Virtual Nerd Review

As part of my job as a reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew, I recently reviewed Virtual Nerd, which is a website designed to help students in Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II, and Physics.  Virtual Nerd offers a tutoring option to students who need help in those subjects other than a private tutor.

According to Virtual Nerd:

• Virtual Nerd offers online tutoring in math and science to grades 7-12.  Our service is both affordable and convenient, providing help whenever and as much as needed.  Using our patent pending Dynamic Whiteboard, each student has a very interactive and personalized learning experience.  While watching our pre-recorded videos, they can drill-down for more information and access FAQ's terms and definitions to assist in their learning process.  Service is available on a subscription plan basis, a month subscription is $49 - multi-month plans are also available. 

Before going any further with my review, I would encourage you to check Virtual Nerd out for yourself.  You can try all Virtual Nerd has to offer free of charge for 2 hours.  As well, you can try Virtual Nerd for just one day (one time only) for $5.00 or for a week (one time only) for $19.00.  As you can see, Virtual Nerd offers several inexpensive options with which you can explore the website and see if it would work for your family.

For the purposes of this review, my daughter and I used the site to access some of the video tutorials for Algebra I as this is the math course she is taking right now.  From the Algebra I Search page, one can search by:

• Keyword
• Topic 
• Textbook Search (Virtual Nerd currently corresponds with Prentice Hall Algebra 1, 2004; Holt Algebra 1, 2007; Glencoe Algebra 1, 2004; and McDougal Littell Algebra 1, 2007).  Right now, only Algebra has the option of the textbook search in which specific tutorials are linked to chapter and lesson in the textbook.

Major topics included in the Algebra 1 section include:

• getting ready for algebra
• foundations for algebra
• solving linear equations
• relations and functions
• analyzing linear equations
• solving and graphing linear inequalities
• systems of equations and inequalities
• exponents and exponential functions
• polynomials and factoring
• quadratic equations and functions
• radical expressions and equations
• rational expressions and functions
• probability and data analysis.

My daughter and I found the video tutorials very clear and easy to follow.  The video tutorials consisted of a real person talking very clearly and writing on a white board.  At the end of the video, other videos on the same topic are suggested so that the student can easily link to other, related tutorials that will be helpful.  As well, the student can watch the same tutorial again very easily.  

The only problem I had with Virtual Nerd was that, when we were first using the site, the tutorials would not load for viewing on our computer.  After updating our internet browser, though, I no longer had any problems with the site.  The amazingly quick customer service I received in response to my problem was very much appreciated.  Even though I e-mailed my question late in the evening, I received a response within 30 minutes!

While Virtual Nerd currently offers over a thousand different tutorials, they plan to expand their tutorials to cover even more Physics, Chemistry, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus in the 2011-2012 school year.  If you have a child struggling in Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II, or Physics, Virtual Nerd offers the supplemental teaching help that may be a perfect fit for your family.


I received a temporary subscription to Virual Nerd in exchange for this review.  No other compensation, monetary or otherwise, was given in exchange for this review.