Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Varsity Tutors LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Varsity Tutors LLC

  8001 Forsyth Blvd Ste 1050 Clayton, MO 63105

  
• 

  Varsity Tutors LLC

  4525 Oak St Kansas City, MO 64111-1818

The 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:05/27/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  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.

  My son contacted Varsity Tutors in order to get help with some challenging classes. The salesperson was very convincing and told him that it was a one-time fee and that any sessions he didn't use with just roll over. It was $369/month. He used three of his four sessions but did not find them helpful so just assumed that the last session he had would roll over and that would be it. Instead, Varsity Tutors continued to charge $369/month and when we looked on their website, there was no way to cancel online. There was also no way to get ahold of them except to do their online chat. In doing this, they said that they would call back during a specific time and then did not. Went to chat again and they promised to call back the next day between *********. Of course, they did not.
  
  This is truly a predatory company that takes advantage of students looking for assistance.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/02/2023

  Dear Sir or Madam:
  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Mr. ******* on May 27, 2023 (and of
  which Varsity was made aware on May 28, 2023). This letter shall serve as Varsity’s response to the
  matters raised in the Complaint; however, please note that the parties have already reached an amicable
  resolution that fully resolves any and all issues in 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. 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 offering
  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
  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
  Complaint # ********
  
  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 Mr. ******* specifically and according to Varsity’s records, Mr. *******’s son and Varsity’s
  customer (as well as the account holder), ******, first contacted Varsity in February 2023 in order to be
  matched with an online tutor. On February 10, 2023, ****** purchased a Learning Membership for use
  on Varsity’s platform, and executed the TOCAU on February 12, 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 the Varsity platform, among other benefits. ******’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, three (3) sessions
  were invoiced to ******’s account by his tutor. On May 27, 2023, Mr. ******* (on behalf of his son)
  indicated to Varsity that ****** did not wish to continue with the Learning Membership for the remainder
  of the term, and he preferred to cancel it and receive a refund for the months which had already been paid.
  Varsity contacted Mr. ******* upon its receipt of the Complaint and ultimately chose to provide a
  resolution that was satisfactory to everyone (and ****** was made aware of the resolution as well).
  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:05/26/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  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.

  We needed tutoring for our daughter in a single class and only through finals. I made it VERY clear from the beginning that we ONLY wanted a tutor for one week. I then followed the EXACT instructions to cancel via email on April 26 AND followed up a second time AND confirmed with them on the phone after they tried to pressure me to keep the service even though my child is no longer even in school! Today they charged $369 to my bank account then proceeded to tell me that refunds are not guaranteed! This is predatory and this is fraud.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/02/2023

  Dear Sir or Madam:
  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Ms. ******* on May 26, 2023. This
  letter shall serve as Varsity’s response to the matters raised in the Complaint; however, please note that
  although Varsity’s attempts to make contact with Ms. ******* since its receipt of the Complaint have gone
  unanswered, Varsity has provided what it believes to be an amicable resolution and remains further
  willing to address any outstanding issues with Ms. *******.
  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 offering
  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
  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
  Complaint # 20109053
  Page 2
  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 April 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On April 26, 2023, Ms. *******
  purchased a Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform, and executed the TOCAU 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 the Varsity
  platform, among other benefits. Ms. *******’s Learning Membership was month-to-month basis, and
  would include four (4) hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. Between
  April 26, 2023, and April 29, 2023, three (3) sessions were invoiced to Ms. *******’s account by her
  tutor. On April 28, 2023, Ms. ******* indicated to Varsity that she did not wish to continue with the
  Learning Membership for the remainder of the term, and she preferred to cancel it (although she
  proceeded with an additional session with her tutor on April 29, 2023, as noted above). On May 26, 2023,
  and while Varsity was still reviewing and processing Ms. *******’s request for cancellation, the Learning
  Membership auto-renewed for another month. That same day, Ms ******* continued her communications
  with Varsity regarding the request for cancellation and refund, and the refund was ultimately granted.
  Varsity contacted Ms. ******* via email and provided a link that she could have used to schedule a time
  to speak with Varsity’s representatives regarding the issues raised in the Complaint; however, as of the
  date of this response no such call has been scheduled (although Ms. ******* continued to communicate
  with Varsity via email up until May 31, 2023, making repeated requests for the refund, which had already
  been issued on May 26, 2023. The redacted receipt for the refund is attached hereto for reference). At this
  time, Varsity has already provided what it believes to be an amicable resolution and remains further
  willing to address any outstanding issues with Ms. *******.
  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:05/26/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  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.

