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:05/05/2023

  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.

  After discussing service with the sales agent. I purchased what I thought was 1 month of math tutoring. At which time I would decide if I wanted to continue. I signed a contract that I was told for 1 month and I and could cancel at that time. The service wasn't great and I decided to cancel. I contacted them to cancel and was told the the service was cancelled. Three months later they are still charging me $520.00 per month. Despite the fact that I have stopped using the service. When I called to get a refund I was told I was not entilted to a refund and the there was no recourse. I asked to speak to a manager and was not allowed to do so. The contract was so confusing after reading it several times I still can't tell how many months I signed up for. When I asked to cancel they repeatedly tried to get me to pause the service instead. It was only after I insisted cancelling that they complied. This is a very deceptive sales and contract process and It has cost me $1,560.00 instead of the $520.00 I originally thought I was spending. The customer support agent I spoke to constantly deflected any of my claims while touting his transparency. Clearly this was all smoke and mirrors to get me to sign a very ambigous contract and extort $1,500.00 from me.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/15/2023

  Dear Sir or Madam:
  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Mr. *********** on May 5, 2023 (and of
  which Varsity was made aware on May 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 # 20025297
  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 January 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On January 24, 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. ***********’s 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 and prior to Mr. ***********’s request for a cancellation (further
  addressed below), seven (7) sessions were invoiced to Mr. ***********’s account by his tutor (one (1) of
  which was a cancellation/“no show,” as permitted in the TOCAU). On March 6, 2023, 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 month which had already been paid,
  although Mr. *********** continued to utilize Varsity’s platform after making the refund request, and an
  additional session was invoiced to his account on March 31, 2023. While the request for cancellation of
  the Learning Membership was granted (and Mr. *********** was ultimately not charged for the session
  that occurred on March 31, 2023), 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.
  Regards,
  ****** *****
  ****** *********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/05/2023

  Type:Product 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.

  No refund issued for the services not rendered.

  Membership Plan: No contract. Month to Month. $309 for 4 hours to be charged in advance i.e., on 2nd of the month for the services from 2nd of current month to 2nd of next month.
  Services Cancelled: on May 2, 2023 cancelled in the afternoon online and also over the phone with customer service i.e., a long time before the classes occur. Classes starts @8:00pm.
  Concerns: No refund issued. Not only that they deducted 30 minutes for the services not rendered and no refund provided for the charges $309 charged to my credit card on file with

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/22/2023

  Please see attached response.

  Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/22/2023

  Complaint: 20020748
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  1) My phone number is ************** and till date they have not called at this number. Please tell them to provide the call log showing that they have called my cell number ************** as this number is the one which initiated the dispute with Varsity Tutor.

  2) No refund has been issued till date by the Varsity Tutor. A Conditional Credit has been issued by the credit card company ********* and the dispute is still Open with Citi Credit Card and I can provide the dispute status if required.

  Why a customer has to go through the hassle, if in a first instance they were ready to provide the refund? They can contact me at the above number and provide a refund to close this case.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/26/2023

  Please see attached response to rejection.

  Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/26/2023

  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:05/05/2023

  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.

  I met with two tutors in 2019 and 2020 for help with a computer programming project. They were both great. I was encouraged to purchase hours ahead of time and on August 17, 2019 had a balance of 15 hours for which I paid $730. An unexpected professional obligation forced me to put my computer aspirations on hold. When I checked back hoping again to get help my credit balance had "expired". Varsity Tutors restored my balance in May 2021 in response to my phone request. They did not warn me that it would expire again. Unfortunately, I was still too busy to utilize the service. I discovered on May 3, 2023 that it had expired again.
  
  The person I got on the phone on May 3 could not help me directly. She said I would receive a call the following day from the account manager. On May 4, the account manager claimed that because they had restored my balance once, they could not restore it again. This of course is nonsense. They have no right to simply steal money - around $700 in this case. No other business has ever done that to me. What I want is what I paid for (duh). The account manager told me she would send me the agreement I allegedly signed which protects them legally when they steal my money. I have not received anything.
  
