NetTutor, an online tutoring service operated by Link-Systems International (LSI) that provides support in any subject, recently reached an industry milestone by conducting more than three million one-on-one tutoring sessions.

The 24-hour tutoring service, which pioneered the concept of online tutoring way back in 1996, is used by undergraduate, graduate, community, public, and private college students all over the United States in courses ranging from accounting to zoology.

NetTutor was able to have such a significant breakthrough for three reasons: it’s easy to use, its tutors are talented and caring, and the company partners with college administrators to accommodate their ongoing needs.

A simple interface

NetTutor offers assistance in an incredibly wide variety of subjects beyond the traditional math, science, and English. In fact, it includes such specialized areas as nursing, microeconomics, criminology, and music history.

 To initiate a tutoring session, students just click on the “Join Live Tutorial” button. They don’t need to download anything or have a ridiculous amount of bandwidth available. Even better, tutors and students collaborate via a proprietary whiteboard interface that allows them to use course-specific tools, type, draw, and use symbols.

High-quality tutors

NetTutor only hires tutors that are deeply committed to helping students become more successful learners. All tutors must have a four-year degree from an accredited university, a minimum GPA of 3.0 in any subjects they will be tutoring in, teaching or tutoring experience, empathy, and patience. Most of the tutors hold advanced degrees in their subject specialties.

In addition, the tutors have to complete a month-long training period to learn about the pedagogical and technical challenges of online tutoring.

Students say that NetTutor consistently exceeds their expectations and that the tutors are top notch. “The tutors are extremely helpful and they actually take time to explain,” says Kacey, a college student who lives in Georgia. “Both of the tutors I used frequently were interested in the grades I made on every exam that they helped me study for. NetTutor helped me reach my goal of an A and B in both portions of my anatomy and physiology classes!”

Strong industry partnerships

NetTutor integrates into almost every learning management system, and colleges can receive usage reports, student tutoring records, and archives of student sessions. If necessary, LSI will customize reports to meet administrators’ needs.

 “The ongoing relationship with the NetTutor service and LSI has proven to be of great value to the Oregon State University (OSU) Ecampus. We always have a resource available for students. NetTutor has provided us with learning support, timely reporting, and a rewarding professional business relationship with a reliable provider,” says Joan Oakes, student services specialist at OSU Extended Campus.

To the next milestone

The people behind NetTutor plan to help as many millions of students as they can. “Reaching three million tutoring sessions means we’ve been able to help a substantial population of students, across a range of higher-ed schools, improve their understanding of the course material,” says Vincent Forese, president of Link-Systems International. “Our customers report that NetTutor generates improved grades and stronger retention—a win for both the students and the colleges.”