Review & Giveaway: TutorMatch.com Premium Membership

TutorMatch.com is an online service dedicated to connecting students and potential tutors. Founded in 1996, TutorMatch was the first website of its kind to offer this service, and has been successfully matching instructors and their students for the last 13 years. I spoke with Diane Palumbo, a representative with the company, to find out more about TutorMatch.

“Think of our service at TutorMatch as a big phone book for tutors,” she explains. “Parents and students can search for either local tutors near them or online tutors anywhere in the world, for free. We don’t disclose the tutors’ last names or their contact info, and we don’t ask parents or students to sign up or enter any of their contact info to us. When they find a tutor they would like to interview, only then do they enter either their phone number or email address – They do not disclose their identity to anyone they don’t want to. “

When I took a look at TutorMatch’s website, I was easily able to access the information I wanted and browse through listings of instructors. Tutors can create free profiles on the website to advertise their services, or purchase a premium membership for more exposure. I registered for a free Tutor account to try it out, and found the process to be quick and easy, with helpful instructions to guide me through the registration.

You see, TutorMatch isn’t just for certified teachers. Anyone who is qualified to teach a skill can register – your education level, age, background, and other qualifications are listed on your profile for students’ consideration, so that they may choose a tutor that best suits their needs and comfort level. Even high school students can register as a tutor, so long as they have parental consent.

What’s in it for the students? Why hire a tutor without a teaching certificate? Depending on the subject, it may not matter to the student. If they just want someone to teach them how to use the Internet, then other qualifications may be more important to them. And don’t forget price: it’s often more cost-effective than hiring someone with a teaching certificate.

What’s in it for the tutor? According to this general rule of thumb listed on TutorMatch’s site, even a high schooler who tutors part-time can earn up to $40 per hour.

This would be a great opportunity for so many people. Are you a stay-at-home parent? Did you get a degree, but later opt to stay at home to be with your children? Online tutoring could be a great way to utilize your skills without having to take a job outside the home. Or perhaps you’re still in school, and want to earn a little extra money by helping your fellow students. Are you a musician? A computer whiz? You might just be able to market those skills. TutorMatch is committed to bringing together students and quality instructors, and as long as you are honest about your qualifications, you are welcome to register.

You can either sign up for a basic, free listing, or you can purchase a premium membership.
Premium memberships offer all kinds of perks. You get a Premium Preferred listing that stands out from the basic free membership, and according to their website, “Premium Preferred listing appears first in all searches before other tutors are listed. In addition, all advertisements are removed from your profile page. Tutors advertising in our database stand a much better chance of being contacted and hired by potential students due to our increased exposure in search engines. Tutors which upgrade their listing to Premium Preferred stand a 50% better chance of contacted and hired than basic, free listings.” Premium members can also list as many subjects as they like, as opposed to the free listing which limits you to one subject.

So would you like to win a premium membership to TutorMatch for yourself or a loved one?

Grand Prize: One lucky winner will receive 1 year of free premium membership to Tutormatch.com (a $29 value)!
Runner-Up Prizes: Three lucky winners will receive a 6 month premium membership to TutorMatch.com (a $19 value)!

Not only are the four prizes, there are SIX ways to win!

1. To enter, pay a visit TutorMatch’s website. Then come back here and tell me in the comments which subject you are interested in tutoring. Or, if you want to win this as a gift, tell me what subject you think the recipient would teach! This step is required to qualify for the drawing. Be sure to leave an email address with your comment, so that I may notify you in the event that you are the lucky winner!

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