Important information
- Customer Complaint:BBB has received consumer complaints about Varsity Tutors which allege the company provided unknowledgeable tutors, cancelled scheduled classes without notice, and experienced difficulty obtaining a refund. The company has addressed all concerns brought to its attention.
Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Varsity Tutors LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 740 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 185 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:02/07/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Purchased online tutoring for my daughter in Nov 2022. 2-weeks before her final exam in December, Varsity Tutors instructor said he was not a good match for my daughter and stopped tutoring. We heard nothing further from Varsity Tutors. My daughter was left without a tutor heading into her calculus final.
We were charged $529.00 for December. Upon receiving the charge, I called Varsity Tutors about the situation and requested our money be returned.
They apologized for the failure of their tutor to show up. Said they would review our request for refund. They subsequently denied our request for refund and said that someone would call me from Varsity customer service. I received no phone call.
I called again and was told the same thing: the issue would be escalated and reviewed again. I would be contacted in 72 hours.
Weeks went by and we received no phone call. Our credit card was again charged in January $529.00 and my daughter hasn't received any service since last year before her tutor disappeared.
Looks like we are getting the runaround, and this is a dishonest business. The Company is in breach of contract--they failed to provide service when their tutor left our daughter without any instruction leading up to her final exam in December. We have attempted to cancel the service and get a refund, and have nothing but apologies followed by continuous credit card charges, broken promises, and unreturned phone calls.
Please hlep
The business seems like a fraud / scam.
Business Response
Date: 02/14/2023
*** ** ****** ***** ***** *** * *** ****** ** ***** * *********************
******** *** ****
****** ******** ******
*** ** ********* **** ****
*** ****** ** *****
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 February 7, 2023 (and of
which Varsity was made aware on February 8, 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 # ********
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
https://**************************************.
Regarding Mr. ******* specifically and according to Varsity’s records, Mr. *******’s wife, *******, first
contacted Varsity in November 2022 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On November 22, 2022,
Ms. ******* purchased a Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform. 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.
The *******’s Learning Membership was for a period of six (6) months, and would include eight (8) hours
each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. Ms. ******* executed the TOCAU on
November 27, 2022. During the first three (3) months of the Learning Membership, 4 (four) sessions were
invoiced to the account. On January 9, 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(s) 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 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.
Regards,
****** *****
Senior Corporate Paralegal
** ***** ******** * ** ***** ********
** ***************************Initial Complaint
Date:02/07/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Charged $695 Wed Feb 1st. Daughter specifically told them the class/number/name/need of the math class/college level.
Test Tues 2/7. First tutor spent an hour and had no idea how to even do, much less teach the subject.
She and I called and requested a tutor who know how to help. 2 days later they still couldn't find anyone. Finally set up a long session and he had no idea how to complete or teach the subject. Talked to himself the entire time and didn't help her at all. In tears and test today-they sent a text saying she has another tutor today(after her test).
They won't refund after 2 failed tutoring sessions and less than 1 week after taking my money. Horrible business.
VarsityBusiness Response
Date: 02/23/2023
Please see attached response. Thank you!
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Ms. **** on February 7, 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
the TOCAU and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through********* *********
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. **** contacted Varsity in order
to be matched with an online tutor. On February 1, 2023, Ms. **** purchased a Learning Membership for
use on Varsity’s platform. 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 for a period
of three (3) months, and would include eight (8) hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring
through the platform. Ms. **** executed the TOCAU on February 1, 2023. During the Learning
Membership, two (2) sessions were invoiced to Ms. ****’s account by her tutors. On February 6, 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 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 required additional review. At or around the same
time the Complaint was filed, Varsity was in contact with Ms. **** and ultimately chose to provide a
resolution that was satisfactory to her.
