How is Cramster different than tutoring?
Cramster's free resources provide a cost-effective alternative to tutoring without sacrificing quality.
The practice of tutoring has been around, presumably, since the caveman era. Sure, pen and paper didn't exist, but the idea of showing somebody else how to do something did. Once tutoring hit the academic world, there were private tutors, followed by expensive "gurus" who helped college students cram before important tests, followed by behemoth test prep companies like Kaplan, followed by the advent of online tutoring.
The one thing that unites these forms of tutoring is money – a lot of it. If students want to reap the rewards of a knowledgeable tutor or expert, they have to pay a pretty penny. Consistent help from a tutor will easily reach the $1,000-plus level.
Herein lies the biggest difference between Cramster and traditional conceptions of tutoring – money, or a lack thereof. Considering our depressed economy and the already limited budgets of students, Cramster's free resources provide a cost-effective alternative to tutoring without sacrificing quality. Even if students choose to purchase Cramster's Gold or Platinum memberships, it will cost them as little as $9.95 per month, which is roughly 15% of the cost of one live tutoring session.
Other differences include:
At Your Convenience
An asynchronous learning model. Rather than a scheduled, face-to-face meeting with a tutor, Cramster users can get help whenever they need it without being constrained by their tutor's schedule. Cramster's Q&A Board operates like an academic text message – members send out a question, then are informed when the solution has been provided.
Always Accessible
An open learning model. Tutoring sessions begin and end – the material (and learning) is left at the session and cannot be accessed again. At Cramster, all Q&A dialogues, all resources, all textbook solutions, and all practice exams are freely available to search through and learn from.
Support Network
A one-to-many model rather than a one-to-one model. Cramster functions much like a face-to-face study group, where students share notes, walk each other through difficult homework problems and take practice tests. If one peer doesn't have the solution, another peer almost surely will.
Mutual Assistance
The person providing help can assist students when they want to, rather than being obligated to help at certain times. It's no secret that Cramster's community is fueled by subject enthusiasts, educators and students who love providing help to others. At Cramster, you can earn rewards for helping others, but do not need to be locked into a certain timeframe. Members appreciate, rather than expect help.
Now, don't get us wrong – there are several benefits to tutoring, many of which Cramster offers on the Web site. Math, science and engineering are time-intensive, difficult subjects, and millions of students turn to help every year in these areas. Cramster and tutoring are certainly not mutually exclusive, but for anyone seeking that extra academic boost or dose of comprehension, Cramster is a great place to go before emptying your wallet.