Why I Let My SAT-Tutoring Company Go Under
Maybe they should all meet the same fate
I started tutoring on the side after taking my first high-school teaching job in 2007. I taught 9th-12th grade Literature and History during the day, and at night and on the weekends, I would teach SAT and ACT prep.
My decision to enter the commercial-college-preparation-complex was mostly selfish. I had been the first in my family to graduate from college, and I navigated the whole college-entrance exam and application process on my own. I thought it wouldn’t hurt — in fact, it would line my pockets — if I shared this wisdom with others. I thought it was possible that maybe I’d even help somebody.
At the time, my only ethical concern was not teaching the same students in both contexts. I couldn’t get paid by parents for tutoring on the side when I was giving grades to their children in the classroom.
To find students, I placed an ad on Craigslist in the summer of 2007. I listed my education and a few references, and I immediately got a few bites. One family in Pflugerville wanted me to teach spelling and reading to their second and fifth graders. That was easy money, and I was happy to do it. The kids were engaged learners. Awesome, I thought, let’s keep this up.