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 meInitial Complaint
Date:02/06/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On January 12, 2023 I spoke with a representative to purchase 12 months of tutoring at $269 for my 6 year old son to assist with his reading. He was state tested and scored quite low, the representative on the phone assured me this tutoring would help, it would be games on a video conference with my son to make learning fun. The first session, our tutor was quite a bit late. The lesson had nothing to do with reading which confused me. The second session, the first 10 minutes was a YouTube video of a Mario game which has more than nothing to do with reading. I voiced my concern and was told because they were inappropriate sessions and didn’t follow the expectations of what we paid for, we would not be charged for either of those sessions because again, it had nothing to do with what I asked for tutoring in. Before I could even get my son into the next tutoring session the day before, the new tutor called me and said point blank there was no way my son would be able to read at this age as his brain isn’t developed for it, and in her opinion it is inappropriate to try. She then sent me and email reiterating this with a fact sheet on children’s brains. I called VT and asked to have my membership canceled and refunded as I was within my timeline. I was told I’d hear back in 72 hours. It’s been 1 week, I have made now 3 attempts at contact and have yet to speak with a supervisor. On Saturday at 12 PM I was told I had an appointment at 11:30 AM to speak with someone which made no sense, and I never heard from anyone regardless. At this point, it feels as though I’m being avoided and they are attempting to not refund me though I never received adequate assistance. I feel sick to my stomach over this as I really just wanted to help my son, and now I feel as though I’ve been scammed out of $260. The rep I spoke with today 2/6 didn’t know if a refund request was ever even submitted so she told me she put it in again. They refused to allow me to speak with a supervisor.Business Response
Date: 02/09/2023
*** ** ****** ***** ***** *** * *** ****** ** ***** * *********************
February 9, 2023
Better Business Bureau
200 S. Broadway, Ste. 2060
St. Louis, MO 63105
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 Ms. ****** on February 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 # ********
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 January 2023 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On January 12, 2023, Ms. ****** purchased
a Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform. 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 for a period of 12 months, and would include four (4) hours each month for
use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. Ms. ****** executed the TOCAU on January 14,
2023. During the Learning Membership, two (2) sessions were invoiced to Ms. ******’s account by her
tutor. On January 30, 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 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 required
additional review. At or around the same time the Complaint was filed, Varsity was in contact with Ms.
****** and ultimately chose to provide a resolution that was satisfactory to her.
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:02/03/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On January 23, 2023, I purchased month-to-month tutoring services for my Son online. However, I saw two days later that he would benefit more from a face-to-face session in person and requested to cancel with Varsity Tutors. I have called and emailed the Company numerous times, and they will give you the run-around and email you a link for another tutoring session. However, I want to cancel the month-to-month period.Business Response
Date: 02/08/2023
See attached response.Initial Complaint
Date:02/01/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I work for a large company that gives a benefit of free tutoring hours. I was unable to find out how to get those hours, so I called Varsity Tutors, and they told me that the only way I could get tutoring was to sign up for a monthly service and pay a lot of money each month, for 4 hours of tutoring each month, which is either a blatant lie or the person was grossly misinformed. Now, based on that misinformation/lie, I have been using this service for several months and paying a lot of money. I have finally learned that the original person was not honest or was giving me misinformation and that there is actually a program through which I can receive tutoring hours for a much, much smaller fee. They think they have made a compromise by allowing me to pay a slightly lower monthly price, while still buying tutoring hours from them when I don't need to. I would like them to do the right thing and fix the original sales person's blatant lie/mistake and to do this I would like to be refunded for the monthly payments I have made thus far. They make it seem like I would be unable to cancel this payment going forward, which seems ridiculous. I would also like to cancel this payment going forward so that I can use the free tutoring hours that I asked for in the first place instead of being forced to pay this monthly fee that I was misled into purchasing in the first place.Business Response
Date: 02/15/2023
Please see attached for Varsity's response to the Complaint
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by ****************** on February 1, 2023. This
letter shall serve as Varsitys response to the matters raised in the Complaint; however, please note that
Varsity has worked with ****************** to address her concerns set forth in the Complaint and Varsity
believes the concerns have been resolved.
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 August 2022 and ultimately purchased a Learning Membership for use on Varsitys platform. 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. ******************** Learning Membership was for a period of 12 months, and would
include four (4) hours each month for use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. ******************
executed the ***** on August 14, 2022. During the first six (6) months of the Learning Membership,
18 sessions were invoiced to ******************** account by her tutors. By way of ongoing communications
with ******************, it was determined that ****************** has tutoring hours available to her through her
employer and an arrangement with Varsity. As a result, Varsity worked with ****************** to cancel the
Learning Membership and assist her in utilizing the benefit available to her through her employer.
