SB B.

I am a verified tutor on First Tutors and have close to 20 Five star rated reviews on First Tutors Canada. I have gone through the reviews on this site and it doesn't make sense to me. A lot of the reviews have obvious bias and prejudice against First Tutors and I am unsure if they are verified.

1. First Tutor is a legitimate business. Its not a scam. You approach a tutor like me through First Tutors. I generally respond and ask clarifying questions. The client is also feel to ask as many questions as they want to be part of the tutoring agreement. Only when both parties are fully satisfied, should the client buy the tutors details.

2. First Tutors is a business like any other legitimate business. So yes, you are able to connect with your tutor in person or over the phone only after you pay a initiation fee. I don't understand why or how this is a scam.

3. Unlike most other website, First Tutors enable their tutors to decide on their individual fees. First Tutors does not keep a hefty commission per session unlike most other tutoring platforms wherein the tutor gets payed 20% of the hourly fee and the platform keeps the rest. You always end up with demotivated tutors with sub par knowledge level in a situation like that. First Tutors has a one time fee only. If you cannot afford or do not want to afford a certain fee level, please feel free to find a tutor who offers a lower rate. Skill, knowledge and experience comes at a premium so yes, there are different level of tutors available within the same geographical area.

4. There can be a few disappointing experience with independent tutors. But that is not due to First Tutors. Its the individual tutor in question. The client is free to choose another tutor and can terminate any tutoring partnership at will and without reason. The payment schedule with client has nothing to do with First Tutors. It is an independent agreement that should be honoured by both the client and the tutor.

5. First Tutor verifies their tutors through reference check ( as they did with me). I am a professional tutor who has worked with them for over 5 years now. I have a Bachelors degree and two Masters degree in relevant STEM fields. I will not call myself underqualified. The tutors credentials are available for the clients to see and YES they are verified by First Tutors.

Its a weird world we leave in where truth is available at a premium. I will urge potential clients to do you own independent reviews and do not blindly fall for the negative reviews on this site. When contacting a First Tutor tutor, make sure you are asking as many questions as you can to understand what you want to get out of the relationship.

Summary:

1. No, Fist Tutors is NOT A SCAM. Its a legitimate business.
2. YES, you do have to pay an initiation fee to First Tutors to get the tutor contact details. Its a business, not a charity. But, its the ONLY one time fee you pay with First Tutors. Any subsequent session fee is between you and the tutor.
4. I have successfully tutored over 50 students through FIRST Tutors Canada who are now successfully established in their professional lives. So, YES, it does work.
5. Lastly, please be prepared to invest in your child. Tutoring is not free and just like any other skill, it takes time and effort to hone the teaching experience. Do not expect to drive a Mercedes if Honda Civic is all you WANT to afford. No Offence. Knowledge and skill comes at a price. If you are unwilling to pay that, please do not take it out on the First Tutors platform.
6. NO, First Tutors did not pay me to write my views on this website about their business.