Important information
- Customer Complaint:BBB has received consumer complaints about Varsity Tutors which allege the company provided unknowledgeable tutors, cancelled scheduled classes without notice, and experienced difficulty obtaining a refund. The company has addressed all concerns brought to its attention.
Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Varsity Tutors LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 740 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 185 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/09/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I paid Varsity Tutors for online tutoring for my daughter. She started at a new school this year, and no longer needed the tutoring. I called and cancelled my membership on September 11th. I have attached the email confirming this cancellation, and in the email it states that I will not incur any future charges. However, on November 6th I saw that I was charged $329 by Varsity Tutors on ****. I immediately called (on **** when I saw the charge), and spoke to a representative. This representative said she could not offer a refund but would escalate the matter to that department and I would receive an email with the outcome. She confirmed that the cancellation was on record and that there was an error on their part.On November 7th, I received the outcome letter from Varsity Tutors saying I would not be getting a refund. They did not give a reason as to why I am denied a refund, considering I have a cancellation email from them! They said they would extend my use of the remaining hours, which I do not care to have. I want my refund. I have attached the original cancellation email, and the email denying me my rightful refund. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.Customer Answer
Date: 11/13/2023
This is in regards to my fraud complaint with Varsity Tutors. I wanted to let you know that they refunded me once they heard from you all, so thank you so much. I do believe their credit rating should be lowered because this is a tactic they use to wear people out. They say they do not process refunds, even when it is their fault!
Thank you,***************************Initial Complaint
Date:11/09/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On Oct 21, 2023 we opened an account with Varsity tutors because, after an initial call on Oct 20th, the assured me they could find a tutor specializing in a software used in Geographic Information Systems. They assured me they could quickly find such a tutor and match him with my son.
To open an account with Varsity tutors, one MUST pay first via credit card, and then they send you a link to create the account. But at that point, they already have your payment, and the disclaimers are shown AFTER the payment is made.
Varsity tutors assigned a terrible tutor to my son, ********, who, after attempting to change the agreed upon appointment launched the session from his personal zoom account and not from the Varsity Tutors portal. Before you sign in, they promise you that all the tutoring is done through their portal and is recorded, and you as the user have access to the recording. This was not done. The session was not satisfactory at all, to say the least. My son did not want to continue interacting with any tutors coming from Varsity Tutors, and I proceeded to inform Varsity Tutors that they could charge me for the first session, but that I was requesting to be reimbursed the rest. They told me that once they receive a payment, they do not reimburse and instead they give you more credit and try to match you with another tutor. They insisted they would find a tutor that was a good match, and they would escalate the situation about the first tutor to the higher ups.
Despite the assurance that they had removed the first tutor, this tutor kept contacting my son. I called Varsity Tutors again on Oct 27th and requested they terminate our account, that we did not want to have any contact with them anymore. They keep emailing, probably intending to keep charging us monthly . We are not interested in working with them anymore, and we notified them of that in our call on Oct 27th.
Further, we request they charge us for the first session and reimburse the rest
Business Response
Date: 11/22/2023
Please see attached response.
Thank you and have a wonderful holiday!
*** ** ****** ***** ***** *** * *** ****** ** ***** * *********************
******** *** ****
****** ******** ******
*** ** ********* **** ****
*** ****** ** *****
*** ********* ********* **** ************ * ******** ****** ***** ********
Varsity Tutors LLC’s (“Varsity”) Response to the Complaint
Dear Sir or Madam:
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Ms. ****** on November 9, 2023. This
letter shall serve as Varsity's response to the matters raised in the Complaint. Although Ms. ******
requested that Varsity refrain from making further contact with her, Varsity has effectuated what it
believes to be an amicable resolution, and remains willing to discuss the Complaint with Ms. ******
should she wish to do so.
