Frequently Asked Questions

Questions Asked on First Contact

1. How exactly does an online tutoring session work?
   After you have registered for a free trial or purchased a learning package, and scheduled a session, then at the scheduled time, the student should be at their computer with their headset and microphone activated, and should have logged in on the eTutorWorld website with their user name and password. The tutor starts the session 5 minutes before the scheduled session time. Student should join the session by clicking the Join Session button on the website. This brings him/her into the live tutoring session.
   
   The session is conducted using live voice interaction, live chat, the use of an interactive white board, and co-browsing of web based content. The student will have a personalized, high-quality, interesting and effective learning experience with our qualified and experienced tutor. You can schedule tutoring sessions with a tutor of your choice at dates and times convenient to you.
   
   
2. How is online tutoring different from face-to-face tutoring?
   Online tutoring is done over the Internet from the comfort of your home. It involves no traveling either by the student or the tutor. During an online tutoring session, the student and the tutor will be able to interact with each other using voice, live chat and a shared whiteboard. The student will have a personalized, high-quality, interesting and effective learning experience with our qualified and experienced tutor. Online tutoring is less expensive and more convenient compared in comparison to face-to-face tutoring.
   
   
3. How is eTutorWorld different from other online tutoring companies?
   
   1. Our Learning by Design methodology and personal attention as per each student’s learning needs, our excellent tutors and reliable state of the art technology makes us different.
   2. In addition to immediate homework, test and assignment help, we ensure that a student understand the fundamentals of a subject and develops confidence.
   3. Our tutoring sessions are fully voice based which is a lot more interesting and effective. Most other online tutoring companies offer only chat based services.
   4. Our tutoring sessions can be scheduled on the same day when needed, or in advance for the next 6 weeks; whereas most other online tutoring companies provide only on demand sessions or very limited advance scheduling.
   5. Our students can select the same tutor for continuity, whereas most other online tutoring companies do not assure same tutor for all sessions.
   6. For student safety and for subsequent session reviews, all sessions are recorded, and the recordings can be accessed by the student from their website login. Most other online tutoring companies do not offer this feature.
   7. Our website and tutoring process complies with Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) for safety and security of the student.
   
   
4. Can I use my laptop computer for this kind of tutoring?
   Yes, you will only need your computer, (PC, Laptop, Mac) a minimum 256 KBPS bandwidth Internet connection and headset with microphone, a USB headset is preferred for better voice quality. If you choose to use live chat only, and no voice, the headset is not required.
   
   
5. What else do I need other than my computer?
   In addition to your computer, a headset with microphone and an Internet connection with minimum 256 KBPS bandwidth is required. A USB headset is preferred for better voice quality. If you choose to use live chat only, and no voice, then the headset is not required.
   
   
6. Do I need to have any programs to be downloaded on my computer before I start the sessions?
   Yes! The WebEx software needs to be downloaded to your computer. It automatically gets downloaded when you click ‘join session” for the first time. It takes 8-10 minutes for the WebEx meeting manager to download on your machine. This is a one-time process.
   
   
7. What kind of Internet connection do I need to take a tutoring session?
   Minimum 256 KBPS bandwidth is required. Usually a standard home broadband connection is fine.
   
   
8. Is a digital writing tablet mandatory to take a tutoring session?
   No, it is not mandatory to have a digital writing tablet during a tutoring session. However, it is recommended to have one to make the session all the more interesting, fun and more effective.
   
   
9. What technology does eTutorWorld use?
   eTutorWorld uses Cisco WebEx, world’s #1 web conferencing system for reliability and scalability, VoIP based voice communications, SSL 128 bit encryption for secure communications, and PayPal payment gateway for credit card payments, for safety and security of your payment.
   
   
10. Will the free trial be exactly like a tutoring session?
    Yes, it will be conducted in the same manner as a paid tutoring session.
    
