentials of registered tutors
• HeyTutor reviews and comments by actual customers
• The quality of customer service

In the case of Hey Tutor, here is what we found:

• Customer feedback is mixed and is certainly based upon customer experiences with individual tutors. Some customers have been highly satisfied; others, not so much. 
• Quality of tutoring is pretty much the responsibility of the customer, for he must interview potential tutors and make a final selection. If he is not careful, he can have a bad experience. The company does offer a refund of the first tutoring session if a customer is not satisfied, but only that first session. Any additional sessions are non-refundable. The problem that some customers related to us is that it may take a few sessions before deciding that there is not a match. And then, in addition to having lost some money, they must go through the whole ordering and interviewing process again. 
• Our own communications with customer service were okay. We asked many detailed questions, but, in most instances, we were told to fill out the request form and contact the tutors directly.

Now the Money – prices, discounts, payment methods

HeyTutor prices vary widely. On the request form, customers are asked to identify the price range they are willing to tolerate before a list of tutors is provided. The final price is negotiated between student and tutor.

Once the final price is determined, the customer places an amount on account with the company. When the number of hours paid for has been used, the company then releases payment to the tutor, taking its cut. And if the student needs more tutoring, additional amounts must be placed on the account.

This business model does not provide for any Heytutor.com discounts, and customers will pay whatever is determined with the tutor. Those who are skilled negotiators may be able to get the price lowered, but those who are not will be pretty much at the mercy of what the bids are. Students are also cautioned not to just take the cheapest price. Take the time to interview the candidates carefully, because the cheapest may not be the best. 

The company accepts all major bank cards and PayPal, and payment methods are safe and secured – no worries here. 

The Good, the Bad, the Beautiful, and the Ugly

First, the Bad and Ugly:

• The problem with tutoring services like Hey Tutor is that satisfaction is really based upon the tutor that a customer selects. As we well know, tutoring is far more personal than simply ordering a piece of writing from a writing service. This involves communication and good relationships between students and tutors. When all of the responsibility is placed upon the parent or student to make a selection, the potential for a mistake is much greater. With Heytutor.com, the company really plays a passive role in this whole process.
• Policies, while in place, are not as detailed as we would like to see. For example, when a student deactivates his account, what happens to his personal information? Is it still held by the company?
• There are multiple ways to contact customer service, but the standard answers to problems seem to be to contact the tutor and take it up with them.

Now the Good and the Beautiful:

• There is value in seeking tutoring help when you are struggling. And, if you find the right match in a tutor, you will get what you need and be much more successful in your course.
• There is a large list of tutors in all subject fields, and students will have the choice between direct physical tutoring and online tutoring – this provides greater flexibility for customers.

Overall, we find both pros and cons with Hey Tutor. We do wish the company was more directly involved in the tutor selection process. We are providing a rating of 3.5 on our 1-5-point scale.