Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About

Getting Started .............................................................................................................................................................. 4
When can I start tutoring?....................................................................................................................................... 4
How do I accept session requests? ........................................................................................................................ 4
How long do I have to conduct my first session? ................................................................................................... 4
When will I get assigned to a Quality Specialist? ................................................................................................... 4
How do I access my Reviews? ............................................................................................................................... 4
What are the orientation period expectations? ....................................................................................................... 4
How do I communicate with Tutor.com? ................................................................................................................ 5
Where are the Manuals located? ............................................................................................................................ 5
Who do I contact about my Profile getting rejected? .............................................................................................. 5
Pay.................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
How/when do I get paid? ........................................................................................................................................ 5
How do I set up Direct Deposit? ............................................................................................................................. 5
Why hasn’t my paycheck arrived yet? .................................................................................................................... 5
What are my tutoring rates? ................................................................................................................................... 6
Where do I find my billing info?............................................................................................................................... 6
What is billable activity? .......................................................................................................................................... 6
What are the pay periods?...................................................................................................................................... 6
Scheduling .................................................................................................................................................................... 6
What are the different ways to schedule hours/receive session requests? ........................................................... 6
What are the scheduling/availability requirements? ............................................................................................... 7
Why am I not getting session requests?................................................................................................................. 7
What are the peak times to tutor? .......................................................................................................................... 8
What are daily or weekly tutoring caps? ................................................................................................................. 8
On-Demand Scheduling ............................................................................................................................................. 8
How/when do I sign up for On-Demand hours? ..................................................................................................... 8
Am I required to schedule On-Demand hours? ...................................................................................................... 8
How do I log in to attend my scheduled On-Demand hours?................................................................................. 8
How do I cancel scheduled On-Demand hours? .................................................................................................... 9
What are the attendance expectations for On-Demand hours? (Online Percentage) ........................................... 9
Why am I not seeing any hours on the On-Demand schedule? ............................................................................ 9
Why is the On-Demand schedule in Eastern Time? ............................................................................................ 10
What is the rotating On-Demand schedule for the summer? ............................................................................... 10
Floating ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10
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What is “Floating” for sessions? ........................................................................................................................... 10

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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I log in to float? ........................................................................................................................................ 11
How am I paid for floating? ................................................................................................................................... 11
What are the best times to float? .......................................................................................................................... 11
Do I need to sign in when I get a “floating” notification? ...................................................................................... 11
How can I get more session requests as a floating tutor? ................................................................................... 11
How is my availability while floating tracked? ....................................................................................................... 11
Scheduled Availability ............................................................................................................................................... 12
What is Scheduled Availability? ............................................................................................................................ 12
How do I set recurring Scheduled Availability hours? .......................................................................................... 12
How do I accept a scheduled session request with a student? ........................................................................... 12
How do I log in for a confirmed scheduled session with a student? .................................................................... 12
Do I need to be available for Scheduled Availability hours if I don’t have a session request? ............................ 13
Availability Expectations ........................................................................................................................................... 13
What is the minimum amount of time I need to tutor? (Tutor Activity Policy) ...................................................... 13
When is the Tutor Activity Policy in effect?........................................................................................................... 13
What counts as activity? ....................................................................................................................................... 13
What is the acceptance rate and why does it matter? ......................................................................................... 13
How do I decline or transfer a session request? .................................................................................................. 14
Inactive Status/Reinstatements ................................................................................................................................ 14
What is the inactive status process? .................................................................................................................... 14
How do I request reinstatement? .......................................................................................................................... 14
Tech Issues ................................................................................................................................................................. 14
Who do I contact for help with technical issues?.................................................................................................. 14
What information should I share with Support when reporting technical issues? ................................................ 14
What are the technical requirements for running the Classroom? ....................................................................... 15
What should I do if a student loses connection? .................................................................................................. 16
What should I do if I’m unable to share a file back to the student in a session? ................................................. 16
Why am I not receiving Support Ticket email responses? ................................................................................... 16
Tutor.com Classroom ................................................................................................................................................ 17
How do I launch the Classroom? .......................................................................................................................... 17
What are the differences between the Legacy and v2 Classrooms? ................................................................... 17
How do I use the Practice mode? ......................................................................................................................... 17
How do I complete the post-session survey? ....................................................................................................... 17
What is a concurrent session?.............................................................................................................................. 18
Classroom Tools ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
How do I use the different Classroom Tools? ...................................................................................................... 18
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How do I post problems on the whiteboard? ........................................................................................................ 18

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How do I screenshare? ......................................................................................................................................... 18

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Frequently Asked Questions
What if the student shares an online file (i.e., Google Docs/ Microsoft Online)? ................................................. 18
How do I share a file back with the student? ........................................................................................................ 19
Voice Sessions ......................................................................................................................................................... 19
How do I turn on voice? ........................................................................................................................................ 19
What are the requirements for conducting voice sessions?................................................................................. 19
How do I temporarily disable voice requests? ...................................................................................................... 19
Which subjects require being voice-approved?.................................................................................................... 19
How do I request a voice exemption? .................................................................................................................. 19
Async Sessions ........................................................................................................................................................ 19
How do I get async subjects? ............................................................................................................................... 19
How do I conduct async sessions? ...................................................................................................................... 20
How do I accept and conduct a Writing Project request? .................................................................................... 20
How do I manage time efficiently in async writing sessions?............................................................................... 20
Why am I having trouble submitting async writing sessions? .............................................................................. 20
Tutoring Subjects ....................................................................................................................................................... 20
How do I add or remove subjects? ....................................................................................................................... 20
Where do I go to take more content exams? ....................................................................................................... 20
Why was my “-Degreed,” “-Masters,” “-Certified,” etc. subject removed?............................................................ 21
What subjects are an approved combination? ..................................................................................................... 21
What are the concept lists for each subject? ........................................................................................................ 21
How do I handle a question that is out of scope for the subject?......................................................................... 21
Fingerprinting ............................................................................................................................................................ 21
Which subjects require being fingerprinted? ........................................................................................................ 21
Will I get reimbursed for being fingerprinted? ....................................................................................................... 22
How do I get fingerprinted?................................................................................................................................... 22
Tutoring Techniques .................................................................................................................................................. 22
How do I conduct a successful session? .............................................................................................................. 22
Are there example sessions? ............................................................................................................................... 22
Are there resources for working with younger students? ..................................................................................... 22
How long can tutoring sessions last? ................................................................................................................... 23
What should I do if a student asks me to email/speak to/contact them outside of the Classroom? .................... 23
How do I handle an inappropriate student?.......................................................................................................... 23
How do I handle non-responsive students? ......................................................................................................... 24
How do I get feedback on my sessions? .............................................................................................................. 24
Employment Verification ........................................................................................................................................... 25
Can my Quality Specialist act as a reference or write a letter of recommendation for me? ................................ 25
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How can I get employment verification? ............................................................................................................... 25

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Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started
When can I start tutoring?
Once you are onboarded and get the “Welcome to the Team” email, which shares that you are approved to start
tutoring, you can sign in to tutor at any time! We do recommend you review our New Tutor Success Guide, the
Personal Information Policy Quick Reference Guide, the Classroom Video Series, and Tutor Resource Manual so
you are prepared for your first session. Our New Tutor section of the Tutor Resource Center also has some
excellent videos and resources to help as you get started conducting sessions.

