It was March of last semester that I stopped at the University Main Library to research ways to help more college students via one on one tutoring. After sorting through different methods of reaching students in the classes I train, I became frustrated. There was no easy route to do so, and I was starting to accept the long road ahead of me. As I sat in a cubicle searching the web, I overheard a student having a conversation with a family member about how she was struggling with a class. Curious about the options available to her, I decided to ask how I could make myself available to more students such as herself. That very moment she said something that has changed my life over the past 8 months: “Have you ever heard of clusterFlunk?”
As a University of Iowa Alum that graduated in spring 2013, I didn’t catch on to the cF wave right away. After school, I worked as an investment analyst for a year before deciding to give full time tutoring in Iowa City a go. Upon becoming a cF user I relied solely on minimal social media advertising and word of mouth to connect with students. I was helping a fair amount of people, but I knew there were many more students that needed academic assistance. After joining the site I was immediately blown away by the community it had established and the variety of tools it generated for students. Even more exciting was being able to directly offer students an opportunity to receive one on one assistance. Had I used it as a student, I can only imagine how many posts would have saved me on a quiz or the number of classmates I could have connected with that I failed to meet while in school.
cF has allowed me to reach the very students that need my help the most and the results have been amazing. I’ve been able to tutor over 350 hours with college students, helping them save grades that can get them into the college of business, pass their classes, or keep them from changing majors. I’ve transformed dozens of flunkers to passers, and it would not be possible without the ability to connect with students in the courses I train. The tailored value created for users is unlike anything students currently have access to. It seems like every week I see the phrase: “I saw your post on clusterFlunk…” in my emails. This is music to my ears because it means I have to chance to help another student reach their goals.
The beauty of cF is that there are hundreds of success stories like mine: grade saving study guides and study groups, the exchange of useful campus information, and invaluable advice from colleagues. cF is one of the few social sites that encourages people to connect face to face. I’ve met close to a hundred different students through cF and each experience has been rewarding in its own way. Not only have I grown my network substantially, but I’ve furthered my own education by teaching others. What I’ve learned throughout this experience is how much easier networking is and how many more resources are available when you begin in the college environment. You have a pool of potential teammates that are intelligent and motivated just like you. Not only can they help you succeed in your classes, but they may become your future co-founder. Take advantage of the awesome community cF offers and you may be surprised with the results! My final word of advice for current students: everyday make the most of the opportunity to connect with your peers, as the channels to advance your knowledge and network are limitless!