By way of background, Varsity is a live learning platform that, among other things, seamlessly connects
experts and learners in any subject, anywhere, at any time. This includes connecting students with
tutoring, academic enrichment, and test-preparation needs with vetted, independently contracted tutors
and test instructors who provide those services directly to students (not Varsity) online, on dates and at
times agreed upon between them. Varsity’s platform also offers customers/students several different
choices for how to engage with tutors, instructors, experts, and professionals including one-on-one
(between one tutor and student), small group tutoring (between one tutor or instructor and a small group
of selected students), group courses (with one tutor or instructor leading a session with a large number of
participants), or combinations of the above. Customers/students of the platform can also get immediate,
live, one-on-one tutoring or instruction in more than 100 subjects in as little as 15 seconds by connecting
with a tutor through the Instant Tutoring feature on Varsity’s platform. In 2022, Varsity began a
subscription offering called Learning Memberships, which is a comprehensive solution that provides
multimodal learning services to help customers achieve their learning goals. As independent contractors,
the tutors, instructors, and experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have
their own materials, styles, and methods as indicated on every page of Varsity’s website
************************
In addition to the above, Varsity has expanded its offerings through its platform to include Professional
Certifications. The Professional Certifications offering connects customers/students with tutors and/or
instructors to assist in various professional certification tests (such as NCLEX or SHRM-SCP, among
others), in a one-on-one format or group format. As independent contractors, the tutors, instructors, and
experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have their own materials, styles,
and methods as indicated on every page of Varsity’s website.
Varsity highlights its policies on the website and attempts to set realistic expectations with the potential
customers/students who seek to be matched with a contracted tutor, instructor, or expert through Varsity’s
Complaint * ********
Page 2
online platform. Varsity is transparent about its services and uses its Terms of Customer Accounts Use
(the “TOCAU”) to reinforce the process. In fact, the potential customers/students must review and sign
the TOCAU and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through
Varsity’s platform. Varsity’s website is also critical in setting these expectations and explaining the
process and how it works, in addition to setting forth the terms of any guarantees, located at
***********************************************
Regarding Ms. ****** specifically and according to Varsity’s records, Ms. ****** first contacted Varsity
in October 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On October 21, 2023, Ms. ****** purchased
a Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform, and executed the TOCAU on October 23, 2023. A
Learning Membership entitles customers to a set number of live one-on-one tutoring hours per month on a
recurring monthly basis, in addition to enrollment in certain live classes through Varsity’s platform,
among other benefits. Ms. *******s Learning Membership was on a month-to-month basis, and would
include four (4) hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. During the
Learning Membership, one (1) session was invoiced to Ms. *******s account by her tutor. On October 26,
2023, Ms. ****** indicated to Varsity that she did not believe the tutor with whom she had been matched
(based upon Ms. *******s self-selected criteria) was a good fit. The TOCAU sets forth, among other
things, that the experts who offer their services through Varsity's platform are independent contractors
who have their own tutoring, instruction, and teaching styles and methods. While Varsity believes that the
platform works for a large number of learners and experts, it is unfortunate to hear that Ms. ****** did
not have a similar experience overall. As Ms. ****** has requested no further contact from Varsity, her
concerns regarding her experience on Varsity's platform, and the related request for a resolution, have
been reviewed, and Varsity has provided what it believes to be an amicable resolution.
Please consider this Varsity’s response to the Complaint (which, at this time, Varsity considers to have
been resolved). Varsity is proud to be an affiliate of the BBB and values the relationship. If you have any
questions or comments, or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.
