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Become a Tutor

Job Description

Tutors provide personalized learning support to undergraduate students in specific courses by clarifying the concepts and skills needed to solve disciplinary problems independently. Students can meet with tutors through appointments or drop-in sessions. There are several options for tutoring employment at Virginia Tech; this page describes how to become a Student Success Center tutor.

Compensation

Student Success Center tutors work shifts of at least 4 hours per week that start at $13.50/hour for individual tutoring and $14.50/hour for drop-in tutoring, both of which are eligible for three pay raises of $0.50/hour when tutors complete additional training (all training is also paid). Tutors can request their own schedule each semester; hours are highly flexible.

Students in the Honors College can also earn honors credit for tutoring with the Student Success Center.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Have authorization to work in the United States
  • Be a currently-enrolled undergraduate student at Virginia Tech
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better
  • Have a B+ or better from Virginia Tech in the courses you would like to tutor
  • Be willing and eligible to tutor at least two or more courses from our list of supported courses
  • Maintain a history of good conduct standing and academic integrity
  • Commit to working in both the fall and spring semesters following your application
  • Tutor at least 4 hours per week during fall and spring semesters
  • Attend biweekly staff meetings
  • Participate in biannual fall and spring training days on the first Sunday of each semester
  • Complete online training before beginning to tutor
  • Complete CRLA Level 1 certification by the end of your second semester tutoring in order to continue

Application Process

  • February: Apply online by completing both the Handshake application and the required QuestionPro survey
  • March: Application review
  • Late March to mid April: Selected applicants will be invited for interviews
  • Mid April to mid May: Preliminary decisions will be made; additional applicants may be invited to interview
  • Late May to early June: Eligibility screenings (including GPA, transcripts, faculty references, and conduct and academic integrity records); decisions will be announced, including conditional acceptances and waitlist notifications
  • Mid June through mid August: Offers will go out to waitlisted students as others drop out or fail to meet requirements

What We Look For in Tutor Candidates

  • Strong academic skills and habits that you can model for students
  • Ability to clearly explain information in multiple ways
  • Ability to quickly establish rapport with others
  • Being empathetic, patient, compassionate, and wanting to help
  • Believing that anyone can improve regardless of where they start

Benefits of Being a Tutor

  • Earn money with flexible hours
  • Deepen your understanding of academic concepts
  • Build skills in communication, leadership, and problem-solving
  • Make a difference for your peers
  • Join the community of peer educators at Virginia Tech