New Stutor app created for college students

Stutor is a peer-to-peer tutoring app for college students led and developed by students, interns, and alumni from across Utah. Following a model similar to apps like “Doordash” and “Uber,” Stutor offers on-demand tutoring to students from tutors everywhere.

“The basic idea of the app is ‘the Uber for tutoring,'” said Madison Tareski, an MBA student at the Jon Huntsman School of Business. “If and when someone needs tutoring, they can find the resources they need in minutes.”

Stutor is divided into two apps: Stutor, for students in need of tutoring, and Stutor +. Students use the same email login and password for both. Upon opening either Stutor app, students are prompted to create an account before proceeding. On the Student app, students simply enter their email, create an account, and can immediately begin booking appointments.

Tutoring sessions can occur through in-app text messaging and video calls, similar to booking an appointment at the USU Writing Centers over Zoom.

“Currently, we are in the startup phase of the app,” Tareski said. “We are focusing on recruiting tutors before targeting students in need.”

The Stutor+ app requires students to undergo a verification process, including uploading school and government IDs, creating a profile, and setting up a “Stripe” account for payment. Setting up a tutor account is a somewhat lengthy process, and students cannot begin tutoring until their Stripe account is verified, a process that typically takes two to four business days. Tutors must have earned a “B” or higher to qualify for a given class.

“Tutors can set their own rates, usually based on their credentials,” Tareski said. “For example, an experienced tutor may ask for $20 per hour, while new tutors may charge $15.”

When booking an appointment, students pay the tutor’s rate, along with a small service fee and tax. Stutor offers tutoring for every class taught on campus, operating 24/7, even during winter and summer breaks if there is sufficient demand.

“Stutor’s main goal is to educate students and encourage learning,” said Caden Judd, a team leader at Stutor. “Our main competitors are Chat GPT, Chegg, Quizlet, and other online resources. The issue with these platforms is that they provide short-term results and don’t actually teach and educate. Instead of merely providing answers late at night when students are struggling with homework, we want them to focus on learning the material to avoid shortcuts.”

Students may face various obstacles preventing them from attending library or tutoring center sessions. Whether it’s night shifts, family responsibilities, or a busy schedule with multiple classes, Stutor aims to address these challenges while fostering genuine learning and discouraging shortcuts.

“Student schedules are often erratic,” Judd said. “They can’t work regular hours, and most students don’t have cars for alternative income routes.”

Stutor is advantageous for tutors as well, allowing them to set their own hours and keep the money from their chosen rates. Unlike Doordash and Uber, which often retain a portion of earnings, Stutor does not take a cut or exploit tutors. The Stutor team’s objective is to support students, providing them with financial freedom without plans to impose fees on tutors.

“The long-term plans for Stutor are to be in every university across the nation,” Judd said. “We want to continue this model of educating and providing jobs to students. Within the next six months, we aim to expand to K-12, where current college students will tutor students in K-12.”

Stutor and Stutor + can be downloaded from the app store, and the Stutor support team can be contacted at [email protected]. For more information on the Stutor app, visit stutor.com