********
****** *****
****** ********* *********
** ***** ******** * ** ***** ********
** ***************************Initial Complaint
Date:11/08/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Varsity tutors had agreed to credit 36.5 hours to my account on January 11, 2023 that were to be valid until January 11, 2024. The credits seem to have been applied, but expired again so I had to ask again for the full 36.5 hrs
For reasons that I don't understand, I was only given 26.5 hours of credit. I sent an email asking for the extra 10 hrs on 8/23/2023 and received no response. I called twice in October, most recently on 10/23/2023 and was told that this would be escalated, but received no response. I emailed on 11/7 and then used the chat feature on 11/8 to address this. on 11/8, I was told this would be escalated again, but I am frankly tired of calling and trying to acquire the hours due to me. I would like the 10 hrs credit.Business Response
Date: 12/12/2023
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint filed by Mr. **********. Mr. **********'s concerns regarding his experience on Varsity’s platform, and the related request for a resolution, were already under review at the time the Complaint was received, and Varsity has provided what it believes to be an amicable resolution. Varsity is proud to be an affiliate of the BBB and values the relationship. If you have any questions or comments, or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.Initial Complaint
Date:11/08/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have attempted to cancel by $299/mo membership with Varsity Tutors since May/June 2023 and the company has made it almost impossible to cancel. We no longer use this service and requested a cancellation several times. Until now they only paused the membership - but then after the "pause" they automatically began to charge again with no notification. The company never notifies you that they will be charging or auto-renewing a membership at any time (they acknowledge this) and once you see it hit your bank account they refuse to refund your subscription and tell you they will give you a month of unneeded service to refund you. Again, another pause. There is nowhere online and in the account that allows you to cancel a membership - only to call a special representative. When you do call you are given high-pressure tactics and the agents are trained not to refund or cancel. I just spent 30 minutes on a call with an agent - once again - trying to cancel this service and had to request cancellation 8-9 times until she said she agreed to cancel (I will see if they actually cancel it). I also requested a refund of this month's new renewal fee and after much arguing she said she would attempt it, but stated their contract clearly lays out there are no refunds. READ THE CONTRACT CAREFULLY AND BUYER BEWARE. I was initially very happy with Varsity Tutors' service and quality (the tutors were excellent, and seemed almost worth the very high hourly rate (4 hours for $299)), but after this continued inability to cancel a very high-priced subscription I will warn everyone I know of this bait and switch subscription model. It should be illegal. Varsity Tutors, please change your practices for your own good - and refund me my unused subscription months I have thus far been unsuccessful in cancelling. I would guess I have spent $2500-3500 with Varsity over the past year with only half of it actually used because I have been unable to cancel.Business Response
Date: 11/22/2023
Please see attached response.
Thanks!
Have a wonderful holiday!
*** ** ****** ***** ***** *** * *** ****** ** ***** * *********************
November __, 2023
****** ******** ******
*** ** ********* **** ****
*** ****** ** *****
*** ********* ********* **** ************ * ****** ******* ***** *********
******* ****** ***** *********** ******** ** *** *********
Dear Sir or Madam:
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Ms. ******* on November 8, 2023. This
letter shall serve as Varsity's response to the matters raised in the Complaint. Although Varsity's attempts
to make contact with Ms. ******* in response to the Complaint have gone unanswered, Varsity has
effectuated what it believes to be an amicable resolution, and remains willing to discuss the Complaint
with Ms. ******* should she wish to do so.
By way of background, Varsity is a live learning platform that, among other things, seamlessly connects
experts and learners in any subject, anywhere, at any time. This includes connecting students with
tutoring, academic enrichment, and test-preparation needs with vetted, independently contracted tutors
and test instructors who provide those services directly to students (not Varsity) online, on dates and at
times agreed upon between them. Varsity’s platform also offers customers/students several different
choices for how to engage with tutors, instructors, experts, and professionals including one-on-one
(between one tutor and student), small group tutoring (between one tutor or instructor and a small group
of selected students), group courses (with one tutor or instructor leading a session with a large number of
participants), or combinations of the above. Customers/students of the platform can also get immediate,
live, one-on-one tutoring or instruction in more than 100 subjects in as little as 15 seconds by connecting
with a tutor through the Instant Tutoring feature on Varsity’s platform. In 2022, Varsity began a
subscription offering called Learning Memberships, which is a comprehensive solution that provides
multimodal learning services to help customers achieve their learning goals. As independent contractors,
the tutors, instructors, and experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have
their own materials, styles, and methods as indicated on every page of Varsity’s website
************************
In addition to the above, Varsity has expanded its offerings through its platform to include Professional
Certifications. The Professional Certifications offering connects customers/students with tutors and/or
instructors to assist in various professional certification tests (such as NCLEX or SHRM-SCP, among
others), in a one-on-one format or group format. As independent contractors, the tutors, instructors, and
experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have their own materials, styles,
and methods as indicated on every page of Varsity’s website.
