sohum- top tier consumer profile and strategy
TRANSCRIPT
ConsumerProfileandCommunicationStrategyforHighTierCollegesUnderstandingandconnectingwithHighTierColleges
SohumDaftary
TableofContents
PROFILE:HIGHTIERCOLLEGE...........................................................................1
IntrototheHighTier.......................................................................................................................1
SimilaritiesamongHighTierColleges.............................................................................................1
DifferencesamongHighTierColleges.............................................................................................2
CLOSEUP:HIGHTIERCOLLEGES......................................................................3
Princeton.........................................................................................................................................3Competitors.............................................................................................................................3
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................3
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................3
Harvard............................................................................................................................................4Competitors.............................................................................................................................4
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................4
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................4
Yale..................................................................................................................................................5Competitors.............................................................................................................................5
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................5
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................5
Columbia.........................................................................................................................................5Competitors.............................................................................................................................5
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................5
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................5
UniversityofChicago.......................................................................................................................6Competitors.............................................................................................................................6
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................6
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................6
MIT..................................................................................................................................................6Competitors.............................................................................................................................6
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................6
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................6
Duke................................................................................................................................................7Competitors.............................................................................................................................7
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................7
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................7
Penn................................................................................................................................................7Competitors.............................................................................................................................7
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................7
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................7
JohnsHopkins..................................................................................................................................8Competitors.............................................................................................................................8
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................8
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................8
Dartmouth.......................................................................................................................................8Competitors.............................................................................................................................8
TutoringDepartmentStructure..............................................................................................8
ImplicitResistance...................................................................................................................8
CONNECTIONTACTICS......................................................................................9
Profile:HighTierCollege
IntrototheHighTier
HightiercollegesaredefinedaseliteschoolsthatrankinornearthetoptenschoolsoftheUnitedStates.TheseinstitutionsshouldbetheprimaryfocusofStudyTreebecausetheyofferspecificcoursesthatrequiretutorswhohaveexperiencedthecurriculumand/ortheprofessor.
Inthismarket,StudyTree’splatformissuperiortothatofitscompetitors.Whilecompetitorsoutsourcetutorsanduseonlinemediafortutoring,StudyTreefacilitatesusesschool-screenedtutorsandfacetofacecommunication,bothofwhichareprioritiesofhightierschools.
Thisreportwilldiscussthefollowingtopics:
• SimilaritiesandDifferencesamonghightiercolleges• Closeup:Tenhightiercolleges• Connectiontactics
SimilaritiesamongHighTierColleges
Thekeysimilarityamonghightiercollegesisthedifficultytoobtainatutor.
Hightiercollegeshaveeligibilityrequirementsthepreventaveragestudentsfromobtainingoneononetutoringappointments,andinstead,onlysubparstudentscangainaccesstosometutoringservices.
Additionally,forschoolsthatdonothavestrictedibilityrequirements,difficultyiscreatedinthebureaucracytoobtainatutor,whetherthatmeansfillingoutformsandpaperworkorusinganintermediateperson,likeacounselor,toobtainthattutor.
Onepossiblereasonforestablishingahighbartoobtainatutorcouldbethathightiercollegeswanttheirstudentstousetutorsasalastresort.Infact,somehightiercollegeslikeHarvardandPrincetonexplicitlystatethismotiveontheirrespectivetutoringpages.
Theseschoolsrequirestudentstoshowproofofattemptstolearnbeforegainingaccesstoatutor.Someoftheseattemptstolearnincludeperfectattendanceinclass,nomissedhomeworkassignments,meetingwiththeTAand/orprofessorinofficehours,andusingstudygroups.
TheimplicationofthisdifficultytoobtainatutoristhatStudyTreeshouldinitiallyadjustitsproductsothatcollegeshavemorecontroloverwhocangainaccesstoatutor.LaterintherelationshiporthroughA/Btestingthepilot,StudyTreecaneducatethecollegeandattemptamoreliberalapproachtowardstutoring.