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: 02/19/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***************************Initial Complaint
Date:01/31/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Varsity tutors did not provide the service they specifically advertised and committed to me when discussing sign up and membership: I would have a choice of tutors emailed to me, all tutors have college degrees and experience in teaching 1st grade reading, that I would be paired with someone who is available at the time of my choosing. Our family gave them 5 opportunities to pair us with a tutor that fit this criteria and they repeatedly failed.
Of the 5 tutors we were paired with within 2 weeks, none fit our very simple criteria of being a college graduate with experience in teaching the subject we were looking for and availability to teach. We had a single poor experience with actually engaging in a 1:1 tutoring session after multiple pairings and 7 calls to Varsity Tutors office.
Today, they declined to refund my payment whatsoever. I cancelled less than 2 weeks into my membership with 1 of 4 hours used of tutoring.
The additional "free" classes that were offered in our membership were poor at best.
After extensive time on my part, a single tutoring session, and false promises -- I have been told that I will not receive a refund of the $300 I paid for the membership.Business Response
Date: 02/02/2023
See attached response.
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Ms. ***** on January 31, 2023 (and of
which Varsity was made aware on February 1, 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 #********
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 January in order to be matched with an online tutor. On January 20, 2023, Ms. ***** purchased a
Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform. 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 for a period of 12 months, and would include four (4) hours each month for
use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. Ms. ***** executed the TOCAU on January 20,
2023. During the course of the Learning Membership, one (1) session was invoiced to Ms. *****’s
account by her tutor. On January 31, 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 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 and ultimately chose to provide a resolution that was satisfactory to 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.Customer Answer
Date: 02/02/2023
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:The description of the course of events below does not include a descriptor of the failure to provide services advertised. It also does not mention the 7 phone calls I made to Varsity Tutors and an email to them within 13 days of membership sign-up to express my dissatisfaction and concern.Only when Varsity tutors noted my online review, they contacted me to offer a refund which has still yet to be processed.
Sincerely,
****** *****Initial Complaint
Date:01/28/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Hi,I paid Varsity Tutors $3832 for 48 hours of tutoring for my son. After 4 sessions of 1.5 hours each, and trying out two tutors, we realized that Varsity Tutor is not providing knowledgeable tutors and one of the tutor just suddenly left the company, without a notice. We decided to stop the tutoring as it is unstable and low quality. We are asking for a refund of ****% of the initial cost as we did use 6 hours of tutoring and have 42 hours of unused tutoring time. The company keeps refusing to refund us and hence I are filing a complaint. Please look into this issue and help us get back our remaining $3353. Times are hard and that money will help my son to get better tutoring service else where. Thank you,******Business Response
Date: 02/01/2023
101 ******************************, Suite 300 | ****************************** | www.varsitytutors.com
February 1, 2023
Better Business Bureau
200 ***********, Ste. 2060
*********, ** 63105
Re: Complaint #******** (the Complaint) ******************* (**********)
Varsity Tutors LLCs (Varsity) Response to the Complaint
Dear Sir or Madam:
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by ********** on January 28, 2023 (and of
which Varsity was made aware on January 30, 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
April 2022 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On April 24, 2022, ********** purchased a package
of hours for use on Varsitys platform, and executed the ***** on April 25, 2022. Between May 6,
2022, and June 2, 2022, four (4) sessions were invoiced to ************ account by his tutors. On June 6,
2022, ********** indicated to Varsity that while he was happy with the tutoring services he was receiving, he
no longer wished to continue use of the Live Learning Platforms. This request was initially denied, as it
was outside of the 30-day refund window set forth in the *****. ********** made no further contact with
Varsity until January 28, 2023, when ********** contacted Varsity and made another request for a refund
(which was denied). Varsity contacted ********** upon its receipt of the Complaint and ultimately chose to
provide a resolution that was satisfactory to ***********
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: 02/01/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
*******************Initial Complaint
Date:01/26/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Bought 27 hours of tutoring on 9/11/2020. During ******* decided to take a break from college to work for the health department. I called Varsity who assured me that my hours would stay intact. By 11/23/2020, I had **** hours left. Dec 2020, my mother had surgery, March 2021, my father was critically ill for a month, and right after that my grandfather was critically ill and passed away in May 2021. I was caregiver for all three for 6 months! Along with this I lost 8 relatives to COVID all in 2021!!! I called Varsity and asked for a further extension of my hours beyond the 1 year of contract. Who ever answered the call said it was done. In my exhaustion and grief, I trusted him. Now when I called Varsity, they said I have lost my hours as it has been 3 years! All I want is my hours reinstated or my money refunded. I wish they had some compassion. My signed contract has mysteriously disappeared from my account on their website.Business Response
Date: 02/01/2023
see attached response.
