What you should know when hiring a GRE tutor

As a Graduate Record Exam (GRE) tutor myself, with more than 1,000 total tutoring hours, I have worked with students from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of graduate school and career goals, each with their own test-taking strengths. But the same can be said about many GRE tutors. GRE tutors work for many different reasons and have different styles; some do it part-time, while others do it full-time, and some follow a set curriculum, while others adapt to the student.

In this article, I want to cover red flags, green flags, and yellow flags that you should consider before choosing your GRE tutor. Make sure to read the tutor’s profile to see if any of these issues may arise. If so, it is totally normal for you to ask the tutor questions to set expectations before the first lesson. Most tutors will also allow you to schedule a free 15-minute call to answer any clarifying questions you have.

Red flags

They teach a dozen different tests and subjects

If you come across a tutoring profile of an individual who helps students prepare for many tests, be careful to check in with them before scheduling your first lesson to make sure that they have sufficient experience with the GRE. The GRE is much more than just a math and verbal test.

There are many GRE-specific strategies that someone who generally teaches many tests or math will not be aware of. Generally speaking, GRE tutors are also very familiar with the graduate school application process, which is an added bonus that general tutors will not have.

They are unable to work with the study materials you have already purchased

Some tutors may have specific materials that they like to teach from, which is totally fine, especially if you are starting from scratch. But many students come to a tutor with a course or textbook they have already purchased. It is important that your tutor is comfortable enough to teach from any GRE study materials that you have already spent your money on. If they are a GRE expert, they will have no problem teaching from any materials. Granted, they may not have access to the book, so you will need to share specific screenshots or your screen during sessions to show problems you want to discuss.

The Achievable GRE course offers helpful features, such as the ability to share any question directly with a tutor for feedback. Instructors also have dashboards where they can review student stats, activity, and trends. Your tutor just needs to sign up as an Achievable organization to do so.

It feels like they are filling time until the clock runs out

If you are halfway through a lesson and feel the tutor is talking slowly or filling time by repeating themselves or teaching what you believe to be unnecessary material, remember that you are the customer and you have the ability to change the direction of the lesson at any time. A good GRE tutor will be able to adapt and teach to your needs.

If you feel they are just trying to get to the end of the hour, and they are not adjusting for you, this could be a red flag. You should feel like the tutor cares about your success. When this is the case, they will want to get through as many materials as possible.

Green flags

They give you homework at the end of every lesson

A good tutor will have some materials ready for you to study with. They obviously cannot offer you full, paid courses, but they should at least be aware of free resources. A good tutor or coach will also help direct your studies beyond the sessions, so you know how to study on your own time.

They come to the lessons prepared

A tutor should come into the lesson with a clear plan, knowing what they will discuss and teach. The only exception is if you and the tutor have agreed that you will come to the lesson with certain problems that you will work through together.

They are willing to have a free 15-minute call

Many tutors allow prospective students to schedule free 15-minute calls. If you can do this, you can gather much more information on whether it is a good fit before spending your money. Be careful not to abuse this courtesy. Do not ask about specific GRE problems or strategies as if it were a paid lesson. This call is solely to see if you both are a good fit.

Yellow flags

They are difficult to schedule time with

Be aware that many GRE tutors juggle their tutoring business with other lines of work. This is obviously not a bad thing, and it is more common than not, but it is only a yellow flag because you need to make sure your schedules align so you can schedule the desired number of lessons before your test date. Most tutors will be open to scheduling many lessons in advance if you are worried about booking.

They brush past your concerns

If you notice that your tutor brushes past your concerns when you are asking about some issue or detail of a GRE problem, it could mean one of a few things. The most generous interpretation is that they understand your issue at a deeper level and need to explain another concept first so they can address it. That is entirely possible. However, be wary if you continually notice the tutor brushing past your questions and feel they are not being answered. This could indicate they are not as agile as they should be and are trying to circumvent the question.

They prefer to only teach one section of the test

Make sure that your GRE tutor is comfortable teaching all sections of the exam. If you only need to study the quantitative section, then you may still choose to study with a tutor who prefers to teach that section. This is only a yellow flag because it may be indicative that the tutor is actually one of the earlier red flag tutors: someone who offers to teach any math-based test or subject.

Conclusion

In short, choosing the right GRE tutor is about fit, expertise, and communication. By watching out for these red, yellow, and green flags and setting clear expectations, you will be far better positioned to find a great tutor and invest your money and time wisely!