How do I accept session requests?

Once you’ve set yourself to “Available,” you can get a request at any time. Be sure to stay close to your computer
and keep the volume up to ensure you hear the notification request. When a request comes through, you’ll hear a
notification sound and a small pop-window will appear with the question, “Are you here?” You have 15 seconds to
confirm you are there. If you do not respond within time, you will automatically be set to “Unavailable” for requests.
Once you’ve confirmed you are there on the pop-window, the actual session request will come through. It will share
a few details about the session, such as the subject, session length, and any pre-session info from the student that
is available. Tutors have 60 seconds to accept or decline the request. Tutors should accept the majority of session
requests (see more info about the acceptance rate expectations).
You can watch a video of how to accept session requests here. If you have any technical issues accepting session
requests, be sure to reach out to Support.

How long do I have to conduct my first session?

Once you are onboarded and get the email you are approved to start tutoring, you have 30 days to conduct your first
session. If you have not conducted your first session by this time, your account will be deactivated. If you have
questions about your start date, please contact Support to discuss that further.

When will I get assigned to a Quality Specialist?

After you conduct your first session, you will be assigned to a Quality Specialist who will provide you with feedback
on your sessions through Reviews. This usually happens within 1-2 business days. When you are added to a team,
your Quality Specialist will reach out with a welcome email to share their contact information.

How do I access my Reviews?

To access your Reviews, log into tutor.com/providers. Go to the Settings page and locate the Quality Control section
of the table. You will see links to your “Messages” and “View My Reviews.” If you have any issues opening or
viewing your Reviews, let your Quality Specialist know.

What are the orientation period expectations?

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It is the expectation that tutors are able to provide educationally sound sessions to the students they work with, as
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defined by The 7 Tenets of Tutoring. Tutor.com provides numerous resources for tutors to access as well as regular
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Frequently Asked Questions
feedback to New Tutors from their Quality Assurance team. The Reviews completed by the Quality Specialists will
recognize areas of strength, identify areas that demonstrate opportunities for improvement, provide resources and
strategies to help tutors improve, and ensure tutors are aware of the time remaining for improvement to be made if
quality concerns are noted. It is the expectation that tutors will actively work to ensure the tutoring they provide is at
an acceptable level, using the many available resources, or others they identify, to assist them. Sixty days is the
maximum amount of time tutors can expect the Orientation Period to run.

How do I communicate with Tutor.com?

We are thrilled to have thousands of tutors working with us to support our students. Due to the volume of tutors, the
primary correspondence between tutors and Tutor.com is via email. Quality Specialists do not conduct phone or
video calls with tutors. Be sure you check your email regularly and include @tutor.com and @review.com email
addresses in your safe senders list to ensure you receive all messages. You will receive automated messages to
notify you to view your internal Reviews, Messages, and Notices, and the Quality Assurance team may reach out
separately via email as well. Our dedicated Support Team is also available through
https://www.tutor.com/providers/go/support, [email protected], or (800) 411-1970, Option 3.

Where are the Manuals located?

The Tutor Resource Manual, Classroom Manuals, and Async Manuals are located in the Tutor.com Resource
Center, on the Policies & Procedures page.

Who do I contact about my Profile getting rejected?

Please reach out to Support at https://www.tutor.com/providers/go/support or [email protected].

Pay
How/when do I get paid?
Your pay schedule information can be found in your offer letter or in the Policies and Procedures page of the Tutor
Resource Center. If you are unable to find your pay information, please reach out to Support so they can share that
information with you.

How do I set up Direct Deposit?

Information on setting Direct Deposit is typically available in your Settings under Pay Information. Please reach out
to Support if you encounter any problems or have follow-up questions.

Why hasn’t my paycheck arrived yet?

Your first paycheck typically arrives as a paper check, even if Direct Deposit has been set up, so keep in mind the
additional time it may take to reach you through the mail. If you have recently changed your Direct Deposit
information, the next paycheck may also come as a paper check while they confirm your account. If you have
questions or concerns about your paycheck arrival, please contact Support so they can assist you further.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are my tutoring rates?
When you were onboarded, you should have received an email with the tutoring rates for your subjects. If you are
unable to find that, please reach out to Support so they can share that information with you.

Where do I find my billing info?

You can view your Billing Info by logging in to tutor.com/providers and going to your Settings page. Under Pay
Information, you’ll see “View my Billing Information.” You’ll see the total for each pay period, which is hyperlinked.
Click on that total hyperlink, and you’ll be able to see a breakdown by individual sessions. Please keep in mind that
this is only an estimate, and it typically takes at least 24 hours to update with the most recent sessions.

What is billable activity?

Any time you spend in a session is time you are paid for, at your rate for that subject. When you are logged in and
set to available during scheduled On-Demand hours, you are also paid your waiting rate for any time you are set to
available but are not in a session. Additionally, when completing a post-session survey, you are paid for up to 1
minute at your waiting rate.
If you are a floating tutor, you are paid for any time spent in session at your rate for that subject and for up to 1
minute at your waiting rate for the post-session survey. However, any time waiting for sessions as a floating tutor is
not paid. Likewise, if you have set up recurring Scheduled Appointment Availability for students to sign up for
scheduled sessions with you, you are paid for the time spent in session with a student. You are not paid for time you
set as available in your Scheduled Appointment Availability unless a student schedules time with you and you
connect with them. You are not expected to be set to Available during times of Scheduled Appointment availability if
a student has not scheduled an appointment with you.

What are the pay periods?

Please reach out to Support if you have any questions regarding pay periods.

Scheduling
What are the different ways to schedule hours/receive session requests?
As a 24/7 online tutoring service, students can sign in at any time to request a session without an appointment, and
this is the majority of our student usage at this time. Some students also have the option of pre-scheduling sessions
in advance with tutors. To accommodate our students’ various needs in regards to scheduling, there are three ways
to sign in to get session requests:

Floating – Simply log into the Classroom application on your computer any time you want to be available for
students! Since requests are assigned to scheduled tutors first, it’s best to float during peak hours (3-11pm ET) for
the best chance at connecting with students while floating. When requests are routed to floating tutors, they typically
get sent to the tutor in that subject who has been set to “Available” the longest, so frequently toggling between
“Available” and “Unavailable” may move you further down the queue for session requests.
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Frequently Asked Questions
On-Demand Schedule – A select number of hours for each subject are available for tutors to schedule on the On-
Demand schedule. When a tutor signs up for hours on this schedule, they commit to being logged in and set to
“Available” during each hour block they’ve scheduled.