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by ************ on January 26, 2023. This
letter shall serve as Varsitys response to the matters raised in the Complaint; however, please note that
although Varsitys attempts to make contact with ************ 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 *************
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 TOCAU) to reinforce the process. In fact, the potential customers/students must review and sign
Complaint # ********
Page 2
the TOCAU and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through
Varsitys platform. Varsitys website is also critical in setting these expectations and explaining the
process and how it works, in addition to setting forth the terms of any guarantees, located at
***************************************************.
Regarding ************ specifically and according to Varsitys records, ************ first contacted Varsity in
September 2018 in order to be matched with an online tutor. ************ made four (4) separate purchases
through Varsitys platform September 23, 2018; October 8, 2018; December 31, 2018; and April 26, 2019;
respectively, and executed three (3) TOCAUs during that time as well. Between September 26, 2018 and
November 23, 2020, ************ received ongoing tutoring support from her tutors (according to the
invoices submitted to Ms. ***** account). As set forth in the TOCAUs and indicated to ************ during
her communications with Varsity prior to the filing of the Complaint, purchased hours expire one year
after the date of purchase; thus, Ms. ***** request falls well outside of that time-period. Nonetheless,
Varsity emailed ************ upon receipt of the Complaint to communicate that some of the expired hours
had been restored to her account, which Varsity believes to be a fair and amicable resolution and remains
further willing to address any outstanding issues with *************
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: 02/01/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
*******************Initial Complaint
Date:01/25/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
In September of 2022 I contacted Varsity Tutors to help my son with math. I informed them that he has ADD and requires someone who is patient and knowledgeable. The first tutor was anything but and only seemed interested in talking about themselves. My son was frustrated and didn’t feel like he could get a word in edgewise. We requested a new tutor and the second wasn’t any better. At this point I felt like he was falling further behind and in the 3 months of weekly sessions wasn’t making any progress. I asked to cancel my membership. I was told that I had a contract in place and because the 30 day cancellation period was up there wasn’t anything I could do. The thought of paying $269 per month for 9 additional months was almost unbearable. Varsity Tutors agreed to switch my membership to a plan of 1 tutoring hours per month at $99. The membership commenced on 12/24/22. On 12/29/22 I was prompted to sign the new membership agreement which allowed for a 30 day cancellation. I immediately emailed Varsity Tutors at ********************** requesting to cancel my membership per their instructions effective immediately. On 12/30/22 I received an email from Varsity Tutors stating the following: I hope this email finds you well. May I know the reason you want to cancel the membership plan you have? I responded in kind and indicated my intention to pursue other options. After that Varsity Tutors stopped communicating. I’ve made several attempts to get them to confirm that they would terminate our membership and cannot get any response. Today I was charged for what would be the 2nd month of the cancelled membership. I want Varsity Tutors to refund the $99 they charged in error and adhere to the terms of their contract. Our experience with Varsity Tutors was dismal and I wish I had read other reviews on BBB prior to putting our trust in my son’s learning.Business Response
Date: 01/31/2023
See Attached Response.
