At University of Maryland University College, you can seek peer-to-peer tutoring through the WiseGuy platform or volunteer to be a peer tutor. WiseGuy allows you to search for peer tutors (WiseGuys) at UMUC by course or subject and review the profiles, ratings, and schedules of available tutors. The tutoring sessions are conducted online in real time through Google Hangouts.
This is a volunteer service, so availability will vary. WiseGuys are not official tutors who have been hired and trained by UMUC, so UMUC cannot verify their qualifications.
Register for a WiseGuy Account
Before you schedule your first tutoring session on the WiseGuy platform, you will need to sign up for an account. If you are seeking tutoring help, sign up as a student. If you have expertise in some subjects and wish to help other students, select "Become a WiseGuy." Whether you are signing up as a student or WiseGuy, you will be required to fill out basic information—including your name, university e-mail, and a password—and a personal profile. Your name, e-mail, and phone number are only shown to the administrators of the WiseGuy platform.
If you are signing up as a WiseGuy, you should fill out the personal profile section thoroughly. Consider how you would like to market yourself to students and list any courses and subjects for which you feel you can provide assistance. You will be asked to select your weekly availability. Once your profile is approved by the administrators, it will be searchable on the WiseGuy platform.
If you are a UMUC student: You will need to use your UMUC e-mail address, which is created once you've enrolled in your first course and verified your account. Find out how to access your UMUC e-mail account.
If you are an alumnus or staff member wishing to volunteer as a WiseGuy: Please e-mail studentsuccess@umuc.edu stating your interest and include your e-mail address so we can approve it for you.
Use WiseGuy as a Student
Visit the WiseGuy platform if you want to seek undergraduate peer tutoring at UMUC.
- In the "Help me with . . ." box on the top left of the page, search for WiseGuys by course (e.g. MATH009) or subject (e.g. accounting). As you type, a drop-down menu will appear with suggestions, and you can select your preferred course or subject.
- Make sure "University of Maryland University College" is selected in the "Filter by school" box. When you are ready, select "Find a WiseGuy."
- Review the WiseGuys in your search results. When you hover over a WiseGuy's profile picture, you will get a pop-up button to view their profile and read their student reviews.
- To see a WiseGuy's availability, select "Schedule Session." Pick a time you wish to schedule the session and select "Save."
- Next, you will need to fill out a form to specify what you want help with and how you'd like to meet the WiseGuy. Complete the form, then select "Send Message."
Most sessions take place online through the WiseGuy Google Hangouts app. If you prefer a phone session or to use another online platform (like Skype), select "In-Person" and specify your preference in the notes. Some WiseGuys may be willing to meet in person at a public location if you live close to each other.
Once you send the message, the WiseGuy will get an e-mail and/or text notification of your session request. When the WiseGuy confirms the session, you will receive a confirmation message via e-mail and, if you set up text notifications, by text message. Please allow 24–48 hours for WiseGuys to respond. If you do not get a response, you may want to request a session with another WiseGuy. Please notify studentsuccess@umuc.edu if a WiseGuy is unresponsive.