    
11. Do I need to register before taking a tutoring session with eTutorWorld?
    Yes! Registering with eTutorWorld is free and simple. To register, click on the ‘Free Trial’ tab on our website. Please enter your name, grade, phone number, email address, school state, time zone and the subject you wish to address.
    


12. Is registering with eTutorWorld free?
    Yes! Registering with eTutorWorld is free and simple. To register, all you need to enter is your name, grade, phone number, email address, school state and time zone.
    
    
13. Why was my username not accepted while registering?
    Please try another username, the username you entered may already be in use. Another possibility is that the username entered is too long. Please enter a username with less than 15 characters.
    
    
14. Will I be able to tell the tutor what I need help with?
    Yes! You can tell the tutor what subject and topic you need help with, or specify this when scheduling a session, the tutor will plan your lessons accordingly. You may also ask questions during the tutoring session.
    
    
15. How do I sign up?
    After you had a free trial session with us, click on the BUY NOW bar, and follow the registration and payment instructions.
    
    
16. Who are your tutors? / Where do your tutors come from ? / Where are your tutors based ?
    Our tutors can be based anywhere in the world. Currently most of our tutors are based in India, they are from all parts of India and across all age groups. What is common among them is their passion to help students, their willingness to learn, and their enthusiasm to teach. All our tutors have a graduate degree in the subject they teach and a degree in education. Those tutoring the high school grades have a post graduate degree in their subject. Our tutors are patient and caring about our students, have good listening skills and are willing to learn and adapt to international teaching methods. They are highly experienced teachers and certified by the US educators and school administrators. On the Home Page of www.etutorworld.net please click on the Our Tutors tab for further information on our tutors.
    
    
17. What are the courses you tutor?
    eTutorWorld specializes in Math and Science for grades 5 to 12; plus AP test preparation. On the Home Page, click on the Grades/Subject tab, you will then be brought to the page that lists the Math and Science courses, plus the AP courses available, next click on the specific grade level of interest, you will then land on a page that gives you an outline of the courses for that grade.
    
    
18. How many students can be present for a single tutoring session?
    Ours is a personalized tutoring service. Only one student can be present for a single tutoring session.


19. I do not live in the US. Can I take tutoring sessions with you?
    Yes, you could be anywhere in the world, you can take lessons from us so long as you wish to follow the US school syllabus, you agree with the US tutoring hours mentioned on our website and you can pay in US Dollars using an approved credit card.
    


20. Can any student paying us in US Dollars take tutoring sessions?
    Yes, so long as you wish to follow the US school syllabus, you agree with the US tutoring hours mentioned on our website and you can pay in US Dollars using an approved credit card.
    
    
21. What content do the tutors use during the tutoring sessions?
    eTutorWorld has a vast library of online content in the form of assessments, worksheets and subject and topic-wise notes and presentations. During a tutoring session, the tutor and student are able to share documents, presentations and websites.
    
    
22. How does the tutor know what curriculum the student studies/follows?
    Our tutors exactly know and follow the curriculum specified by the student’s school state education department.
    
    
23. Will the tutor use the same text book as the student?
    No, the tutor will not have the same text book which the student uses at school. Our tutors exactly know and follow the curriculum specified by the student’s school state education department, and will have access to appropriate online content.
    
    
24. Can I email scanned copies of my assignment sheets to the tutor?
    Yes. The student can email to the tutor, scanned copies of any study material he/she wants the tutor to refer during a tutoring session.
    
    
25. What is ‘Learning by Design’?
    Learning by Design is a teaching methodology that focuses exclusively on the individual student. Our tutors are specially trained to identify and diagnose the needs and interests of each student and plan lessons accordingly. We offer lessons at the student’s readiness level and differentiate the curriculum for each student to assure overall success in the classroom and in a specific subject area. Every student can gain from this system and experience the joy of learning online.
    
    
26. What kind of certification do the tutors go through?
    Tutors at eTutorWorld go through an extensive training in international standards of teaching for several weeks. Thereafter, they are interviewed and certified by our US educators and school administrators.
    