  In May of 2022, I purchased a 30 hour package from varsity tutors. I used about 18 of those hours before I realized I didn’t need them anymore and decided to wait to use them in the future. I spoke several times to the company when purchasing the package and I was not told that those credits would expire in 12 months. I never even received an email or any sort of notification telling me that my hours were about to expire. I recently logged on to book a session and saw that 12 hours had expired; which is equivalent to just over $920. Varsity tutors took advantage of the fact that sometimes people forget about purchases made and didn’t do their due diligence of telling me that those hours would expire.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/02/2023

  Dear Sir or Madam:
  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Ms. *** on May 26, 2023. This letter
  shall serve as Varsity’s response to the matters raised in the Complaint; however, please note that the
  parties have already reached an amicable resolution that fully resolves any and all issues in 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. 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 offering
  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
  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
  Complaint # 20107635
  Page 2
  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 May
  2022 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On May 22, 2022, Ms. *** purchased a package of
  hours for use on Varsity’s platform, and executed the TOCAU that same day. Between May 24, 2022, and
  October 16, 2022, 12 sessions were invoiced to Ms. ***’s account by her tutors. As set forth in the
  TOCAU, purchased hours may be redeemed up to one year from the date of purchase; accordingly, the
  12.5 hours that remained on Ms. ***’s account as of May 23, 2023, expired. On May 26, 2023, Ms. ***
  contacted Varsity and indicated she was unaware that the hours would expire and advised that she had
  filed the Complaint. Thus, Varsity was already in contact with Ms. *** at the time it received the
  Complaint, and the parties reached a fair and 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:05/24/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  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 May 18 I signed up with Varsity Tutors for one month and worked with their agent *****. She assured me that all I had to do was accept the *** and then speak with an agent who could cancel my auto renewal. On Sunday May 21 I started receiving Text messages from Varsity that appeared to be from an agent. I promptly texted back that I wished to speak to an agent and the reply text asked me for my time availability. No call was made to me though I tried this twice. On Monday I went to the Varsity Site and looked up their process and saw that I had the option of sending an e-mail to Help. I specifically requested verification and never received a reply. I then found a Chat on one of the support pages and chatted with first ******, the ******, then ******. All of them asked for my availability and then no follow up call was ever made to me. ****** stated that he had flagged a return call as "priority" ****** assured me he would have a manager call me but none has. The process seems to be aimed at deflecting the customer until such time as they can auto renew a payment. It is deceptive at the very least. For resolution I need confirmation that I will not be charged at the end of my one month commitment on June 18, I also highly recommend the Bureau flag this company for its practices.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/31/2023

  Dear Sir or Madam:
  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by ************ on May 24, 2023 (and of
  which Varsity was made aware on May 25, 2023). This letter shall serve as Varsitys response to the
  matters raised in the Complaint; however, please note that the parties have already reached an amicable
  resolution that fully resolves any and all issues in 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 offering
  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
  the ***** and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through
  Complaint # ********
  Page 2
  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
  May 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On May 18, 2023, ************ purchased a Learning
  Membership for use on Varsitys platform, and executed the ***** on May 24, 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 the Varsity platform,
  among other benefits. Mr. ***** 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 Mr. ***** account by his tutor. On May 24,
  2023, ************ indicated to Varsity that while he was happy with the tutoring services he was receiving,
  he did not wish to auto-renew the Learning Membership the following month. Varsity was reviewing Mr.
  Brews request at the time the Complaint was received, and thus had already communicated with Mr.
  Brew and the parties had reached 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: ********************************

  Please see attached response.

  Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/31/2023

  Although I did reach a solution with Varsity Tutors and I will close this complaint I found the official response lacking detail and it did not address the root cause of the problem. Failure to return numerous phone call requests. 