On-Demand tutors get the requests in their subjects routed to them first, and they are paid a waiting rate in between
any sessions along with their in-session rates for any sessions they conduct. If a session goes past the end of a
scheduled On-Demand hour, the tutor is still paid their in-session rate for the entirety of that session (tutors are
always paid for their time in-session, regardless if they are a floating or scheduled tutor), though they will no longer
get the waiting rate if they choose to stay set to Available after their shift ends (they become a floating tutor at this
point). For more information on scheduling On-Demand hours, see our FAQs about On-Demand Scheduling.

Scheduled Appointment Availability – Some students have the option to schedule a session with a tutor of their
choice in advance. To accommodate this, tutors have access to the Scheduled Appointment Availability page. You
can set hours that you would be available to work with a student if the student scheduled to meet with you. You only
have to be logged in during these times when you have a session scheduled. You can read more about scheduled
session availability in the Tutor Resource Manual under Scheduling and Attendance.

What are the scheduling/availability requirements?

Tutors are not required to schedule hours, either On-Demand or Scheduled Appointment Availability, and can solely
float for sessions if they prefer. However, we do require tutors to be available to students at least 5 hours a week, on
average, during the school year. For more information on the minimum availability requirements, please see the
Tutor Activity Policy.
If a tutor does sign up for On-Demand hours, they are expected to be logged in and set to Available during the
majority of their scheduled hours. See the Online Percentage Policy, which is outlined in the Tutor Resource
Manual, for more details on the online percentage expectations.

Why am I not getting session requests?

There are a variety of factors that influence requests getting routed to you. Here are some potential factors to
consider:
Current usage – the time of day, day of the week, time of the year, etc. all influence how many students are online
and requesting sessions at that time. You may be signing in at a time when there aren’t currently requests available.
This is common during the summer months (June-August) or during off-peak hours (peak hours are generally 3-11
pm Eastern Time, Sunday-Friday).
Subjects – some subjects get more requests from students (higher usage) than others. For instance, College-level
Essay Writing will get more requests than Communication – Journalism, and Algebra will have higher usage than
Primary (K-2) Math. We encourage tutors to get approved for multiple subjects to maximize their ability to get
session requests. The subjects you have also may correlate to the times of day you are most likely to get requests
(see our Floating Heat Maps for ideas of when individual subjects are busiest). For instance, Primary (K-2) subjects
will not likely get many late-night requests due to the common age range of those students.
Floating – Floating tutors get routed session requests if there are no current On-Demand scheduled tutors available
for that particular subject. If an On-Demand tutor isn’t available, the request gets typically routed to the floating tutor
in that subject who has been set to “Available” the longest. While staying set to “Available” for hours without a
request is not recommended (signing back in approximately every 30 minutes or so assists with a stable connection
to the server), frequent toggling back and forth between “Available” and “Unavailable” may decrease your chance of
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getting a request because you are moved to the bottom of the queue.

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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the peak times to tutor?
During the school year, peak usage is typically 3-11 pm ET, Sunday – Thursday. For a more detailed breakdown of
the peak usage times for various subjects, check out our Floating Heat Map.

What are daily or weekly tutoring caps?

Tutoring caps are based on the tutor’s location, so they can vary. Tutors generally have a weekly tutoring cap: the
total amount of time they can be in-session or attend scheduled hours. You can see your weekly cap by opening the
On-Demand Schedule Manager on our Scheduling page. On the current week, toward the left, under the calendar
and key, you will see a notice in red that states, “You are limited to ___ hours this week.” Your total weekly tutoring
cap will be available for the current week; if you move the calendar to future weeks, it will show your advanced
scheduled cap for the upcoming week and zero for future weeks that are unable to be scheduled for yet.

Some tutors also have daily caps, depending on the state they are located in. These will also be listed on the On-
Demand Schedule Manager, and the Classroom will automatically notify you and keep you from continuing to
conduct sessions if you have reached or are nearing your daily cap. If you have any questions about daily caps,
please reach out to Support.

On-Demand Scheduling
How/when do I sign up for On-Demand hours?
Our On-Demand Schedule is accessed through the Scheduling page on www.tutor.com/providers. Tutors set their
On-Demand schedule on a week-to-week basis. You can schedule for the current week anytime if there are hours
still available. You can schedule for the next week beginning on your advance scheduling day. Refer to the chart on
the Scheduling page for information on which day is your advanced scheduling day, as well as how many hours you
can schedule in advance.
Once all tutors have had the opportunity to schedule advance hours, tutors can then schedule additional hours on
Saturday at 12pm ET, up to their weekly scheduling cap.
Once you are on the On-Demand Scheduler, available hours will be highlighted in light yellow; the box will also say
“available.” To schedule an hour, select it and choose “Schedule Selected,” which is to the left of the screen. The
hours will turn green and say “scheduled” if they have been successfully scheduled.

Am I required to schedule On-Demand hours?

Tutors are not required to schedule On-Demand hours. Tutors are expected to be available to students at least 5
hours per week on average during the school year, and tutors are welcome to meet that expectation through any of
our three scheduling options. See Availability Expectations for more information.

How do I log in to attend my scheduled On-Demand hours?

When it is time for your scheduled On-Demand shift (remember, hours are set in Eastern Time, so be sure to
calculate this in regards to your current time zone to sign in at the correct time), open the Tutor.com Classroom
application on your computer. Sign in and ensure you are set to “Available.” You can do this by leaving the “Make
me ‘Available’ after sign in” box checked when you log in or by right-clicking on the Tutor.com icon in your system
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tray and clicking “Available.” See the Signing In & Accepting Requests video for a visual walkthrough.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cancel scheduled On-Demand hours?
Go to the Scheduling page and navigate to the On-Demand Schedule. Once the schedule is open and you’ve found
which hours you want to remove, select the hours and choose “Remove Selected.” To remove multiple hours at
once, click and drag over them to highlight and select hours to remove.
A scheduled hour can be removed up until that hour has begun. While emergencies will arise, try to avoid removing
hours with less than 24-hour notice as much as possible, as when tutors do this regularly, it keeps other tutors from
being able to schedule the hour and may leave us short staffed for students. If you are unable to access your
schedule from the classroom, you can access the Scheduling page at any time through www.tutor.com/providers,
even on mobile devices, to add or remove hours.