Varsity is in receipt of the Complaint (as defined above) filed by Ms. ****** on January 25, 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 and acknowledge the policies before they ever engage in the services of a tutor through
Varsity’s platform. Varsity’s website is also critical in setting these expectations and explaining the
process and how it works, in addition to setting forth the terms of any guarantees, located at
***********************************************
Regarding Ms. ****** specifically and according to Varsity’s records, Ms. ****** first contacted Varsity in
October 2022 in order to be matched with an online tutor. On October 24, 2022, Ms. ****** purchased a
Learning Membership for use on Varsity’s platform. 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 for a period of 12 months, and would include four (4) hours each month for
use with one-on-one tutoring through the platform. Ms. ****** executed the TOCAU on October 24,
2022. During the first four (4) months of the Learning Membership, six (6) sessions were invoiced to Ms.
******’s account by her tutor. On December 9, 2022, 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
and receive a refund for the month which had already been paid. The request was initially denied pursuant
to the terms set forth in the TOCAU, and Ms. ****** agreed to an alternate resolution that would allow
her to continue using Varsity’s platform. On December 30, 2022, Ms. ****** indicated to Varsity that she
was no longer interested in the alternate resolution to which she had previously agreed, and made another
request to cancel her Learning Membership. Varsity contacted Ms. ****** upon its receipt of the
Complaint and ultimately chose to provide the cancellation and refund requested.
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.Customer Answer
Date: 01/31/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***** ******Initial Complaint
Date:01/24/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On January 19,2023, Varsity Tutors called me in response to an email I sent on January 18, 2023. In the email I complained that in August 2022, a Varsity Tutors representative agreed to reinstate hours that remained in my account after the original expiration. He sent this agreement in writing. The 22 or so hours are worth hundreds of dollars. The extension was for one year. Inspired by this confidence, I engaged a tutor in January, 2023 for two sessions. I spoke to two Varsity Tutors representatives on January 10th and again on January 12th to query why my account balance read as 0. I was assured that it was administrative, that a review was underway, that I should continue with my tutor, i.e. incur expenses against this account. In the voicemail left by Varsity Tutors yesterday, January 19, 2023, "***" wanted to apologize for the" false sense of security" I got from speaking to a Varsity Tutors representative in August, from whom I received the written confirmation that the hours were being reinstated. *** stated "I see that the hours were added back by him" (the young man representing Varsity Tutors on the phone with me in August) and went on to say that the management rejected my request and I could call if I have questions.
This is a deplorable way to treat customers. I am very unhappy about the loss of hundreds of dollars and the very poor communication of policy. I want my hours reinstated by Varsity Tutors or at the least for Varsity Tutors to pay the tutor for her two sessions in January 2023.Business Response
Date: 01/30/2023
*** ** ****** ***** ***** *** * *** ****** ** ***** * *********************
******* *** ****
****** ******** ******
*** ** ********* **** ****
*** ****** ** *****
Re: 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 Ms. ******* on January 24, 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 # ********
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 September 2014 in order to be matched with an online tutor. Ms. ******* made seven (7)
separate purchases through Varsity’s platform (September 5, 2014; October 9, 2014; January, 21, 2015;
March 17, 2015; April 30, 2015; May 5, 2016; and August 19, 2021; respectively), and executed four (4)
TOCAUs during that time as well. Between September 27, 2014, and January 17, 2023, Ms. *******
received ongoing tutoring support from her tutors (according to the invoices submitted to Ms. *******’s
account). As set forth in the TOCAUs and indicated to Ms. ******* during her communications with
Varsity prior to the filing of the Complaint, purchased hours expire one year after the date of purchase;
thus, Ms. *******’s request to have the expired hours reinstated to her account falls well outside of that
time-period. Nonetheless, Varsity emailed Ms. ******* upon receipt of the Complaint to communicate
that some of the expired hours had been restored to her account, which Varsity believes to be a fair and
amicable resolution (although, as of the date of this writing, Ms ******* has chosen not to respond to
Varsity’s email). The credited hours are available in Ms. *******’s account for her use on Varsity’s
platform at her discretion. Varsity has 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.
Regards,
****** *****
****** ********* *********
** ***** ******** * ** ***** ********
** ***************************
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