Online tutor database WyzAnt has expanded into a variety of new markets. Before the site was focused on Boston, Washington DC, and New York City. The database now includes listings for several new markets including San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, Miami, and Chicago. At this time there are over 1600 tutors in the database.

The database’s Web site is http://www.wyzant.com/ . You can search by zip code/radius, or you can browse by subject (main categories are Academics/Music/Computers/Others.) Tutor information includes name, location, and what looks like self-submitted descriptions. Tutors also have individual pages which include travel radius, description/mini-bio, experience, certification, and expertise. I found a guy who tutors in both trombone and poker. I found another who tutors in bass and ESL. Interesting groups of expertise.

Once you’ve found a tutor you like, you can contact them through the site and even purchase tutoring lessons through the site.

When I read that you could complete a purchase through the site, I thought, “Uh-oh,” but WyzAnt belongs to the BBB and does link to a BBB report with no complaints. But looking at that BBB report, I wish the search engine offered BBB reports on the tutors listed here, or at least the ability for visitors to post reviews. WyzAnt does offer a guarantee for tutors, and states in its FAQ that tutors are given background checks, but I’d still like to see more student feedback.