As final exams approach, Facebook could prove to be more than just a distraction from studying.
Through Tutor Matching Service, a Facebook application, UF students can search for tutors using their names, subjects or course codes.
They can book and pay for tutoring appointments online, said Jessica Bent, the vice president of Tutor Matching Service public relations.
UF is the first university to use the service, but the University of Central Florida is beginning to use the service as well, Bent said.
“The connection between the students and tutor is stronger because students are able to see the profile of their tutor ahead of time,” Bent said.
The system was created by Student Government in the summer of 2009, but Bent said she believes Tutor Matching Service will see an increase in system use during exam time.
Rajiv Asnani, the student manager of Tutor Matching Service, said tutoring is available in a variety of subjects from lower-level math to biochemistry.
It’s free for students to search for tutors on Facebook and free for tutors to post information about their services, Asnani said.
Students can pay by credit card through a secure system, he said.
Bent said they can either purchase individual sessions or a package of sessions in advance and can choose between one-on-one tutoring and group tutoring of up to three students. The tutor sharing feature allows students to split the hourly rate, which starts at $10 an hour and is set by the tutors.
For more information, see alligator.org.