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DifferencesamongHighTierColleges
Whilethereisnocentraldifferenceamonghightiercolleges,smallscaledifferencesinclude
• paidtutoringversusfreetutoring• internaltutormanagementsystemversussubscribingtocompetitorsoftware• centrallocationfortutoringversussegmentedapproachbydepartment
Mosthightiercollegesprovidefreetutoringservicesforintrolevelclasses.However,atthemoreadvancedcourselevel,studentsmustpayfortutorsathigherlevels.Someinstitutions,likeHarvard,subsidizesthetutoringservice,resultinginapresentbutreducedfeeforstudents.Institutionsthatchargefortutorshaveoptionsforstudentsonfinancialaid.Additionally,schoolswithpaidtutorsusuallylistthesetutorsonseparate,departmentspecificpages.
Whilemostofthehightierschoolshaveaninternaltutormanagementservice,someschoolshaveusedourcompetitors’softwarewhileotherschoolsarestillsolicitingthesoftwareofourcompetitors.ThemostpopularserviceisTutorTracandAskOnline,butthelaterservicedoesnotseemtobeactiveatsomeschools.
Thelastnotabledifferenceamonghightiercollegesistheirorganizationoftutoringservices.SomeschoolslocatealltutoringservicesunderasingleSchoolorOffice,suchasUniversityofChicago,whileotherschoolstakeadepartmentalapproachandsegmenttheirtutoringservices,suchasMIT.StudyTreeshouldtargetalllevelsofadministrationthatprovidetutoring,soastoincreasetheresponselikelihood.
Thekeyimplicationofthesedifferencesisthattheyarenottooprominentanddonotrequiremajoradjustmentstotheproductorstrategy.Onlythelastdifference,departmentalsegregation,willrequireamorespecificproductandmorespecificconnectionchannels.
However,ourproductcancompetewithexistingtutoringplatformslikeTutorTracbecauseweofferstudentusabilityandsimplifiedmanagement.StudyTreecanalsomanagepaymentsystemsforschoolsthatwouldliketousetheplatformforbilling.
Thisreportwillnowhighlightsomehightierinstitutions.Thesewereselectedbecausetheyhavethehighestrankingandareontheeastcoast,neartoStudyTree’sheadquarters.
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CloseUp:HighTierColleges
Princeton
CompetitorsTherearenocompetitorsonthefrontendofthetutoringcenter.Tutoringisoperatedinternally,soanycompetitorsoftwareshouldbelimitedtobackendservices.
TutoringDepartmentStructureMosttutoringisofferedthroughtheMcGrawCenter,butsometutoringresources,whichcanbefoundviaMcGraw,areofferedexclusivelybyresidentialcolleges.
PrincetonrequiresstudentstoonlyusePrincetonscreenedtutors.
ImplicitResistancePrinceton,alongwithmanyothertopcolleges,doesnotlikeone-on-onetutoringasaninitialresource,andinsteadstronglyencouragesgroupstudyorgrouptutoring,whereatutorissharedamongsmallgroupsofstudents.StudyTreeshouldhaveGroupStudyandGroupTutorfeatures.
Tutoringisseenasalastresort.TheStudyHallideaismuchmorepreferred.
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Harvard
CompetitorsTherearenocompetitorsonthefrontendofthetutoringcenter.Tutoringisoperatedinternally,soanycompetitorsoftwareshouldbelimitedtobackendservices.
AskOnline,ourcompetitor,waslaunchedatHarvard.However,thecompanyhasnotlistedHarvardasaclient,andHarvarddoesnothaveanAskOnlineportal.
TutoringDepartmentStructureTutoringoccursexclusivelythroughtheBureauofStudyCounsel.Thisofficehasover400tutors.
AkeyopportunityforStudyTreeisthatmostofHarvard’stutormatchingisperformedmanually.Afterthematch,contactinformationissentandthestudentsandtutorscanmeet.