What are the attendance expectations for On-Demand hours? (Online Percentage)
Attendance for On-Demand hours are tracked through a tutor’s online percentage, which is the time a tutor spent set
to Available or in a session during the hours scheduled. Our Tutor Resource Manual shares the following:
As part of our quality control process, a metric is monitored that measures the number of scheduled hours where the
Tutor was online and available, known as the Online Percentage. To meet the needs of our students while offering
flexibility to Tutors, Tutor availability is monitored monthly. Tutors are expected to be online and available to
students for a minimum of 70% of their scheduled hours.
Tutors are expected to monitor their own monthly online percentage to ensure it is above the minimum
threshold. Tutors can monitor their online percentage by taking the data from the billing information page and using
the following formula:
(Online Hours) / (Scheduled Hours) x 100%
Note that scheduled hours will be the hours scheduled during a given day. This formula will not be accurate until all
scheduled hours are completed for the day.
Tutors who repeatedly do not meet the required minimum online percentage for at least 3 months over a 6-month
period will be subject to action on their account, from mandatory floating up to and including termination. As a
company, we must ensure that we are adequately staffed and have the proper number of Tutors available in order
to provide quality service to our students. We understand that emergencies happen. Missing a few hours due to an
emergency will not significantly or adversely affect the Tutor’s account. However, if hours are consistently being
missed, then Tutors may need to rethink availability for tutoring or consider floating as an alternative.
Be advised that when we conduct monthly reviews of our Tutors’ online percentages, we are reviewing only the
numbers available, as we are unable to cross-reference other communication on a large scale. Should Tutors feel
there was an error in the online percentage report or have previous communication regarding this policy they would
like to have considered, they are encouraged to contact us at http://www.Tutor.com/providers/support.

Why am I not seeing any hours on the On-Demand schedule?

Hour slots are added to the On-Demand schedule based on the projected demand for a particular subject. Hours
are claimed by tutors on a first-come, first-serve basis, meaning that if all the slots for a particular hour have been
claimed by other tutors, it will no longer show as available for other tutors to schedule. The hours a tutor sees as
available will also vary based on which subjects they are approved to tutor.
If you are not seeing any hours available when you sign in, here are some tips:
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Check that you are looking at the correct week. The On-Demand schedule by default opens on the current
week, and when scheduling advance hours, you will need to use the arrows at the top to move to the
upcoming week.

2. Check that you are signing in at the correct time. The Schedule page has a chart outlining when various
tutors get access to the On-Demand schedule for advance scheduling. All times are in Eastern Time.

3. Try to sign in as close as possible to when the advance schedule opens for you, as hours are claimed
quickly. Setting reminders or logging into www.tutor.com/providers from a mobile device can be helpful for
tutors who are unable to be at a computer when the schedule opens.

4. Consider adding more subjects, if possible. The more subjects a tutor is approved for, the more hours will
generally be available to schedule.

5. Take advance of an early scheduling option is often available the first week of the month, during the school
year, for New Tutors to give them the chance to schedule hours prior to other tutors. Tutors will be informed
via email if an early scheduling opportunity is available.

6. Keep in mind the time of year. During the summer and holiday breaks, fewer hours will be available on the
schedule since student usage will be lower.

Why is the On-Demand schedule in Eastern Time?

Tutor.com headquarters are in New York, so the On-Demand schedule is always set at Eastern Time. Make sure to
account for your time zone when scheduling and attending hours. For example, if you are in Central Time (generally
1 hour behind Eastern Time) and sign up for the 5 pm hour, you will need to be set to “Available” at 4 pm CT.

What is the rotating On-Demand schedule for the summer?

Since usage is lower during the summer, there are fewer hours available on the schedule during this time. Thus,
during the summer, weekly advance On-Demand scheduling rotates between the various tutor statuses to ensure
everyone periodically has a chance to schedule hours first. At the beginning of the summer, Learning Services
emails tutors the rotating schedule for the summer, but it is also available on the On-Demand section of the
Scheduling page.

Floating
What is “Floating” for sessions?
Simply log into the Classroom application on your computer any time you want to be available for students! Since
requests are assigned to scheduled tutors first, it’s helpful to float during peak hours (3-11pm ET) for the best
chance at connecting with students while floating. When requests are routed to floating tutors, they typically get sent
to the tutor in that subject who has been set to “Available” the longest. While staying set to “Available” for hours
without a request is not recommended (signing back in approximately every 30 minutes or so assists with a stable
connection to the server), frequent toggling back and forth between “Available” and “Unavailable” may decrease
your chance of getting a request because you are moved to the bottom of the queue.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I log in to float?
Log into the Classroom application on your computer and set yourself to “Available” any time you want to be
available to receive requests!

How am I paid for floating?

The Classroom tracks all of your time set to “Available” and in-session. Floating tutors get paid for all time they
spend in-session at their tutoring rate for that subject. You can view your sessions in your Billing Info.

What are the best times to float?

Many tutors choose to float during our peak usage hours of 3-11pm ET, Sunday through Friday.
Want to know the best times to get requests for your individual subjects too? Click here to view a heatmap showing
the peak usage for each subject.

Do I need to sign in when I get a “floating” notification?

Tutor.com sends out “Floating Notifications” to tutors when we have high usage in subjects at that particular time.
You can opt in to receive floating tutor alerts in your Settings. You are not required to sign in and float when you
receive a floating tutor notification, though we appreciate if you can, and you will find it easier to get requests during
those periods of high usage.

How can I get more session requests as a floating tutor?

Here are some tips to get more requests as a floating tutor:

• Use this flowchart to track and develop a floating plan.

• Try floating during our general peak usage hours of 3-11 pm ET, Sunday-Friday.

• Check out the Floating Heat Map to see the highest usage times for your specific subjects.

• Consider signing in approximately 10-15 minutes before the start of a new hour, as scheduled On-Demand
tutors are finishing their shifts at the end of each hour, so more requests may be available.

• Avoid toggling back and forth from “Available” to “Unavailable” frequently. While staying set to “Available” for
hours without a request is not recommended (signing back in approximately every 30 minutes or so assists
with a stable connection to the server), frequent toggling back and forth between “Available” and
“Unavailable” may decrease your chance of getting a request because you are moved to the bottom of the
queue.

How is my availability while floating tracked?

The Tutor.com Classroom tracks the time tutors spend set to “Available” or in a session. While your time spent
floating and not in-session is not displayed in your Billing Info, Tutor.com does have access to that information to
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verify availability for the Tutor Activity Policy.