Varsity highlights its policies on the website and attempts to set realistic expectations with the potential
customers/students who seek to be matched with a contracted tutor, instructor, or expert through Varsity’s
********* * ********
Page 2
online platform. Varsity is transparent about its services and uses its Terms of Customer Accounts Use
(the “TOCAU”) to reinforce the process. In fact, the potential customers/students must review and sign
the TOCAU and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through
Varsity’s platform. Varsity’s website is also critical in setting these expectations and explaining the
process and how it works, in addition to setting forth the terms of any guarantees, located at
***********************************************
Regarding Ms. ******* specifically and according to Varsity’s records, Ms. ******* first contacted Varsity
in September 2022 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On September 7, 2022, Ms. *******
purchased a Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform, and executed the TOCAU onSeptember
8, 2022 A Learning Membership entitles customers to a set number of live one-on-one tutoring hours per
month on a recurring monthly basis, in addition to enrollment in certain live classes through Varsity’s
platform, among other benefits. Ms. *******’s Learning Membership was for a period of six (6) months,
and would include four (4) hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform.
During the Learning Membership, 33 sessions were invoiced to Ms. *******’s account by her tutor. On
March 7, 2023, the Learning Membership auto-renewed for an additional six (6) months as permitted in
the TOCAU (and the requisite four (4) hours per month were available for Ms. *******’s use on the
platform.) On August 4, 2023, Ms. ******* communicated with Varsity regarding the status of the
Learning Membership and indicated that she did not wish to continue with it. At that time, Varsity offered
Ms. ******* an alternate resolution that addressed her concerns while also allowing her to continue
receiving services pursuant to the Learning Membership, and Ms. ******* agreed to the resolution at that
time. Although Varsity has no record of Ms. ******* making an additional request to cancel the Learning
Membership (as is referenced in the Complaint), Varsity contacted Ms. ******* upon its receipt of the
Complaint, and provided what it believes to be an amicable resolution.
Please consider this Varsity’s response to the Complaint (which, at this time, Varsity considers to have
been resolved). Varsity is proud to be an affiliate of the BBB and values the relationship. If you have any
questions or comments, or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
****** *****
****** ********* *********
** ***** ******** * ** ***** ********
** ***************************Initial Complaint
Date:11/08/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I signed up for Varsity Tutors on 11/7/23 for LMSW prep. I spoke with Star to start the program. It was $219 a month with automatic withdraws on the the 7th of each month. The first live class was on 11/7/23 from 9 pm until 11 pm. About 45 minutes into the class I realized that the tutor did not know what she was talking about or how to conduct a tutoring class. She informed the class that this was the first time she had taught a LMSW class, had ever conducted a tutoring class and it was a new program offered by Varsity Tutors. She informed the class that she was an English tutor and did not have a plan to guide the class. The next hour was spent telling the tutor how to do the class. It appeared that the entire class was disappointed. I want a full refund because when I had my initial call with Star I explained to her exactly what I did not want from the class and I was told that the tutor would be knowledgeable in the field and how to conduct the class. I was disappointed in the service and want a full refund.Business Response
Date: 11/21/2023
Please see attached response.
Thanks!
******************************************************************************************** | www.varsitytutors.com
November 21, 2023
Better Business Bureau
*************************************
*********, ** 63105
Re: Complaint #******** (the Complaint) ***************** (**************)
Varsity Tutors LLCs (Varsity) Response to the Complaint
Dear Sir or Madam:
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by ************** on November 8, 2023. This
letter shall serve as Varsity's response to the matters raised in the Complaint, as well as confirmation that
the parties had already reached an amicable resolution prior to Varsity's receipt of the Complaint.
