Sylvan Learning Center DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR KID ONE WAY OR ANOTHER RIP-OFF DECEIVETFUL PROFIT ONLY LIARS Elkridge Maryland

I, too was employed with Sylvan Learning Center in Elkridge, MD from 2/2008-06/2008. I voluntarily left the company because I of the stress factors and the guilt that came with Sylvan employment.

The position I applied for was "Academic Advisor" but found myself in a competitive sales environment that fed off of most parents' weaknesses; their children.

My main job was to feel parents out, let them talk on and on about their kids and how they were struggling with grades, study habits, self-control, self-esteem, and many more factors that contributed to the bad grades. Then, I was to use that information and throw it back in the parent's face... making them feel guilty that they as a parent was not doing their job by any means necessary as a parent.

Not that I WANTED to do this... nor that I even LIKED doing it but it was my job and my only means of support at the time. I was TRAINED to manipulate, deceive, and lie to hundreds of parents and as an education student, I could no longer live with the guilt.

We were trained to break calls up into several stages:
1. Ease Phase: Be careful, this is when the agent is trying to feel you out. If you ask for prices, they will tell you pricing is based on the unique "needs" of each student. That is a blatant LIE! It is $225 for the assessment test whether you are struggling and failing everything or flying by with straight A's. The hourly ranges between $36-$55 depending on the area you live. The more popular cities of course will pay more.

2. Needs Phase
This is when the agent will ask you several questions that he/she will use against you toward the end of the call in the Q&C Phase (Questions and Concerns... in this pahse you are trained to handle objections which I will go into detail further).

3. Solution Phase
This is the phase where the agent will sell you dreams of gold. Everything issue and concern you have had and disclosed in the call (whether intended or not) will be used to make you beleive that whatever is going on with your child can be fixed.

4. Q & C
Now, this is the phase I always had difficulty with. When objections arise,
"I don't know about this"
"We just don't have the money right now"
"My chiild has autism, let me speak with his teacher first"
"I just DO NOT have the money and cannot afford it"

Whatever your objections is... Sylvan agents are trained to come right back at you with a solution.

Parent: "I don't know about this"

Agent: What don't you know? As a parent, I'm sure you know you want the best for your child right?

OR

Agent: As a parent, you should be willing to do whatever it takes to see your child succeed. That is your job, now how about a Tuesday appintment?

Sylvan is set up to MAKE MONEY not HELP YOUR CHILD.
Agents are paid at least $14.00 an hour PLUS bonus checks depending on how many people you get to give you the $75 deposit toward the cost of the assessment testing. Trust and beleive, the ONLY thing the agent on the other line of 1-800-EDUCATE is MAKING THAT $75 DEPOSIT so that they can make their conversion rate for BONUS!

KJ
Baltimore, MD

KIKI
Baltimore, Maryland
U.S.A.