    
27. I just received the following message: Cookies must be enabled past this point. What does that mean?
    Your browser is set to rejects Cookies. eTutorWorld website and WebEx requires Cookies to be enabled to work correctly.
    
    
28. What are Cookies?
    Cookies are bits of information stored on your computer by websites that you access. They are used to save information between accesses to the website. Cookies have a programmable lifetime.
    
    
29. How does eTutorWorld use Cookies?
    We use Cookies to increase security for our students. For example, if a student walks away from his/her computer without logging off, Cookies make it possible to terminate the session within a reasonable period of time so that nobody else using that computer can access the student information.
    
    
30. How do I enable Cookies on my browser?
    All browsers are slightly different. Typical methods include selecting Tools – Internet Options – Privacy – Advanced – Accept Cookies. You may find the exact instructions for your browser version by clicking HELP and searching for ENABLE COOKIES.
    
    
31. I’ve heard that Cookies are dangerous. Is that true?
    Cookies can only save information that you give to a website and can only be accessed by that website. If you're concerned about privacy issues with Cookies, you should study the privacy policies of the sites you visit. eTutorWorld uses Cookies only to make the online experience easer and safer. If you wish, you can enable Cookies before an eTutorWorld session and disable Cookies afterwards.
    
    
32. Why is blank space being displayed at the top of webpages?
    If you are using the beta version of Internet Explorer 8, the blank space will appear. To avoid please do the following from Internet explorer;
    Click on Tools -> un check the compatibility view
    Ref: http://www.consumingexperience.com/2008/10/internet-explorer-8-beta-blank-pages.html
    
    



Questions Asked After Free Trial



33. How do I buy a Learning Package?
    After clicking on the Buy Now bar on the website you will be lead through the payment process. For security reasons we use the PayPal system for processing credit card payments. Once the credit card information is entered and approved the payment process is complete. We do not store the credit card information.
    
    
34. Can I buy sessions without a credit card?
    No, currently, credit card is the only form of payment that we accept.
    
    
35. How do I schedule my session?
    Once you have bought a Learning Package, the credits will be assigned to your account. Please login using your username and password and “schedule a session”. On selecting the subject and tutor you wish to study with, that tutor’s available hours will be displayed. You may then chose a time and date that works for you from the tutor’s displayed calendar. At this point it is suggested that you schedule all sessions in your learning package. This greatly increases your opportunity to have the same tutor throughout all the sessions. Otherwise, you could schedule from session to session.
    
    
36. Can I change the times of scheduled sessions?
    Yes! A student can cancel or reschedule a session by logging in using her/his username and password. The session cancellation or rescheduling should be done 24 hours before the session scheduled time.
    
    
37. Do my credits expire?
    For 30 session learning package, your credits will expire 180 days from the date you buy your learning package, in all other cases your credits will expire 90 days from the day you buy your Learning Package. Please click on ‘Learning Packages’ on our home page to know more.
    
    
38. When do I schedule my sessions?
    You can begin scheduling your sessions immediately when buying a ‘Learning Package’. It is suggested that you schedule all sessions in your learning package. This greatly increases your opportunity to have the same tutor throughout all the sessions. Otherwise, you could schedule from session to session.
    
    
39. Can I discontinue after utilizing only some of my credits?
    Yes! At any point of time before the expiration of your credits, you may cancel. Please mail us about the same at contact@etutorworld.net and we shall credit the remaining amount to you after a deduction of 10% administrative charges. Please refer to the Terms of Service for more on cancellations.
    
    
40. How much does a month of regular online tutoring cost?
    eTutorWorld does not have a monthly fee, we sell Learning Packages in 5, 10 and 30 session packages. The student schedules the sessions at his/her convenience, and the duration of a Learning Package will depend on the schedule. Please click on the “Learning Package” tab for pricing and more details.
    
    
41. Does eTutorWorld provide help with the Advanced Placement courses?
    Yes! We do provide AP Calculus tutoring and soon we will introduce tutoring for other AP Courses such as Physics, Chemistry and Statistics. eTutorWorld also provides help for students preparing for the Advanced Placement exam.
    