  On this BBB site, Varsity Tutors has had 122 complaints in the last 12 months. Many if not most are similar to my complaint. How does this company achieve an A+ rating? My suggestion would be a D.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/15/2023

  Dear Sir or Madam:
  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Mr. ******* on May 5, 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 # 20022701
  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 August 2019 in order to be matched with an online tutor. Mr. ******* made two (2) separate
  purchases through Varsity’s platform (August 17, 2019, and April 29, 2020, respectively), and executed
  two (2) TOCAUs during that time as well. Between August 20, 2019, and June 15, 2020, 12 sessions were
  invoiced to Mr. *******’s account by his tutor for a total of 17.75 hours. 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 April 30, 2021 expired, although Varsity agreed to reinstate the
  hours for an additional three (3) months so that Mr. ******* could continue using the platform. On
  August 29, 2021, the still-remaining hours (which had already been reinstated beyond their initial
  expiration date) expired for the second time. Varsity received no further communication from Mr.
  ******* until May 4, 2023, when Mr. ******* indicated he was unaware that the hours would expire and
  requested a refund for the remaining hours. 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:05/04/2023

  Type:Product 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 joined Varsity Tutors in September to help with graduate school. In early March, I had to drop out of grad school due to health reasons. I emailed Varsity Tutors, per their standard process, and notified them that I no longer needed their services and wanted my membership cancelled. This was well before their required notification deadline to cancel. In mid-April they charged my credit card for another quarter's worth of service. I emailed them asking for a refund. They refuse to refund my money.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/11/2023

  Dear Sir or Madam:
  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Mr. ******** on May 4, 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 Mr. ******** 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 Mr. ********.
  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
  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 September 2022 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On September 14, 2022, 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. ********’s 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, four (4) sessions were invoiced to Mr. ********’s account
  by his tutor (which included three (3) cancellations, as permitted by the TOCAU). On March 27, 2023,
  Mr. ******** indicated to Varsity that he did not wish to continue with the Learning Membership for the
  remainder of the term, and preferred to cancel it. The request was initially denied, as it was outside of the
  cancellation window outlined in the TOCAU. On April 23, 2023, Mr. ******** made a second request to
  cancel the Learning Membership, and further requested a refund for the month which had already been
  paid. Upon receipt of the Complaint, Varsity contacted Mr. ******** via email and provided a link that he
  could have used to schedule a time to speak with Varsity’s representatives regarding the issues raised in
  the Complaint, although as of the date of this response no such call has been scheduled; nonetheless,
  Varsity has already provided what it believes to be an amicable resolution and remains further willing to
  address any outstanding issues with Mr. ********.
  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:05/02/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  Every advertisement says the company has an extensive money-back and satisfaction guarantee. upon purchasing the monthly subscription on April 27th, 2023, and experiencing truly horrible service and trying to get a refund, they rejected my request on May 1st, 2023 on the grounds that the guarantee does not include monthly subscriptions. The Varsity Tutors youtube page has no fine print on any of their advertisements that include the policy of no refunds for the subscription. additionally, on their terms and services, they include arbitrary and contradictory phrases that say the satisfaction guarantee includes a refund regardless of purchase method, but do not follow up on the promise. additionally, they quoted me over $900 for a potential refund, then told me that the monthly subscription hours have no value in terms of a refund. I am truly disappointed with my experience as it was advertised that my Tutor would be familiar with the subject at hand, but they were clueless about the requirements of the test I was taking. The Tutor was distracted and seemed to be watching tv and eating a sandwich while I was doing solo work. None of this was disclosed before I purchased the subscription and I feel cheated.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/26/2023

  Dear Sir or Madam:
  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Mr. ******* on May 2, 2023 (and of
  which Varsity was made aware on May 18, 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
  
  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 27, 2023, Mr. *******
  purchased a Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform, and executed the TOCAU on April 30,
  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. *******’s Learning Membership was on a month-to-month basis,
  and would include 12 hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. During the
  Learning Membership, one (1) session was invoiced to Mr. *******’s account by his tutor. On May 1,
  2023, 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 month which had
  already been paid. While the request for cancellation of the Learning Membership was granted because it
  was made within the 30-day window, the request for refund was initially denied pursuant to the terms set
  forth in the TOCAU. However, at the time the Complaint was received, Varsity had already
  communicated with Mr. ******* and the parties had reached 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,
  ****** *****
  Senior Corporate Paralegal
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/02/2023

  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.