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Frequently Asked Questions
Scheduled Availability
What is Scheduled Availability?
Some students have the option to schedule a session with a tutor of their choice in advance. To accommodate this,
tutors have access to the Scheduled Appointment Availability Schedule. You can set hours that you would be
available to work with a student if the student scheduled to meet with you. You only have to be logged in during
these times when you have a session scheduled. You can read more about scheduled session availability in the
Tutor Resource Manual under Scheduling and Attendance.
Appointments must be scheduled by the student at least two days in advance, so you won’t get last minute
scheduled session requests. We suggest setting no more than an hour or two of appointment availability per day
(similar to office hours) because scheduled appointment availability should not overlap with On-Demand scheduled
hours in order to prevent scheduling conflicts. Tutors should check their Scheduled Appointment Availability
regularly to avoid missing requests, which need to be responded to within 24 hours; otherwise, the session is
cancelled and reported as a missed request.

How do I set recurring Scheduled Availability hours?

You can set your recurring Scheduled Appointment Availability hours on our Scheduling page through the “Setting
Appointment Availability” tab. Once you open the Availability Manager, you will be able to add availability through
“rules.”
Choose the day from the first drop-down menu, and then select the hour range you want students to be able to sign
up for. These are in Eastern Time, so be sure to account for that when selecting hours. Once you have the range
chosen, select “Add.” The newly added rule will show up as part of a table at the top of your screen.
You can continue to add as many rules as you would like. These rules stay in place until you “Delete” them from the
table, so be sure to check and update this regularly.

How do I accept a scheduled session request with a student?

When a student requests a scheduled session with you, you’ll receive that request via email. In the email, you’ll
have the option to accept or decline the session. Tutors are expected to accept or decline a Scheduled Session
request within 24 hours.
If a Scheduled Session request has not been accepted, the session will not connect even if the tutor is Available in
the Classroom. Repeated instances of Scheduled Session requests not being accepted (either declined not
responded to at all), as well as accepted sessions in which the tutor is not present at the time of the session, will
result in the tutor being removed from the ability to schedule time for Scheduled Sessions.

How do I log in for a confirmed scheduled session with a student?

To connect to a scheduled session, the tutor should sign into the Classroom as early as 5 minutes prior to the start
time (See our Signing In & Accepting Requests video). Until 10 minutes after the scheduled start time, a tutor will
only receive session requests from the student who booked the session. If the student has not arrived after 10
minutes past the hour, the appointment is canceled, and the tutor will be made available for On-Demand student
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matching. The tutor will be paid at their waiting rate for the initial 5 minutes prior to the session start and for the 10
minutes past the session start.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be available for Scheduled Availability hours if I don’t have a session request?
No! Tutors are only required to sign in during these hours if they have a scheduled session with a student. You can
view your upcoming scheduled session appointments through the Scheduled Appointment Availability Manager on
our Scheduling page.

Availability Expectations
What is the minimum amount of time I need to tutor? (Tutor Activity Policy)
Tutors are expected to be available on average 5 hours per week during the school year. This ensures we are
adequately staffed for students, and historically, tutors who conduct sessions regularly provide students with
stronger quality sessions, so it helps you be a stronger tutor by tutoring regularly. It’s okay if you tutor a little less
certain weeks; the important thing is that over time it averages to 5 hours. For more information on the Tutor Activity
Policy, please see the Tutor Resource Manual.

When is the Tutor Activity Policy in effect?

The minimum expectation of at least 5 hours of availability per week is in effect during the following periods:
Fall Period: September 4th through December 11th (14 weeks)

Spring Period: January 15th through May 21st (18 weeks)

For more information on the Tutor Activity Policy, please see the Tutor Resource Manual.

What counts as activity?

Any time you spend in a session or signed in and set to “Available” (either as a floating tutor or an On-Demand tutor
during wait time) is counted as activity. Setting Scheduled Availability hours does not count as availability, as you
don’t have to be signed in for those hours unless you have a scheduled session with the student. Any time in
scheduled sessions with a student is counted as availability, however. For example, if you set up five hours a week
you are available for scheduled sessions, but students only sign up for two hours’ worth of sessions, which you
conduct, and you do not sign in at all the rest of the week, only the two hours in-session are counted toward your
availability for that week.

What is the acceptance rate and why does it matter?

The acceptance rate is the number of declined/missed requests compared to the total number of session requests
received. For instance, if you received 20 total requests, you successfully accepted 18, missed one by not
answering the request in time, and declined one for “Expertise,” your acceptance rate would be 90%. The
expectation is that tutors are accepting a minimum of 85% of the requests they receive.
It’s important to accept the majority of your requests because it ensures that students aren’t waiting in the queue
unnecessarily, which can lead to frustration, and it demonstrates you have the content knowledge in your subjects to
help with the majority of questions.
For more information on the acceptance rate, see “Accepting/Declining Sessions Requests” in the Tutor Resource
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Manual.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I decline or transfer a session request?
When you receive a transfer session request, you have 60 seconds to review any pre-session information provided
and select Accept or Decline. The majority of sessions should be accepted.
To transfer a session that is already in progress, select “Transfer” from the top-right corner of the Classroom screen.
You will be prompted to share information regarding the transfer. Sessions should not be transferred often; please
review our Session Transfer Quick Reference Guide for guidelines about when transferring is appropriate.

Inactive Status/Reinstatements
What is the inactive status process?
Should you choose to move your account to inactive status, you would have up to 1 year from the date your last
session was completed (or a year to the date of your inactive request if you are a newly onboarded tutor who has
not conducted a session yet) to be eligible for reinstatement without having to reapply. Should you wish to be
reinstated, you can notify us via Tutor Support ([email protected]), and we will review the status of your
account at that time. Not all requests for reinstatements are granted.
Reinstatements are processed twice a year, in February and October. If approved, we may conduct an updated
background check. If you wish to return in the future but it has been more than a year, you can still do so, but you do
have to go back through the application and onboarding process. Additionally, once you have moved your account
to inactive status twice, you are no longer eligible for reinstatement and will need to reapply to return to tutoring as a
New tutor.

How do I request reinstatement?

If you have had your account moved to inactive status and wish to request reinstatement, simply email
[email protected] explaining your situation, and they will let you know the next steps and whether you are
eligible for reinstatement or not. See the answer above for more details about reinstatement eligibility.

Tech Issues
Who do I contact for help with technical issues?
All technical questions should be directed to Support, where our Support Technicians will be happy to assist you.
You can reach Support at https://www.tutor.com/providers/go/support or [email protected].

What information should I share with Support when reporting technical issues?
When creating a Support Ticket, you will be prompted to share the following information:

• Version of Windows (i.e. Windows 10, Windows 7, etc.)

• Processor Speed
• System Memory (RAM)
• Type of Internet Connection (i.e. Cable, DSL, T3, etc.)
•
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Date/Time of the Session (if applicable)

For many situations, our Support technicians will also need your Log File. We recommend preemptively saving and
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attaching it so our Support team can assist you more quickly. Here are the instructions for obtaining your Log File:
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you can sign into the Classroom:
1. Right-click the Tutor.com icon in your system tray, choose OTHER, then ABOUT.

