Tutor.com: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Tutor.com was founded in 1998 by George Cigale, who envisioned a future where students could connect with expert tutors anytime, anywhere through the power of the internet. Cigale assembled a team of dedicated tutors and launched one of the first interactive online classrooms, laying the foundation for what would become Tutor.com. The company was officially incorporated in Delaware on February 24, 2000, becoming the first education services company in the U.S. to use the internet to connect students with screened, qualified tutors for personalized, on-demand instruction. Within a year of incorporation, Tutor.com began partnering with institutions, starting with local public libraries, then expanding to state libraries and higher education institutions.

George Cigale served as CEO through 2013, when IAC (the media and internet company behind brands including Ask.com, Dictionary.com, and Match.com) acquired Tutor.com; Cigale remained CEO following the acquisition, continuing to run the business from Tutor.com's New York City offices. Mandy Ginsberg served as CEO of both The Princeton Review and Tutor.com from 2013 to 2015, reflecting the close integration between the two brands, as Tutor.com became part of The Princeton Review's portfolio. In 2022, Tutor.com and The Princeton Review were acquired by Primavera Capital Group, a Beijing-based investment firm; as of July 2025, Tutor.com and The Princeton Review returned to being 100% U.S.-owned, operated, and governed, with Robert Batten serving as CEO.

Tutor.com is headquartered in New York City and has delivered more than 15 to 23 million one-to-one tutoring and homework help sessions since its founding, supported by more than 3,000 vetted and qualified tutors available 24/7. The company maintains a highly selective tutor recruitment process, with the company stating that on average just 1.2% of applicants successfully complete the process and join its tutoring team, reflecting rigorous quality assurance standards. Tutor.com's platform complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and has earned SOC 2 Type II attestation for data security.

Important distinction: Tutor.com's tutors go through a formal, highly selective screening and hiring process to join the company's tutoring team, distinguishing it from some open marketplace tutoring platforms where any tutor can list themselves. Tutor.com describes its recruitment process as including selective screening, ongoing quality assurance, and continuous professional development for its educators.

Given the platform's highly selective hiring process (with roughly 1.2% of applicants accepted) and its work with K-12 students, schools, libraries, and the U.S. military, background screening is generally understood to be part of Tutor.com's vetting process for its tutors, consistent with standard practices among reputable online tutoring services working with minors.

The application process to become a Tutor.com tutor typically includes an application detailing subject expertise and qualifications, skills assessments or subject matter testing, an interview, and a background check, given the highly selective nature of the program and the population of students served.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical background check for an online tutoring platform applicant working with minors may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though state laws may extend or restrict this timeframe, particularly for tutors working with minors.

Given the significant population of K-12 students served through Tutor.com's platform, eligibility decisions for individuals with criminal records are generally evaluated carefully, particularly for offenses involving minors, on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to the role. Some states have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that may apply differently in the context of independent contractor or platform-based screening.

Applicants can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how background check information can be used in screening decisions. It requires that individuals be notified before a check is run, provide written consent, and receive specific notices if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Tutor.com may see during the application process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Tutor.com or another platform, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.