By way of background, Varsity is a live learning platform that, among other things, seamlessly connects
experts and learners in any subject, anywhere, at any time. This includes connecting students with
tutoring, academic enrichment, and test-preparation needs with vetted, independently contracted tutors
and test instructors who provide those services directly to students (not Varsity) online, on dates and at
times agreed upon between them. Varsitys platform also offers customers/students several different
choices for how to engage with tutors, instructors, experts, and professionals including one-on-one
(between one tutor and student), small group tutoring (between one tutor or instructor and a small group
of selected students), group courses (with one tutor or instructor leading a session with a large number of
participants), or combinations of the above. Customers/students of the platform can also get immediate,
live, one-on-one tutoring or instruction in more than *************** as little as 15 seconds by connecting
with a tutor through the Instant Tutoring feature on Varsitys platform. In 2022, Varsity began a
subscription offering called Learning Memberships, which is a comprehensive solution that provides
multimodal learning services to help customers achieve their learning goals. As independent contractors,
the tutors, instructors, and experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have
their own materials, styles, and methods as indicated on every page of Varsitys website
(www.varsitytutors.com).
In addition to the above, Varsity has expanded its offerings through its platform to include Professional
Certifications. The Professional Certifications offering connects customers/students with tutors and/or
instructors to assist in various professional certification tests (such as NCLEX or SHRM-SCP, among
others), in a one-on-one format or group format. As independent contractors, the tutors, instructors, and
experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have their own materials, styles,
and methods as indicated on every page of Varsitys website.
Varsity highlights its policies on the website and attempts to set realistic expectations with the potential
customers/students who seek to be matched with a contracted tutor, instructor, or expert through Varsitys
online platform. Varsity is transparent about its services and uses its Terms of Customer Accounts Use
(the *****) to reinforce the process. In fact, the potential customers/students must review and sign
Complaint # ********
Page 2
the ***** and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through
Varsitys platform. Varsitys website is also critical in setting these expectations and explaining the
process and how it works, in addition to setting forth the terms of any guarantees, located at
***************************************************.
Regarding ************** specifically and according to Varsitys records, ************** first contacted Varsity in
November 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On November 7, 2023, ************** purchased a
Learning Membership for use on Varsitys platform, and executed the ***** on that same date. A
Learning Membership entitles customers to a set number of live one-on-one tutoring hours per month on a
recurring monthly basis, in addition to enrollment in certain live classes through Varsitys platform,
among other benefits. ************** Learning Membership was on a month-to-month basis, and would
include two (2) hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. Although Ms.
***** attended one group class during the Learning Membership, the hours related to the class were
credited back to her account for her use for the reasons outlined in the Complaint. While Varsity believes
that the platform works for a large number of learners and experts, it is unfortunate to hear that **************
did not have a similar experience overall. ************** concerns regarding her experience on Varsity's
platform, and the related request for a resolution, were already under review at the time the Complaint
was received, and Varsity provided what it believes to be an amicable resolution.
Please consider this Varsitys response to the Complaint (which, at this time, Varsity considers to have
been resolved). Varsity is proud to be an affiliate of the BBB and values the relationship. If you have any
questions or comments, or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
***********************
Senior Corporate Paralegal
p: ************** | f: **************
e: ********************************Customer Answer
Date: 11/21/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Varsity refunded my fee and cancelled my service. I wish Varsity the best. Please find qualified tutors that understand the subject before allowing them to conduct a class or provide one on one tutoring.