ImplicitResistanceHarvardhasafeebasedsystem,soStudyTreewouldneedtointegratewithitsfinancials.
Harvardisstanchlyagainstelectronictutoring,evenfor“quickquestions”.ElectronicmediaarenotallowedbecausetheyviolateFERPAandHarvardCollegepolicies.
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Yale
CompetitorsTherearenocompetitorsonthefrontendofthetutoringcenter.Tutoringisoperatedinternally,soanycompetitorsoftwareshouldbelimitedtobackendservices.
TutoringDepartmentStructureTutoringoccursthroughtheCenterforTeachingandLearning.However,thiscenterisalsousedtodirectstudenttodifferentcollegesoftheUniversity.
ImplicitResistanceTherearestricteligibilityrequirements,suchashavingbelowaCtogetatutor.
Also,Yalewouldwanttointegrateitsonlineschedulingforwritingtutorsandpaperdiscussionbecausethesefacetsarepartofthestatusquo.
Yaleisopposedtoone-on-onetutoringandinsteadclumpsthetutoringingroups
Columbia
CompetitorsTherearenocompetitorsonthefrontendofthetutoringcenter.Tutoringisoperatedinternally,soanycompetitorsoftwareshouldbelimitedtobackendservices.
AskOnlinehasmentionedColumbiaasaclient,andtheUniversitydidhaveanAskOnlineportal.However,itisnolongeractive.
TutoringDepartmentStructureTheschool,inadditiontoofferingproprietarytutoringoptions,pointsstudentstoprivatetutoringofferedbygraduatestudentsforafee.Thistutoringisnotundertheschool,andStudyTreecouldbeanindependenttoolfortutorsandstudentsthatwanttooperateoutsidetheschoolgrid
ImplicitResistanceLotsofeligibilityrequirementssuchasoperatingthroughadvisor,GroupTutoring,andlimitsonthehoursoftutoringavailableperweek
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UniversityofChicago
CompetitorsTherearenocompetitorsonthefrontendofthetutoringcenter.Tutoringisoperatedinternally,soanycompetitorsoftwareshouldbelimitedtobackendservices.
TutoringDepartmentStructureTutoringoperatesthroughtheCollegeCoretutorprogram.Thelocationoftutorsisnotlimitedtothetutoringcenter.
ImplicitResistanceTheCollegeCoretutorprogramisexclusivelyadrop-inserviceandtherearenoappointments.Additionally,Chicagodoesnotusepeertutors,butithiresexpertsintheareaofstudy.
MIT
CompetitorsTherearenocompetitorsonthefrontendofthetutoringcenter.Tutoringisoperatedinternally,soanycompetitorsoftwareshouldbelimitedtobackendservices.
TutoringDepartmentStructureWhileMIThasaCenterforAcademicExcellence,thisbodymostlypointstothedepartmentspecificresources.MITtutoringdiffersvastlybydepartment,intermsofeligibilityandtypeoftutoringavailable.
ImplicitResistanceLotsofbureaucraticelementstogettingatutor:
• PrintoutaTutorRequestFormbyclickingontheappropriatelinkfromthelistofclassesbelow.
• Completetheself-diagnosticontheform.• MeetwithyourTAtodiscusstheareaswhereyouneedadditionalhelp.• YourTAwillturninyourrequest.• Atutorwillbeassignedtoyouwithintwodaysandhe/shewillcontactyou.
Thereisanemphasisongroupstudyprogramsbeforetutoring.
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Duke
CompetitorsTherearenocompetitorsonthefrontendofthetutoringcenter.Tutoringisoperatedinternally,soanycompetitorsoftwareshouldbelimitedtobackendservices.
TutoringDepartmentStructureTutoringisorganizedthroughtheAcademicResourceCenter.Mostofthetutoringiswalk-inandonafirstcomefirstservebasis.