    
42. Does eTutorWorld give homework help?
    Yes! We provide homework help. In addition, we also ensure that the student understands the fundamentals of the subject.
    
    
43. How do I create an account?
    The first time, when you register for a free trial session with us, your account will be created. To register as a regular student with us, click on the Buy Now bar, select the learning package you wish to purchase and pay online using your credit card.
    
    
44. What if I want to buy a few minutes rather than a full session?
    Each session is 50 minutes, you may purchase the desired number of sessions. If a session is prematurely terminated before completion of 50 minutes, there is no credit for the unused portion of the session.
    
    
45. What happens if I can’t login?
    Please re-check your eTutorWorld user id and password, you would have received an email with this information when you registered for a free trial or to buy a learning package, if the problem persists, our technical support team will help you, please contact us via Live Chat or on our toll-free number, we are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
    
    
46. What happens if I can’t hear?
    Use the Audio Check application to make sure your audio equipment is working and the settings are correct.  Many problems are fixed by switching off your computer and starting it again.  If the problem persists, our technical support team will help you.  Please contact us via Live Chat or on our toll-free number, we are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
    
    
47. What happens if I forget to join my session?
    At the scheduled session time the tutor will start the session and the tutor will remain online for10 minutes past the scheduled time. In the event the student does not show up, the session is terminated and is charged to your account.
    
    
48. What if a tutor does not start the session?
    In the event the tutor does not start a session, the session is rescheduled at the mutual convenience of student and tutor, and the session is not charged to the student’s account.
    
    
49. How can I schedule with the same tutor?
    All scheduling is achieved through the use of the tutor’s calendar, which is available to all registered students when a Learning Package is purchased, this is the best time to schedule all the sessions to assure continuity with the same tutor. The tutor’s calendar will show his/her schedule for the next six weeks.
    
    
50. How can I change tutors?
    All our tutors are well qualified. Should there be an issue in dealing with a particular tutor, please send us a message via the “Contact Us” page. We will investigate and attempt to resolve the issue to your satisfaction, otherwise we will make the change. A change of tutor requires a 24-hour advance notice.
    
    
51. What are the tutoring hours?
    All seven days of week: 3.00 pm to 1.00 a.m. EST
    
    
52. Are all sessions recorded?
    Yes, we record each session. The recordings are for quality control, addressing customer issues, if any, and for further reference/review by the student or parent. Your session recording can be accessed only by you, your parent or by authorized eTutorWorld personnel. Your session recordings are available for reference for a period of 60 days from date of the session.
    
    
53. Will I have the same tutor for each session?
    Every effort is made to provide you the same tutor for a given subject for all sessions. In the event the assigned tutor is not available for a required date and time, a qualified alternate tutor will be assigned.
    
    

Questions Asked by Existing Students



54. How can I extend a learning package?
    To add learning package you may Click on the Buy Now tab and select another learning package and use you credit card to make the purchase. You will use the same username and password.
    
    
55. How can I listen to a recording of my session?
    Login to the eTutorWorld website, using your username and password. On clicking “My recordings”, you will view a list of all your session recordings of the last 60 days. Play the recording you wish to review.
    
    
56. How far ahead can I schedule my tutor?
    You can schedule sessions for the next 6 weeks. When you go to the tutor’s calendar you will note it goes out for 6 weeks.
    
    
57. May I have a math tutor and a science tutor?
    Yes, you may have tutoring in multiple subjects, using the same learning package. Separate tutors may be selected for each subject.
    
    
58. What are my options if I am not satisfied?
    If for any reason you are not satisfied, please contact us, and every effort will be made by eTutorWorld to correct the issue. If we cannot meet your needs and you wish to cancel your Learning Package/Sessions you may do so with a 72-hour notification. To cancel, click on the Customer Service tab and advise us you wish to cancel. All unused session remaining after the 72-hour notice will be credited to your account less a 10% administrative fee.