Asking others

I would always recommend asking around, and hearing what people suggest. If I find several people use the same tutor, OR, that one offers competitive prices in relation to others I would personally look further into it.

Asking yourself

I would also ask myself, what am I after. A CHEAP tutor, or am expensive tutor (relative to others) who has scored a high Study Score, is at University, and or gives detailed notes.

It is also imperative you ask/find out where you will meet the tutor. Is he or she flexible in location? Would YOU be required to go to THEM, or THEY come to YOU?

Also ask yourself, is it really value for money. Which is where step one comes in.

Finally...

Take advantage of any "first lesson free" offers. They provide a general idea of how they are like, and whether you are happy with how they teach/act in person.

Are you able to ask them a lot of question which they are happy to answer? Do they seem to understand what the course/homework requires? Are they really impacting beneficially on your studies? That is, can you see a difference in your level of understanding?

I think there are many good ways of finding a great tutor for VCE.

One of the most common ways is through recommendations and referrals by family members or friends. You can also ask your teacher or guidance counselor for a referral. Chances are reasonable that they may recommend a good tutor for that VCE subject.

Newspaper and phone directories are other sources for finding a good VCE tutor. Phone directories often list tutoring agencies or professional tutors and can be more expensive. Local newspaper classifieds will probably have tutors that are cheaper.

Also, the internet is a great way of finding good tutors. In Australia, there are some online tutor directories that list tutors and tutoring companies. In this regard, I should mention that I work for one such directory called SeekaTutor - visit http://www.SeekaTutor.com.au to have a look - this recently launched site also allows you to search and contact tutors for free as well as the option of placing a student advert stating the subject you need tuition for, your location and price range. SeekaTutor.com.au also allows you to search a VCE tutor by ‘map search’ so that you can find an appropriate tutor living near your home. Older sites such as Tutor Finder and Bored of Studies also list tutors online although they require registration sometimes and lack the functionality that I believe makes SeekaTutor a standout directory (although obviously I may be bias). A point of warning though, when dealing with anyone on the internet, exercise caution and check credentials carefully. In particular, request Working with Children Check (this is compulsory for tutors working with people under 18 by mid 2010) or police check. Also, I would strongly recommend that you meet in public or under supervision for the first meeting.

Finally, when choosing the tutor make sure it is a good match for you. Besides the tutor requiring a deep knowledge of the subject and the ability to communicate the concepts of the subject clearly, a good ‘match’ should be someone you can connect with in regards to personality, background and learning style. Essentially, find a tutor who is willing to modify their methods to meet the needs of you - then you have found yourself a good VCE tutor.