Sincerely,
*****************Initial Complaint
Date:11/07/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I subscribed to Varsity Tutors tutoring service this summer for help on my final college course to graduate college this summer. After I graduated in August, I requested to cancel the subscription. I made the request within the required timeframe for the contract. I was told I would not be able to cancel my subscription via request but that my account will be paused. I was not told how I could cancel otherwise. I logged on and saw that I did not have an active account and there was no option to cancel, presumably because I had no longer had a membership. I have checked my credit card and I was charged just 30 days later on 9/30 for $199 and again on 10/31 for $199. I contacted support who would not be willing to give me the refund but they would cancel my membership for December. They offered no means to cancel it within any specified timeframe before it restarted and I that I am not eligible for any sort of refund. To compound this, I am a BROKE recent college grad who is currently unemployed and trying to support myself. $398 is a very large amount of money for me and I am now in credit card debt because of these charges. My credit score has also dropped over 100 points because of this. I feel sick to my stomach and taken advantage of. This company is meant to help students, while instead they have created issues for me financially that have also been severely detrimental to my credit score.Customer Answer
Date: 11/09/2023
This is a screenshot of my account showing that my membership term was only July 2023 - August 2023 (when I needed it). While they did pause my account for September, they still charged me for October and November even though this is outside of the membership terms dates. How would I have known I would continue to be charged for October and November if the membership terms only showed July 2023 - August 2023. They also STILL have not cancelled my account and it is now showing that I will be charged on November 30th.Business Response
Date: 12/07/2023
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint filed by *************************. **************** concerns regarding her experience on Varsitys platform, and the related request for a resolution, were already under review at the time the Complaint was received, and Varsity has provided what it believes to be an amicable resolution. Varsity is proud to be an affiliate of the BBB and values the relationship. If you have any questions or comments, or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.Customer Answer
Date: 12/07/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
*************************Initial Complaint
Date:11/06/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On June 26th , I spoke to an agent and signed up for 1 month ACT coaching with Varsity Tutoring. I was very clear to the agent while signing up , I need only 1 month as my son starts back school in 1 month and cannot continue. As per his instructions signed up and based on an email activated the account. I didn't notice and recently found every month I had been charged 579 dollars.When I contacted them they said automatic payment is part of the agreement and I have signed up as part of the terms and conditions. This was hidden and I was not informed or no emails or transaction receipts. So I missed noticing for 4 months.When I contacted them for refund, they said they will try and I didn't receive any information till today. When I contacted them again today, they said an email was sent immediately last week mentioning refund is not possible. When I requested them at least if they could give me the hours that I paid and last 4 months they won't even do that too. This is pure cheating by signing up for automatic payments as part of hidden agreements and charging heavy charges monthly.Customer Answer
Date: 11/09/2023
Thank you for your help. Business responded back and refunded my money.
Thank you so much for your help.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/06/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On October 20, 2023 I spoke with a representative at Varsity tutors to arrange tutoring services for my son. I verbally agreed tisix month membership and paid the first months fee of $299 with the understanding that I would be sent further terms to review and could request a refund with 30 days. I received the terms and reviewed them. I had questions and concerns about the terms that a customer service representative could not address. My son was assigned a tutor outside of our stated availability- it was during the middle of the school day. I rejected the tutoring appointment and asked for cancellation and a refund on October 23rd. Between October 23rd and November 1st I requested a refund at least twice through text message, twice via phone, and twice through email. Each time the representative either routed me to a different method of customer service or told me they would follow up on the issue and I would receive a confirmation of cancellation and refund by email. There was no follow up.On November 2nd I received confirmation that my membership was cancelled effective Nov 20th. It encouraged me to use the services available on the website. It did not provide confirmation of a refund. I emailed again asking for a refund and received no response after four days.I want a refund. I did not use any of the website services, nor did I receive tutoring services. I was never offered tutoring services within my stated availability. The terms of agreement state that memberships may be cancelled within 30 days for any reason. I did not receive service and reserve a full refund.Customer Answer
Date: 11/09/2023
After filing this complaint, my money was refunded. A customer service person finally called me- to ask that I resolve this complaint.
Thank you BBB for helping me get my refund.Without this portal I would have continued to get the run around.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/06/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
11-5-23. I contacted Varsity Tutors to obtain an answer about QuickBooks online. They hooked me up with two Tutors, who just skirted around the issue and could not answer the question. After wasting an hour and a half of my time without an answer to my question and $200 for tutoring is an absolute zero.Business Response
Date: 11/28/2023
Please see attached response.
Thank you!
******************************************************************************************** | www.varsitytutors.com
November 28, 2023
Better Business Bureau
***********************************************************************
Re: Complaint #******** (the Complaint) *********************** (********************)
Varsity Tutors LLCs (Varsity) Response to the Complaint
Dear Sir or Madam:
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by ******************** on November 6, 2023.This
letter shall serve as Varsity's response to the matters raised in the Complaint, as well as confirmation that
the parties have reached an amicable resolution that fully resolves any and all issues therein.
