Anyone tried getting into the SAT tutoring business?

<p>Has anyone set up an SAT tutoring service before? How much did you charge and was it successful?</p>

<p>This thread is of interest. There's one in high-school life, but maybe people here know more. I am trying to get a job from Kaplan as a tutor, but I'm not sure if it will pan out. They're paying me $1000 to go through their book and write comments and strategies, but I would actually rather have a tutoring job (of course, both would be nice). But if that doesn't work out, I would want to tutor people. Am I allowed to ask students to use books published by Kaplan or PR? Can I use the Collegeboard Blue Book, or would I have to write my own questions? </p>

<p>P.S.: Sorry for hijacking the thread. I hope you don't mind; I thought that our questions together would give us both a better picture of how it would work.</p>

<p>You can only prepare for the SAT up to a certain point. After you get 2000+ a tutor can no longer help you. </p>

<p>Math: there are some "types" of problems you can learn how to do, but the last few questions in each section you probably have never seen before.</p>

<p>Writing: You can teach smeone how to structure an essay, but wording and creative examples are not taught. Conversely writing is probably the most "teachable" of the 3 areas given that you can learn proper grammar rules</p>

<p>Reading: Outside of vocab there is not much you can do other than practice passages, which you dont need to pay someone for. CR is a skill. Those strategies about reading questions first, looking to eliminate strong answers, etc are all bogus. How can you teach a person to understand?</p>

<p>In conclusion SAT Prep people who claim to beable to boost you from a 2000 to a 2100 are full of crap. The SAT tests a person's capabilities to REASON and THINK through problems to arrive at solutions. It is like an IQ test and a Subject Test fused into one ungodly leviathan.</p>

<p>EDIT: All of this is from a person who spent since 7th grade preparing for the SAT, dumping down thousands of dollars on private tutors, SAT classes, and group sessions to only realize that buying a book on the SAT from B&N did the trick. This is from a person who hates SAT tutors b/c it is a SCAM. This is a person who got a 2220 and is hoping for a 2300 in June.</p>

<p>I'm trying to. Lemme get back to you in a couple months, once I know if it works out or not. :)</p>

<p>Baelor, how did you arrange that with Kaplans?</p>

<p>I got tutored by Kaplan for the SAT, and I scored very well. As a result, they asked me to look through their materials. I got an email from one of the publishing people. But I am unaware of possible restrictions on age for actual tutoring (like, college students only or whatever) so I don't know whether they will let me tutor (after all, I just finished my junior year). </p>

<p>Going back to the original post (lol, I'm sorry for derailing this completely), would I be allowed to use sources and materials by third-party test prep giants as a private tutor? Or would I only be allowed to use materials released by CB?</p>

<p>I've wondered the same thing. Anyone know?</p>

<p>I've never thought about becoming a tutor before.....sounds like a good idea though! Thanks for the inspiration. Sounds a tad complicated though.</p>

<p>i didnt set one up but my parents forced me to take one. they charged $600 and it was a complete waste of money, i learned nothing and it didn't help raise my score. all they did was give you a book and talk about essays and gave homework to do everything was on your own i would've been better off with just a book.</p>

<p>Why would you not be able to use third party books, as long as you paid for them? If in doubt, have your students buy them, then, as far as I can see, he/she is licensed to do the book. So no problems, right?</p>

<p>I mean, piano teachers don't write all their own books. That'd be ridiculous.</p>

<p>I took Kaplan and Vanteus group classes before taking my SATs. While I don't feel that their teachers were great or that their strategies were particularly helpful, I did get an incredible score. Whether I could have gotten the same score without these courses - I don't know.
Baelor- I called Kaplan and you have to be a college student, but I'm planning on charging $25/hour, telling my students to buy the college board book of SAT practice tests, and selling myself on the basis of having recently taken the SAT and having done well.</p>

<p>I am tutoring students as well. I charge 20-25/hr.</p>

<p>Its really not that hard. You just advertise in supermarkets, libraries or schools (or craigslist) and people will contact you. You must have your score reports handy for credibility. </p>

<p>Also, you have got to know how you are going run things. You are probably advertising with the appeal of the service being personalized and non-corporate. You have to be able to diagnose weaknesses and work on them.</p>

<p>Thanks for the great information akahmed (and to those who responded to my question about third-party books). I think the hard part is really thinking about how you're going to help each student, because each one is obviously different.</p>

<p>"Baelor- I called Kaplan and you have to be a college student, but I'm planning on charging $25/hour, telling my students to buy the college board book of SAT practice tests, and selling myself on the basis of having recently taken the SAT and having done well."</p>

<p>I called my local office as well. I actually got an opportunity to apply as a marketing intern at Kaplan as a result, so we'll see how that works out. If it doesn't, then obviously I'll just freelance. :P Please let me know how it goes, I'm excited for you.</p>