2. When you see the dialog below, click “View Log File,” save the text file to your Desktop, and then upload it
as an attachment along with your Support request. DO NOT change the file type from .txt or paste the file
contents in the body of the Ticket message.

If you CANNOT sign into the Classroom:

1. Open any directory in Windows, click your cursor on the address bar, and type the following:
C:\Users\(your Windows name)\AppData\Local\Tutor.com\Tutor.com Classroom

2. Then go into the folder which corresponds to the latest version of the Classroom. You should see a
LOG.TXT file. Upload that file along with your support request. DO NOT change the file type from .txt or
paste the file contents in the body of the Ticket message.

What are the technical requirements for running the Classroom?

The following are the technical requirements to tutor:

• Your PC must run one of the following Microsoft operating systems: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows
10
• CPU (processor) running at 1.8 GHz or higher
• 4 GB or more of system memory (RAM)
• A broadband, land-based Internet connection capable of at least 15Mb/s down & 5Mb/s up of data transfer
in both directions
• Hardware that allows for voice communication, such as a built-in microphone on a laptop
• Webcam or integrated camera for use with our software's Video feature
• Minimum screen resolution of 1024x768 pixels
• Microsoft Word 2010 or later, or equivalent software that is able to view, edit, and save .DOC or .DOCX files
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if a student loses connection?
If the student loses connection, the Classroom will attempt to reconnect you. If the system is unable to reconnect the
student, the Classroom session will end and send you to the post-session survey. If you were working on a file with
a student that was unable to be shared in the session with them, the document recovery procedures will allow you to
submit the file to the student after the session has ended. Keep in mind that if students are unresponsive, tutors
need to follow the non-responsive student procedures, even if the Classroom shows the student as connected.

What should I do if I’m unable to share a file back to the student in a session?
NEVER ask for or use contact information from a student to share a file with them outside of the Classroom, as this
is a violation of the Personal Information Policy, as outlined in the Tutor Resource Manual. If you are unable to
share the file back with a student within the session, our document recovery procedures will allow you to send a file
to the student after the session ends. After the session has ended, complete the following:

• Right-click on the Tutor.com icon in your system tray and select “Other.”
• Select “Previous Sessions,” which will open a new window with a list of recent sessions.
• Identify the correct session and scroll to the far right and select “Attach file” to send the file to the student’s
virtual locker.
• Remember, Tutors want to avoid sharing documents using online platforms like Google Docs and Microsoft
Online as this violates the Personal Information Policy (PIP).
Note: Do not spend time outside of a session working on a document to send back to the student; document
recovery is only for files worked on during a session. If you lost connection from a session, it may take a little time to
appear in the Previous Sessions list, so if it doesn’t immediately appear, check back again later. If it has been more
than 24 hours since the session, you can reach out to Support for further assistance.

Why am I not receiving Support Ticket email responses?

Our Support team strives to respond within 1-2 business days. If a concern needs to be escalated for additional
assistance, it can increase how much time it takes to respond to a tutor. To make sure you are not missing Support
Ticket messages, ensure emails ending in @tutor.com or @review.com are added to your email’s safe sender list.
You can also reach out to Support via phone during normal business hours: (800) 411-1970, Option 3.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Tutor.com Classroom
How do I launch the Classroom?
For information on downloading and using the Classroom, see our Downloading and Using the Desktop Classroom
resource.

What are the differences between the Legacy and v2 Classrooms?

Our v2 Classroom is the newest version of the Classroom, with a new user interface and updated features. The
version of the Classroom that opens is dependent on the institution the student is signing in from. Students’
institutions are systematically being moved to the v2 Classroom so eventually we will only have one Classroom
again. For information regarding these Classrooms, we suggest checking out the Classroom Manuals and
Classroom & Technology guides.

How do I use the Practice mode?

You can use our Practice mode to try out the various features of the Classroom without having a student in the
session with you. Sign into the Tutor.com Classroom application and set yourself to unavailable unless you want to
receive a real session request. Right-click on the Classroom icon in your system tray and select “Practice.” You’ll
see several different versions of the Classroom to practice with. For more info, see the Classroom Manual.

How do I complete the post-session survey?

Each session ends with a post-session survey that requires the tutor to answer a few multiple-choice questions
about the session, categorize the topic, leave comments (optional), mark if the session needs to be reviewed, and
report a student for an Honor Code violation if necessary. This information is used to provide predictive insights to
our clients about students and concepts covered in sessions and to track student misbehavior. Tutors have 60
seconds to fill out the survey:

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Frequently Asked Questions
For information on how to answer the required two multiple choice questions, see our Post Session Rubric.
After answering the first two questions, tutors classify the session topic and subtopic. While there will not always be
a perfect answer for each session, choose the general topic and subtopic that most closely correlate. Our Scope &
Sequence list gives an idea of common topics that will be available for various subjects.

The comments are optional but are helpful to share if there is anything regarding this session the Quality Assurance
team should be aware of when reviewing. Please be aware that our client institutions can see these comments, and
focus on objectively describing the tutoring session. If a student has used profanity in a session with you, please
refrain from repeating it verbatim in the comment.

If a student is inappropriate in the session, check the Honor Code Violation box and leave details in the comments.
If a student is flagged for violating the Honor Code multiple times within a certain time span, their account is
blocked. All instances of sessions flagged for Honor Code are also automatically generated into a report, which is
shared with the institutions students are signing in from so they can conduct follow-up as necessary.

If you have a specific question about a session, you can flag it for review by changing “No” to “Yes” with “Request
that this session be reviewed?” If you flag a session, leave information in the comments regarding why. It is also
helpful to send an email to your Quality Specialist to let them know you would like to discuss it further.
You are automatically marked as “Make me ‘Available’ after completing survey” to get additional requests, so if your
shift is ending, make sure to uncheck this box before hitting “Submit.”

What is a concurrent session?

A concurrent session is when a tutor is assisting two separate students, both in different Classroom session
windows, simultaneously. Not all subjects are eligible for concurrent sessions, such as essay writing. Some K-12
subjects are automatically eligible for concurrent sessions. For information on how to make yourself eligible for
concurrent requests or accept a concurrent request, see the Classroom Manual.

Classroom Tools
How do I use the different Classroom Tools?
Our Classroom Manual gives information regarding the different features in the Classroom. For videos and quick
reference guides on specific Classroom tools, check out the Classroom & Technology section of the Tutor Resource
Center. You can test out various features using our Practice Mode as well!

How do I post problems on the whiteboard?

Check out this video and this quick reference guide on how to use the Whiteboard in our v2 Classroom.

How do I screenshare?
Check out this video and this quick reference guide on how to use the Screensharing feature in our v2 Classroom.