By way of background, Varsity is a live learning platform that, among other things, seamlessly connects
experts and learners in any subject, anywhere, at any time. This includes connecting students with
tutoring, academic enrichment, and test-preparation needs with vetted, independently contracted tutors
and test instructors who provide those services directly to students (not Varsity) online, on dates and at
times agreed upon between them. Varsitys platform also offers customers/students several different
choices for how to engage with tutors, instructors, experts, and professionals including one-on-one
(between one tutor and student), small group tutoring (between one tutor or instructor and a small group
of selected students), group courses (with one tutor or instructor leading a session with a large number of
participants), or combinations of the above. Customers/students of the platform can also get immediate,
live, one-on-one tutoring or instruction in more than *************** as little as 15 seconds by connecting
with a tutor through the Instant Tutoring feature on Varsitys platform. In 2022, Varsity began a
subscription offering called Learning Memberships, which is a comprehensive solution that provides
multimodal learning services to help customers achieve their learning goals. As independent contractors,
the tutors, instructors, and experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have
their own materials, styles, and methods as indicated on every page of Varsitys website
(www.varsitytutors.com).
In addition to the above, Varsity has expanded its offerings through its platform to include Professional
Certifications. The Professional Certifications offering connects customers/students with tutors and/or
instructors to assist in various professional certification tests (such as NCLEX or SHRM-SCP, among
others), in a one-on-one format or group format. As independent contractors, the tutors, instructors, and
experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have their own materials, styles,
and methods as indicated on every page of Varsitys website.
Varsity highlights its policies on the website and attempts to set realistic expectations with the potential
customers/students who seek to be matched with a contracted tutor, instructor, or expert through Varsitys
online platform. Varsity is transparent about its services and uses its Terms of Customer Accounts Use
(the *****) to reinforce the process. In fact, the potential customers/students must review and sign
Complaint # ********
Page 2
the ***** and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through
Varsitys platform. Varsitys website is also critical in setting these expectations and explaining the
process and how it works, in addition to setting forth the terms of any guarantees, located at
***************************************************.
Regarding ******************** specifically and according to Varsitys records, ******************** first contacted
Varsity in October 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On October 18, 2023, ********************
purchased a Learning Membership for use on Varsitys platform, and executed the ***** on October
21, 2023. A Learning Membership entitles customers to a set number of live one-on-one tutoring hours
per month on a recurring monthly basis, in addition to enrollment in certain live classes through Varsitys
platform, among other benefits. Mr. ********* Learning Membership was on a month-to-month basis,
and would include two (2) hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform.
During the course of the Learning Membership, five (5) sessions were invoiced to Mr. ********* account
by two different tutors. ******************** subsequently indicated to Varsity that he did not believe either of the
tutors with whom he had been matched (based upon Mr. ********* self-selected criteria) were a good fit.
The ***** sets forth, among other things, that the experts who offer their services through Varsity's
platform are independent contractors who have their own tutoring, instruction, and teaching styles and
methods. While Varsity believes that the platform works for a large number of learners and experts, it is
unfortunate to hear that ******************** did not have a similar experience overall. Varsity was already in
contact with ******************** at the time it received the Complaint, and the parties reached a fair and
amicable resolution.
Please consider this Varsitys response to the Complaint (which, at this time, Varsity considers to have
been resolved). Varsity is proud to be an affiliate of the BBB and values the relationship. If you have any
questions or comments, or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
***********************
Senior Corporate Paralegal
p: ************** | f: **************
e: ********************************Customer Answer
Date: 11/28/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***********************Initial Complaint
Date:11/05/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I signed my daughter up for two months SAT Prep course. The cost was $579 per month. I expressly stated she would need the service for **** and July, and she would take her SATs beginning of August. Varsity Tutors continued to bill me past the 2 months I agreed to. I called and spoke to customer service, during the conversation I was told the payment was in process and could not be cancelled. I requested a refund explaining that I had signed up for two months and they were charging me for a third month which I never agreed to. The representative opened a case on my behalf. The following day, I called to follow-up on my case, and the representative escalated my case. I was informed someone *** reach out, but I have not spoken to anyone from Varsity Tutors since. However, I did have a missed call that *** have been from them. It has been almost two weeks and Varsity Tutors has not reached out to me or issued a refund.Business Response
Date: 11/22/2023
Please see attached response.
Thank you!