Inadditiontothepeertutors,Dukehasalistoftutorsbysubjectthatareavailableforhire
ImplicitResistanceStudentsarerestrictedto12hourspersemester.
Thereareeligibilityrequirements.
Penn
CompetitorsPennusesTutorTracasitsTutorManagementSystem.Theserviceismostlyusedabackendsystemforadministrativeplanning,butitdoescontainfrontendelementslikeawebportalandinteractiveschedulers.
TutorTracisnotopentoallstudents.Studentsmustrequestaccess.
TutoringDepartmentStructurePennhasatutoringcenter,butmostoftheresourcesareforwalkintutoring,studyhalltypetutoring,orgrouptutoring.
Somedepartmentshavetutorsforhire
ImplicitResistanceAccesstoprivatetutoringisbureaucraticbecausetuteesareinterviewedbeforebeingassignedatutor.
Pennplaceslimitsonhowmuchandwhenstudentscangettutoring.
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JohnsHopkins
CompetitorsJohnsHopkinsusesTutorTracasitsTutorManagementSystem.Theserviceismostlyusedabackendsystemforadministrativeplanning,butitdoescontainfrontendelementslikeawebportalandinteractiveschedulers.
TutoringDepartmentStructureOfficeofAcademicSupportmanagestutoring.
ImplicitResistanceTutoringisnotone-on-one.
Studentsmustreserveseatsaheadoftimeforgroupstudysessionsonspecificclasses
Dartmouth
CompetitorsTherearenocompetitorsonthefrontendofthetutoringcenter.Tutoringisoperatedinternally,soanycompetitorsoftwareshouldbelimitedtobackendservices.
TutoringDepartmentStructureAcademicSkillsCentermanagestutoring.Mosttutoringisone-on-oneandpeer.
Thereisatutormatchingprocessbeforethestudentisassignedatutor.
Therearealsoresourcesforstudygroupformation.
ImplicitResistanceTutoringisnotfreeunlessthestudentisonfinancialaid.
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ConnectionTactics
ThegoaloftheconnectiontacticsistoproduceapilotprogramattheUniversityoraspecificdepartmentoftheUniversity.
Thetactics,inorderofrecommendedexecution,aredescribedbelow.
1. Coldemailthedirectorsoftutoringcentersand/ordirectorsofdepartmentsthatoffertutoring.Coldemailsshouldbemoredescriptivethanthepreviouscoldemailssenttocommunitycolleges.Theseemailsshouldhighlightthreekeyaspects:
a. StudyTreecanimprovestudentaccesstotutorswhilemaintainingexistingcontrolofstudentrequestsfortutors.Onthevalueaddtowardsschoolsthathaveeligibilityrequirements,StudyTreeshouldupselltheEarlyAlertsfeaturebecauseitlooksattrendsandnotstaticsnapshotsofstudentperformance.
b. StudyTreeiseasytointegrateandsetupandtherearezerochangesrequired.c. StudyTreeisfreeandonapilotbasis.
2. PartnerwiththeCRLA.TheCollegeReadingandLearningAssociationisanimportantorganizationthatgivestutoringcentersapprovalandcertification.Theirblessingsaddcredibility,whichcriticalfortopperformingschoolsthatseekasuperiorproduct.
3. Conferencesthathavetoptierschoolsshouldbeattended.Hightiercollegesisasmallnetwork.StudyTreeshouldgetaccesstothisnetworkbydevelopingrelationshipswithonlyafewmembersviaconferences.Then,wordofmouthcancarryStudyTreetofutureopportunities.ConferencesincludeEduCauseandDeansConference.
EndingNote:Theconnectiontohightiercollegesneedstobepersonal,deeper,andlong-lastingbecausetheseinstitutionsvaluerelationships.CommunicationshouldoccurthroughoneindividualonStudyTreeandthatindividualshouldbethepointpersonforallfuturecontact.