What if the student shares an online file (i.e., Google Docs/ Microsoft Online)?
Working in online files shares personal information with students which is a violation of our Personal Information
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Policy. Tutors can use this quick reference guide to help students download their work and share it within the
classroom. This document can also be shared with students to assist in this process.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I share a file back with the student?
Check out this video and this quick reference guide on how to use the file sharing feature in our v2 Classroom.

Voice Sessions
How do I turn on voice?
In our v2 Classroom, voice is automatically enabled when you enter the Classroom after accepting the voice session
request. You will be muted until you toggle the microphone icon so it is set to green:

For more information about the voice tool, review our Classroom Manual.

What are the requirements for conducting voice sessions?

Tutors are required to use voice. The Tutor Resource Manual shares, “It is the expectation that Tutors will have the
voice tool enabled a minimum of 70% of the time that they are online and available to students, either when
scheduled or floating.” Tutors are also expected to accept 85% or more of voice session requests. If a student does
not request a voice session or prefers not to use it during the session, the tutor can instead use chat with them.

How do I temporarily disable voice requests?

Check out our Classroom Voice Tool guide for instructions on how to temporarily disable voice requests. Further
information regarding the voice tool expectations and use can be found in our Tutor Resource Manual and
Classroom Manual.

Which subjects require being voice-approved?

All Primary, Elementary, and foreign language subjects are voice-required due to the needs of the students in these
sessions. If you need a voice exemption, voice-required subjects will be removed as part of the exemption.

How do I request a voice exemption?

To request a voice exemption, please reach out to Human Resources at [email protected]. Please be aware that
voice exemptions are only granted for medical reasons.

Async Sessions
How do I get async subjects?
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When you pass an exam and request Support add the subject for you, any existing async equivalent subjects will be
automatically added for you. If you are unsure if you have any async subjects, you are welcome to reach out to
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Support to have them verify your subjects.

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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I conduct async sessions?
Async session requests are sent to tutors just like live sessions, so you will log in to conduct sessions the same
way. When a tutor receives an async session, it will be noted in the session request that it is an asynchronous
session. For async writing sessions, tutors provide in-line feedback on the submitted document using the Word
Comment feature and provide overall feedback on the Summary Feedback Form. If you have async subjects, we
recommend reviewing our section of the Resource Center for Manuals, tutorials, and examples. Our Async Writing
Manual, Async Technical Manual, and Async Tutorial Video are good starting points. There are also async math,
technology, science, business, career help, and social studies subjects. The Async All Access Guidelines are helpful
for many of these subjects.

How do I accept and conduct a Writing Project request?

For information on how to accept and conduct a Writing Project request, see Async Writing Projects.

How do I manage time efficiently in async writing sessions?

For helpful tips on managing time efficiently in async sessions, check out our Async Time Management Checklist.
Further suggestions are also available in our comprehensive Async Writing Manual.

Why am I having trouble submitting async writing sessions?

Check out the Troubleshooting Tips section of our Async Technical Writing Manual. Need further assistance?
Support is happy to help!

Tutoring Subjects
How do I add or remove subjects?
To add subjects:

First, you will need to pass the equivalent subject exam. Subject exams can be found here:
https://prv.tutor.com/apply/Login.aspx

Once you’ve passed an exam, reach out to Support to request to have it added. The Support team will review your
request and may add the subject, based on a variety of factors, such as current staffing needs, tutor quality,
approved combinations, etc.
To remove subjects:
If you would like to remove a subject, you will need to request that through Support. Keep in mind that removing
subjects may limit your ability to get requests or hours on the On-Demand schedule.

Where do I go to take more content exams?

Additional subject exams can be found here: https://prv.tutor.com/apply/Login.aspx
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why was my “-Degreed,” “-Masters,” “-Certified,” etc. subject removed?
Fast-track subjects, which normally end with something like “-Degreed,” “-Masters,” “-Certified,” etc., are subjects
added during the application process to identify applicants who are bypassing the exam by having an approved
qualification. For instance, they are not required to complete the content exam for the subject based on their
educational background.
Please note that not all subjects have fast-track subjects available. The fast-track subject is an internal designation
only and does not connect the tutor with students, which is why the fast-track subject is removed after the tutor is
approved to begin tutoring, replaced by the actual subject group that is necessary to connect to students.
For example, a tutor may initially get onboarded with English – Essay Writing – College Level – Degreed. This
“Degreed” subject will be removed once English – Essay Writing – College Level is added to the tutor’s account
since this is the subject that actually connects with college-level essay writing students.

What subjects are an approved combination?

Approved subject combinations are based on staffing needs and are regularly reevaluated and adjusted. For
instance, Literature and College-level Essay Writing are approved combinations, while College-level Essay Writing
and Calculus are not. Generally, humanities subjects are compatible with one another, STEM subjects can be
combined with many other STEM subjects, business subjects can be approved with other business subjects, K-6
subjects are compatible with each other, and so on. If you want to check if certain subjects are approved with your
onboarded subjects, please reach out to Support.

What are the concept lists for each subject?

You can view the Concept List, which includes the concepts tutors are expected to be able to tutor for each subject,
in our Resource Center under the Subject Resources. It is also helpful to check out the Scope and Sequence for
further information.

How do I handle a question that is out of scope for the subject?

If a student asks a question that is not considered in-scope for the session’s subject, for instance, in an algebra
session, the student asks how to fix their comma splices, let them know that their question is better suited for a
different subject. The student will need to end the session and sign back into the correct subject to continue. Do not
decline out of scope questions because the student will then be stuck in the wrong queue indefinitely; instead,
accept the session and explain what they need to do. Likewise, do not transfer a student with a question that is out
of scope, as that will just send them to another tutor in the same incorrect subject.

Fingerprinting
Which subjects require being fingerprinted?
Our K-12 Subjects List shares all the subjects that require fingerprinting. If you are a New Tutor, you have 60 days
from your onboard date to complete the fingerprinting process. If you are an Intermediate, Advanced, or Master
Tutor who is not already fingerprinted, the fingerprinting process must be completed before any additional K-12
subjects can be added to your account.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get reimbursed for being fingerprinted?
Yes! Please see our Fingerprinting Portal for instructions on the fingerprinting process, which includes how to get
reimbursed.

How do I get fingerprinted?

Detailed instructions for how to get fingerprinted can be found in our Fingerprinting Portal. Please review these
instructions carefully first, and if you have follow-up questions that are not answered in the resources, you can
contact our Fingerprinting Specialist, Rachel Eckman, at [email protected].

Tutoring Techniques
How do I conduct a successful session?
We have the 7 Tenets of Tutoring that are the hallmarks of successful sessions, based on analyzing thousands of
sessions. You can find information regarding the 7 Tenets (Approach, Clarification, Content, Professionalism, Time
Management, Tools, and Understanding) in the Tutoring Techniques section of the Resource Center. We also have
some excellent tips from our experienced tutors you may find helpful: Ask the Experts

Are there example sessions?