************************************************************************ | www.varsitytutors.com
November 22, 2023
Better Business Bureau
**************************
************************
Re: Complaint #******** (the Complaint) *********************** (**************)
Varsity Tutors LLCs (Varsity) Response to the Complaint
Dear Sir or Madam:
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by ************** on November 5, 2023 (and of
which Varsity was made aware on November 6, 2023. This letter shall serve as Varsity's response to the
matters raised in the Complaint, as well as confirmation that the parties reached an amicable resolution
that fully resolves any and all issues therein.
By way of background, Varsity is a live learning platform that, among other things, seamlessly connects
experts and learners in any subject, anywhere, at any time. This includes connecting students with
tutoring, academic enrichment, and test-preparation needs with vetted, independently contracted tutors
and test instructors who provide those services directly to students (not Varsity) online, on dates and at
times agreed upon between them. Varsitys platform also offers customers/students several different
choices for how to engage with tutors, instructors, experts, and professionals including one-on-one
(between one tutor and student), small group tutoring (between one tutor or instructor and a small group
of selected students), group courses (with one tutor or instructor leading a session with a large number of
participants), or combinations of the above. Customers/students of the platform can also get immediate,
live, one-on-one tutoring or instruction in more than *************** as little as 15 seconds by connecting
with a tutor through the Instant Tutoring feature on Varsitys platform. In 2022, Varsity began a
subscription offering called Learning Memberships, which is a comprehensive solution that provides
multimodal learning services to help customers achieve their learning goals. As independent contractors,
the tutors, instructors, and experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have
their own materials, styles, and methods as indicated on every page of Varsitys website
(www.varsitytutors.com).
In addition to the above, Varsity has expanded its offerings through its platform to include Professional
Certifications. The Professional Certifications offering connects customers/students with ********************** and/or
instructors to assist in various professional certification tests (such as NCLEX or SHRM-SCP, among
others), in a one-on-one format or group format. As independent contractors, the tutors, instructors, and
experts who offer their services through the platform (in any capacity) have their own materials, styles,
and methods as indicated on every page of Varsitys website.
Varsity highlights its policies on the website and attempts to set realistic expectations with the potential
customers/students who seek to be matched with a contracted tutor, instructor, or expert through Varsitys
online platform. Varsity is transparent about its services and uses its Terms of Customer Accounts Use
Complaint # ********
Page 2
(the *****) to reinforce the process. In fact, the potential customers/students must review and sign
the ***** and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through
Varsitys platform. Varsitys website is also critical in setting these expectations and explaining the
process and how it works, in addition to setting forth the terms of any guarantees, located at
***************************************************.
Regarding ************** specifically and according to Varsitys records, ************** first contacted Varsity in
June 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On June 21, 2023, ************** purchased a Learning
Membership for use on Varsitys platform, and executed the ***** on June 22, 2023. A Learning
Membership entitles customers to a set number of live one-on-one tutoring hours per month on a
recurring monthly basis, in addition to enrollment in certain live classes through Varsitys platform,
among other benefits. Mr. ****** Learning Membership was on a month-to-month basis, and would
include eight (8) hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. During the
Learning Membership, 11 sessions were invoiced to Mr. ****** account by his tutor. The Learning
Membership continued to renew for an additional month on four (4) subsequent occasions -- July, August
September, and October, respectively -- as set forth/agreed to in the ***** (and the requisite eight (8)
hours per month were added to the account for Mr. ****** use during those months). On October 23,
2023, ************** indicated to Varsity that he did not wish to continue with the Learning Membership, and
he preferred to cancel it and receive a refund for the months which had already been paid. While the
request for cancellation of the Learning Membership was granted, the request for refund was initially
denied pursuant to the terms set forth in the *****. Varsity contacted ************** upon its receipt of the
Complaint and ultimately chose to provide a resolution that was satisfactory to him.
Please consider this Varsitys response to the Complaint (which, at this time, Varsity considers to have
been resolved). Varsity is proud to be an affiliate of the BBB and values the relationship. If you have any
questions or comments, or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
***********************
Senior Corporate Paralegal
p: ************** | f: **************
e: ********************************
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