  The opperator who finally reached out to me Tamaira, did an excellent job resolving the situation. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/31/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  Although the official response to the BBB lacks any clear identification of the problem. (Lack of responsiveness) I am satisfied with the results. The agent who eventually contacted me did a very good job of walking through the failure points with me and indicated that she would need to do further research to identify why I was not contacted. I was very pleased with her solutions to my specific case. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/24/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  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 entered into an agreement with Varsity Tutors on April 23rd, where I was made to pay $1299 for the service upfront on the phone, prior to knowing that it was a monthly subscription. In fact, I was not told that it was monthly, I was told that I will be paying for 16 hours, and I was left with the impression that my hours will last until I use them all up. I was not told that hours would expire at the end of the term, which of course, at the time of signing up I would have known that it would be impossible to use 16 hours by the end of the period. On May 23rd, I was charged $1299 again, and this left me confused because I was not told to expect another charge.
  In essence, I paid $1299 for 16 hours and only got to use 8 hours during the period. I am requesting a refund, but VT is saying that I am not eligible for one due to what I signed. However, I was told to pay prior to signing anything, and was not told that it would be monthly, a gross misrepresentation on their part. I am requesting a full refund for the charge on May 23rd, as well as for my unused hours.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/02/2023

  Dear Sir or Madam:
  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Mr. ****** on May 24, 2023. This letter
  shall serve as Varsity’s response to the matters raised in the Complaint; however, please note that the
  parties have already reached an amicable resolution that fully resolves any and all issues in 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. 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 offering
  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
  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
  Complaint # 20101295
  Page 2
  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 Mr. ****** specifically and according to Varsity’s records, Mr. ****** first contacted Varsity
  in April 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On April 23, 2023, Mr. ****** purchased a
  Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform, and executed the TOCAU 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 the Varsity platform,
  among other benefits. Mr. Herman’s Learning Membership was on a month-to-month basis, and would
  include 16 hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. During the first
  month of the Learning Membership, five (5) two-hour sessions were invoiced to Mr. Herman’s account by
  his tutor. On May 23, 2023, the same day his Learning Membership auto-renewed, Mr. ****** indicated
  to Varsity that he did not wish to continue with the Learning Membership for the remainder of the term,
  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 TOCAU. Varsity contacted Mr. ****** upon its receipt of
  the Complaint and ultimately chose to provide a resolution that was satisfactory to him.
  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:05/24/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  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 purchased online tutor hrs from this company in 2020, and the company forfeited the hours a year later in 2021 without notifying me in writing or in any other communication methods. I was not aware of the policy that the hours would be forfeited after a period of time. We did not have any needs for the remaining hours (24hrs, $1000) at that time and was hoping we could use it at a later time.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/09/2023

  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Mr. *** on May 24, 2023 (and of which
  Varsity was made aware on June 6, 2023). This letter shall serve as Varsity’s response to the matters
  raised in the Complaint; however, please note that the parties have already reached an amicable
  resolution that fully resolves any and all issues in 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. 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 offering
  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
  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
  Complaint *********
  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 Mr. *** specifically and according to Varsity’s records, Mr. *** first contacted Varsity in
  October 2020 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On October 31, 2020, Mr. *** purchased a
  package of hours for use on Varsity’s platform, and executed the TOCAU that same day. Between
  November 5, 2020, and December 12, 2020, 12 sessions were invoiced to Mr. Guo’s account by his tutor.
  As set forth in the TOCAU, purchased hours may be redeemed up to one year from the date of purchase;
  accordingly, the hours that remained on Mr. ***’s account as of November 2, 2021, expired. There was
  no communication between Mr. *** and Varsity after the expiration of hours until Varsity’s receipt of the
  Complaint (nearly two (2) years after the hours expired). Nonetheless, Varsity contacted Mr. *** upon its
  receipt of the Complaint and ultimately chose to provide a resolution that was satisfactory to him.
  
  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:05/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  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 April 13, 2023 I spoke with a Varsity Tutors employee over the phone about tutoring for my graduate level abstract algebra class. I paid for 1 month which was 4 hours. I asked for the same tutor I had several months before and she said she would try to connect **. The next day I tried to get instant tutoring. Four different tutors connected but declined because they werent quite qualified. A few days later I was matched with a tutor, it was not the one I requested but that was ok. However, this tutor was very popular and our availabilities didnt match. A few days later I emailed asking for cancellation of the membership and a refund since I wasnt able to meet with a tutor, 5 days had passed since I paid for the month. There was no reply to my email. I called at some point and spoke to someone who said they would make the request. After 2 more emails and several days, some emailed me and said I needed to read the contract, my case didnt qualify for a refund. I replied after reading the contract and asked for clarification, I asked to be paired with another tutor and also asked if maybe my month could be pushed since I still hadnt been matched with a tutor. I waited days. No reply. I called one Sunday and spoke to someone who said they would pair me with a tutor and request to push my month since I hadnt met with a tutor. I did meet with a tutor who was 45 min late. I met with this tutor on May 13. My month was not adjusted at all. Varsity tutors did not work diligently to match me with a tutor given that time was ticking on the $369 month I paid for. I was able to get 1 hour of tutoring. They seem to have no plan to refund me given their fault at matching me. I cannot match myself. They do the matching. I asked for an adjustment in time once I completed my 1st hour of tutoring. They didnt do that either. In fact, they asked me to purchase again.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/02/2023

  Please see attached response.