Absolutely! You can check out our Engagement Examples in the Tutoring Techniques section of the Resource
Center, and these sessions demonstrate techniques tutors use to keep students engaged in sessions. If you don’t
see your exact subjects, find a similar subject example because engagement techniques for effective sessions are
often the same across a variety of subjects. For async session examples, see our Async Tutorial Video or our K-6,
20-, 35-, 50-, and 80-Minute Async Annotated Sessions, in our Async Resources in the Resource Center.

Are there resources for working with younger students?

Yes! As our usage with K-12 students increases, we’ve added more resources to assist with adjusting your tutoring
approach for younger students. Here are some helpful resources to check out:
Working with Primary Students
Working with Elementary Students
Working with Younger Students

Helping Students Who Are New to an Online Learning Environment

For our async essay writing tutors, we also have a K-6 Async Pedagogy Guide, which is a companion to the Async
Writing Manual, as well as a sample K-6 Async Annotated Session. Our student-facing Writing Center also has
writing resources to share with K-6 students.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long can tutoring sessions last?
Session lengths vary depending on the subject and client. In live sessions labeled “Institutional,” regardless of
whether it is labeled “Unlimited,” sessions should be concluded within 60 minutes. Sessions labeled “Consumer” can
go longer than 60 minutes, but we encourage you to wrap up within an hour. Research shows that longer sessions
are less productive both for the student and the tutor. For more information, see Session Length & Ending Sessions
Tips.

Async (drop-off) sessions have specific maximum lengths of 20, 35, 50, and 80 minutes, and sessions should be
completed and submitted within these times. For tips on effective time management in async writing sessions, see
our Async Writing Manual and Time Management Checklist.

What should I do if a student asks me to email/speak to/contact them outside of the

Classroom?
Tutors should NEVER contact a student outside of the Classroom due to our Personal Information Policy. All tutors
should carefully review the Tutor Resource Manual’s information regarding the Personal Information Policy, and we
have a Personal Information Policy Quick Reference Guide that also can be helpful to keep open while conducting
sessions for easy reference. Following this policy is essential for the safety of our students and tutors and is strictly
enforced.
If a student requests you contact them outside of the Classroom (for example, emailing them personally or even
emailing one of their teachers), a tutor should politely explain that contact outside of a session is against Tutor.com
policy, but they are happy to continue working with the student in the session. If an adult student shares their
personal contact information with you (email or phone number, social media handle, etc.), you should let the student
know that you are not able to use that material and can continue to have your session. If a K-12 or non-adult student
provides personal or contact information, you must explain why you are not able to use that information and end the
session while reminding the student not to share that information with their next tutor. See the Personal Information
Policy linked above for more details.
If a student requests you work with them in a Google Doc or Microsoft Online document, a tutor should politely
explain that this is against our policy, but they are happy to continue working with the student on the assignment in
the Classroom (working in these platforms shares full names and contact information as discussed in the Personal
Information Policy linked above). The Tutor can then assist the student in downloading their document and sharing it
through the classroom using the Sharing Online Documents Quick Reference Guide.
Providing information about how to sign back in again if more assistance is necessary or how to share proof of a
session with a teacher can be useful. For tips on how students can show their teacher evidence of their Tutor.com
session, check out our newsletter article “What to Do When a Student Wants Proof of Their Session.”

How do I handle an inappropriate student?

The majority of our students are eager learners and behave appropriately in sessions. However, especially with
some of the younger age groups, we may at times encounter a student who is misbehaving or acting
inappropriately. There are varying levels of misbehavior, so please review Tips for Difficult Students for information
on how to handle various situations.
If the student is in crisis, such as indicating they may be in danger due to the actions of themselves or others, follow
the Student-in-Crisis Policy procedures and prescripts.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For egregious misbehavior, tutors can flag a session for an Honor Code Violation in the post-session survey. If a
student is flagged with this violation enough times within a short period of time, they are temporarily blocked from
the service, and a report is automatically generated to send to their institution (generally their school) to report the
concern with the student’s sessions.

How do I handle non-responsive students?

Sometimes, students will be unresponsive in sessions, from not replying at all from the beginning of a session to
suddenly stopping responding in the middle of a session. A student can become unresponsive for a variety of
reasons, for instance, having lost connection, leaving their computer, being a slower typist, and so on. To ensure we
are able to assist students who are ready and waiting for a session, we end sessions after 3-4 minutes without
response from a student. There are prescripts in the Classroom for Non-Responsive Students to use in these
situations.
Our Tips for Difficult Students resource breaks down how to address unresponsiveness with a student:

• Wait 1 minute for responses requiring feedback

• Wait 1 more minute and alert the student that the session is about to end
• Wait 1 more minute and end the session (3-4 minutes total)
If a student asks you to wait for a moment while they take care of something, wait for 3-4 minutes, then alert the
student that the session is about to end. If the student is just not engaging, it is often good to “stop and talk.” Ask the
student if they are confused and show empathy and understanding.

How do I get feedback on my sessions?

Your Quality Specialist will periodically review your sessions and provide feedback as applicable. If you have a
specific session you have questions about, you can mark the session for review in the post-session survey, and we
encourage you to email your Quality Specialist with your specific questions so they can get back to you. For more
information about when it is appropriate to flag a session for review, check out our newsletter article “Flagged
Sessions—When to Use Them and What to Expect.”
Your Quality Specialist will sends you a welcome email once you are assigned to their team, but if you can’t find
their email address, feel free to reach out to Support so they can re-share it with you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Employment Verification
Can my Quality Specialist act as a reference or write a letter of recommendation for me?
Tutor.com employees, including Quality Specialists, cannot act as a reference or write recommendations for tutors.
The Tutor Resource Manual shares:
If a reference/employment verification letter is needed:
Tutor.com is unable to provide any letter or other communication detailing a Tutor's performance quality or
suitability for another position. If verification is required of your current or previous status as a Tutor, and/or
other details such as rate of pay, subjects Tutored, or the like, please email [email protected] and include
your name, email, and specify that you are/were a Tutor.com tutor.
Verification requests by telephone from a prospective employer or other third party should be directed to
Sarah Harty at (646) 619-8226.

How can I get employment verification?

The Tutor Resource Manual shares:

If a reference/employment verification letter is needed:

Tutor.com is unable to provide any letter or other communication detailing a Tutor's performance quality or
suitability for another position. If verification is required of your current or previous status as a Tutor, and/or
other details such as rate of pay, subjects Tutored, or the like, please email [email protected] and include
your name, email, and specify that you are/were a Tutor.com tutor.
Verification requests by telephone from a prospective employer or other third party should be directed to
Sarah Harty at (646) 619-8226.

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