Pros
Kaplan is a great employer for those who want flexible hours. It was a pleasure to watch my students improve their test scores. I was provided with the information I needed to become proficient as a tutor for numerous tests. For most of my time there, they offered a steady stream of students. They give merit-based pay raises. They also pay for out-of-class time (albeit at a lower rate than the tutoring rate). You get to tutor without having to handle the financial end of the business with the families. Throughout the years, I found my supervisors pleasant, supportive, and helpful.
Cons
Not having to handle the financial arrangements with the families means that someone else gets paid to handle that end of things; therefore, you as a tutor will get a lesser percentage of what the families pay for tutoring than you would if you tutored on your own. Once you reach a certain pay grade, the merit-based pay raises are not as frequent or as dramatic. There is now more of an emphasis on on-line tutoring than on in-person tutoring; I prefer meeting with students in person, as it's easier for me to establish a rapport. Although Kaplan used to offer academic tutoring, the focus is now exclusively on standardized tests. Also, there is increasing pressure for tutors to be proficient in both verbal and math; if your specialty is one but not the other, you may find this difficult. As a tutor, you are responsible for letting your supervisor know if you need to be paid a higher hourly tier rate, which is based on distance, for an assignment, so be sure to check the distance before accepting the assignment. Also, the clientele is limited by their ability to purchase the tutoring packages, so if you want to reach a wider variety of students, that may be an issue for you.