  Thank you!

  ******************************************************************************************** | www.varsitytutors.com
  
  June 2, 2023
  Better Business Bureau
  ******************************** 2060
  ******************************
  
  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 May 23, 2023 (and of
  which Varsity was made aware on May 24, 2023). This letter shall serve as Varsitys response to the
  matters raised in the Complaint; however, please note that the parties have already reached an amicable
  resolution that fully resolves any and all issues in 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 offering
  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
  the ***** and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through
  Complaint # ********
  Page 2
  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
  July 2022 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On July 16, 2022, ************** purchased a package
  of hours for use on Varsitys platform, and executed the ***** on that same date. Between July 20,
  2022, and August 5, 2022, three (3) sessions were invoiced to Ms. ****** account by two separate tutors.
  On April 13, 2023, ************** converted her account to a Learning Membership for use on Varsitys
  platform, and executed an additional ***** 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 the Varsity platform, among other benefits. Ms.
  Smiths 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, Ms.
  ***** communicated to Varsity that she did not believe the tutors with whom she had been matched
  (based upon Ms. ****** self-selected criteria) were a good fit, and ************** requested to be matched
  with a new tutor on two (2) separate occasions. On May 24, 2023 (the same day the Complaint was
  received), ************** indicated to Varsity that she wished to receive a refund for the month of May given
  that she had not yet been matched with a tutor whom she felt met her needs. Varsity communicated with
  ************** regarding her concerns and the parties reached 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: 06/02/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  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.

  1. May 9th 2023 @ 7:57 pm
  2. $159.00
  3. To provide me with a tutor, but my son surprised me with a different tutor.
  4. I am due a refund since I did not use their tutor.
  5. They offered me a two hour session with a tutor. I'm taking classes with a different tutor and company,
  6. ******* ***** * **************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/23/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  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.

  Approximately 2 years ago I transfered over $1000 to the company for future lessons for my daughter. Almost all the money was not used for lessons to this day. Since she does not need any more tutoring I requested the refund. The company refused to provide such refund on the grounds that the account has expired past November.
  The money was trasfered to VT in bulk only for the ease of transacting, there was no discount on the rate, or any other benefit for transferring a large amount of money, as an opposite to paying for each class. Also, the company had every opportunity and, I think, fiduciary responsibility to worn that the deposit was expiring.
  Since that did not happen, and despite the fact that such expiration was described in a small print of their terms of service, I feel that it is a pure theft to pocket money that was not used for service.
  While contacting the company I was given an excuse that VT is a membership organization, and my money expired like any other membership. However, this claim contradicts facts: there was no set amount to become a member, and every transaction was billed as separate number of hours times the rate of the tutor. Hence, again, even though the terms could have mentioned such expiration it should be considered a small print cover for theft.
  
  Please, help!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  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.

  Weve used Varsity Tutors for many years and though their tutors are good, the way they run the business is suspect. We thought our membership was paused or cancelled but they continued to charge my credit card although their services were not required (school ended). I didnt realize I had to call in again to cancel and asked for a refund which they refused. They insisted we pay for 8 sessions over the next month even though I told them were out of the country during that time and cant use the hours. They will not refund my $539. They are very unwavering and difficult to work with. This is not a cheap endeavor and weve spent thousands of dollars with them. I do not understand why they cant be more flexible in helping parents who are just trying to help their kids. We are requesting a full refund. Thank you.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/31/2023

  Please see attached response.

  Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/04/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Just a  sidenote...I was asked to schedule a meeting to discuss my concern and I did schedule a meeting but the soonest they could meet with me was a week later.  I didn't find that to be great customer service.  Anyway, I scheduled the meeting for May 31st but never heard anything from Varsity.  However, they have refunded my money and I consider the situation to be adequately resolved.  Sorry for all of the hassle.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************