  I needed a Varsity Tutor at the start of March for a course. On the phone, I explicitly said I ONLY need 8 hours of tutoring in total as I was graduating from university April 14th. VT advised me to opt for their "8 hours monthly" option as it would suit me best. I did so expecting to only pay for 1 month. They NEVER informed me that it was an automatically renewing plan, or that the 8 hours didn’t roll-over. Despite knowing that I only wanted 8 hours, they enrolled me in this plan (for C$720/month) for which I was unaware that it would renew. Cancellation was never mentioned or advised over the phone as this was obviously not in their interest.
  In the end I only used 6 of the 8 hours as the tutor provided was not suited for my course and failed to come once. VT did poor matchmaking. On Apr 5th I saw that they withdrew another C$720 from my account. As I was unaware of the automatic renewal, I felt I had been very misled by them one month prior, and overall scammed by VT. I requested a refund on Apr. 12th, and was notified my request would be treated within 24-48h. I told them to listen to our first call for proof of my needs. I called back 48h later; the employee said they will send a request for my case (which was supposedly already done); that they will respond latest on the 17th. Still no reply. I called on the 19th as they were avoiding me. Same reply. They scheduled a call on the 20th, but deliberately phoned when I was unavailable. Eventually, they scheduled a call for the 21st, but never called. I texted them on the 22nd, and they said "rest assured you will be refunded". On the 24th they asked about my experience with VT; at this point I thought it was a joke. On the 25th, I am notified my subscription is cancelled, which was already done on the 12th. I am also told I am not eligible for refund. I've recorded calls if needed, and will consider legal action if I am not fully reimbursed. I don’t know what more I can do and hope that you can help.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/09/2023

  *** ** ****** ***** ***** *** * *** ****** ** ***** * *********************
  
  May 9, 2023
  
  Better Business Bureau
  *** ** ********* **** ****
  *** ****** ** *****
  
  Re: Complaint # ******** (the “Complaint”) – ****** ***** *********** ***** *****
  ***********”)
  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 Mr. ***** *********** on May 2, 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 (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 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 # of ********
  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 Mr. ***** *********** specifically and according to Varsity’s records, Mr. ***** ***********
  first contacted Varsity in March 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On March 5, 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. ***** ***********’s 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, six (6) sessions were invoiced to Mr.
  ***** *********** account by his tutor. On April 12, 2023, 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 month 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.
  
  Regards,
  
  
  ****** *****
  ****** ********* *********
  ** ***** ******** * ** ***** ********
  ** ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/30/2023

  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 noticed that the hours I purchased kept disappearing, then I realized that every month they zero all purchased hours even if they weren't used. When I called them, they said the hours I purchase every month expire whether we use them or not. Very deceptive contract they make us sign. However, it wasn't even my problem with this company. I tried and tried to use up the hours by trying to find qualified tutors for my two children - precalculus, honors geometry, Latin, and writing. We just couldn't. Their math tutors couldn't even solve the simple questions, and my two kids were VERY frustrated - they can easily evaluate this by watching their recorded sessions. A Latin tutor they found for us couldn't even schedule the sessions because she couldn't figure out how to use their system. After many hours three of us spent, I finally gave up and requested the refund for our unused 12 hrs (NOT expired) and close the account since they couldn't find the qualified tutors for my children. However, they refused and said we should just try to find different tutors when I clearly stated that we tried many different tutors already.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/28/2023

  Type:Product 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.

  Subject: Formal Complaint about Inadequate ***** Teaching and Refund Denial Dear Better Business Bureau Team,I am writing to express my utmost disappointment and dissatisfaction with the service that I received from Varsity Tutors. On April 10, 2023 I contacted Varsity Tutors in preparation for an upcoming test on May 6, 2023. The person that I talked to said that I could take classes on All-Inclusive Learning Membership for $329/month and have 4 tutoring sessionseach month and each session lasting 1hour 30minutes. I opted for the one month trial and on April, 2022, Varsity Tours then sent me an ********** Communications Delivery and Signature Policy agreement, which I signed.I enrolled in a ***** group session with the expectation of receiving quality instruction from a knowledgeable tutor, as well as a recorded session that I could replay after work. Unfortunately, neither of these expectations were met.The teacher leading the ***** group session lacked basic knowledge of the New ***** Ibt exam format. The lack of expertise on the teacher's part was evident throughout the session, and I felt as though my time and money were wasted. Furthermore, despite repeated requests for the promised recorded session, I received no updates or information from your customer service team, leading me to believe that your company does not value its customers.When I requested a refund, I was shocked to receive an email stating that I was not eligible for a refund. This is unacceptable, as I received a service that did not meet the expectations set by Varsity Tutors. It is also disappointing to see a company prioritize its financial gain over the satisfaction of its customers.I feel scammed and cheated by Varsity Tutors, as it appears that the company is only interested in collecting payments and not delivering on the promises made to customers. I demand a full refund for the ***** group session that I enrolled in, as I did not receive the service that I paid for. If a full refund is not issued, I will have no choice but to take formal action, as Im doing now by filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and other relevant regulatory authorities.I expect a prompt and satisfactory resolution to this issue. I am eagerly awaiting your response.Sincerely,Ikenna

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/04/2023

  Please see attached response. 

  Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/05/2023

  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:04/26/2023

  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.

  Varsity Tutors predatory sales tactics are terrible. The Tutors are good. But unfortunately the company is completely corrupt. This is not an operations problem. It is theft by design. I wanted quick help for my daughter and explained that. I was led to believe I had purchased 8 hrs of use it or lose it. Instead I was signed up to a recurring plan and charged after stopping use. You can't stop your subscription on the site. That would be a simple button. First hurdle. Instead they purposely force you to call them. I called first on about April 24. On this first call they try to keep you onboard. When I continue to request cancellation, they claimed they could not handle that request on the call. Second hurdle. They then set up a "call back". Second hurdle - I have to be available for that call. They called back 4-5 hours later. That person tried to sell me yet again. After 30 minutes they say they'll cancel. No email follow up and no cancellation shows online. Third hurdle. Then I texted them again threatening and finally a cancellation. It should not take an entire day to cancel an online subscription. And they should not try pressure selling when a request to cancel has been made.Finally - I asked for refund of the second subscription charge. Had not used the service that month and it was only 5 days into this renewal (which there was no reminder about). They denied the refund. Given the deception in the initial signup (done on phone so no written doc / proof of what sales person stated), they should honor the refund.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/03/2023

  Please see attached response. Thank you!

  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by **************** on April 26, 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
  March 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On March 16, 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 the Varsity 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, four (4) sessions were invoiced to Mr. ******* account by his tutor. On April 24,
  2023, **************** 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 month 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.
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/03/2023

  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:04/25/2023

  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.

  My son bought a learning membership on 3/29/2023 for $369. He asked for a tutor but the tutor was not available when my son needed. About 2 weeks later, my son talked to a representative on the phone and requested cancelling membership and refund because tutor scheduling conflicts and did not satisfy the Varsity Tutor system. The person on the phone told my son, the membership will be cancelled and will be refunded. I checked my account on 4/22/2023 but there was no refund so I called the number on the website and talked to one of representative.
  The representative told that the membership will be cancelled but tutoring team will review this case if I can get a refund. Later the email was delivered and it said "Per the conditions listed in your client Terms of Use, you are ineligible for a refund at this time". The person I talked to on the phone said the membership includes not only tutoring but access. But what access? Varsity tutors fails to provide necessary access to client's needs which is tutoring in my son's case. My son needed only tutoring but indeed he never received any tutoring but paid $369 for nothing.
  The email also indicated "We want to ensure you find value in your purchase and can help you get started with any unused, remaining, hours available. To get started with a new tutor or new subject, please access the Needs a new online tutor section of your account dashboard, then select request a tutor." However, Varsity Tutors kicked off my son. He is not able to log in to the website anymore then how can he use any unused, remaining hours? The email is very misleading customers.
  I had to call multiple times to be connected representatives for cancelling membership and asking for deleting my credit card information. I cannot check if my credit card information was removed because my son cannot log in to the website anymore.
  I would like to moneyback for no service.
  
  Customers cannot cancel their membership unless they email them in specific time otherwise they will charge you whether or not you use the service. It happened within a month and I paid $369 for nothing.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/17/2023

  Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Ms. **** on April 25, 2023 (and of
  which Varsity was made aware on May 10, 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
  her.
  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
  Complaint # ********
  Page 2
  (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. ****’s son, ******, first contacted
  Varsity in March 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On March 28, 2023, ****** purchased
  a Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform, and executed the TOCAU on March 29, 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. On April 11, 2023
  (before any hours of the Learning Membership had been utilized), ****** 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 month which had already been paid. While the request for
  cancellation of the Learning Membership was granted because it was made within the 30-day window, the
  request for refund was initially denied pursuant to the terms set forth in the TOCAU. Varsity contacted
  Ms. **** upon its receipt of the Complaint via email and provided a link that Ms. **** could have used to
  schedule a time to speak with Varsity’s representatives regarding the issues raised in the Complaint,
  although as of the date of this response no such call has been scheduled; nonetheless, Varsity has already
  provided what it believes to be an amicable resolution and remains further willing to address any
  outstanding issues with them.
  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,
  ****** *****
  Senior Corporate Paralegal
  ** ***** ******** * ** ***** ********