UPchieve is a 100-percent free online tutoring and college counseling platform for high school students. The organization seeks to democratize access to academic support so all students can have an equal opportunity to finish high school and attend college. 

Whether you’re looking to get or offer tutoring, UPchieve offers not only a sharing of intellectual skills, but also a community of bright, passionate young individuals, sharpening one another for the better. 

How UPchieve Began

Aly Murray co-founded UPchieve because she herself went through the academic struggles that students from low-income families typically face. 

A second-generation immigrant raised by a single mother from Cuba, Murray had limited academic resources growing up. For her, the playing field wasn’t leveled. 

“There are a lot of things about my journey, where I look back and think, ‘Wow, these things were so much harder than they should have been,’ ” said Murray in an interview with the Pennsylvania Gazette. 

After graduating from UPenn and working on the trading floor at JP Morgan, Murray turned her own life story into a fuel for her passion to ensure students like her have the tools necessary for success. 

Free Tutoring and College Counseling for High School Students

UPchieve’s one-on-one tutoring and college counseling are available 24/7 on all devices to all students in the United States.  

There are over 10,000 online academic coaches certified to help in math, science, reading and writing, SAT exam prep, and college counseling.

Since 2016, UPchieve has matched more than 35,000 on-demand tutoring requests from more than 16,000 low-income high school students across all 50 states. 

High school students can create a free account and request help in a specific subject. In about 5-10 minutes, UPchieve will pair a student up with a certified tutor and a text notifying the match will be sent both ways. Once the request is accepted, an online lesson will commence in a virtual classroom.

To sign up for free tutoring and college counseling, check here. 

Note that UPchieve requires all volunteers to provide proof of identity and references and equips them with all the necessary training before they certify them as academic coaches. This way, all matches are kept safe and lessons are good quality. 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students

UPchieve envisions providing free tutoring and college counseling to 8 million low-income high school students in the United States by 2030. In order to do that, creating a pool of volunteers is key. 

As college students, volunteering with UPchieve lets you not only share your skills and give back, but also network with people from different career backgrounds and gain hands-on experience in skills that are in high demand in many industries.

Volunteers get to work directly with students who are motivated and willing to learn but can’t afford private tutoring or admissions consulting. Even a short 30-minute lesson might literally change these students’ life’s direction. 

One of the best things about UPchieve is that it made this great opportunity to make positive impacts on students’ lives so easy. 

All you need is a device that’s connected to good Wi-Fi. And you can select your availability from a 24/7 calendar, which can be updated as often as you want. If you have a busy week coming up, then just unselect all your availability and don’t pick up requests. 

Also, UPchieve tutors immediately get access to a private Slack community, which is essentially a pool of more than 10,000 smart and passionate young individuals with whom you can share, network and learn. 

Especially for college students interested in education, EdTech or academic counseling, this is a great way to sharpen your skills and broaden your interests as well. 

Upon signing up, all tutors complete the self-paced UPchieve 101 course, which will teach them everything they need to know to become an academic coach. And they’ll take certification quizzes on the subjects they want to tutor.  

Note that high school students who are more than 13 years old and can pass at least one of their certified quizzes can also volunteer as online coaches, although they will need a reference from a math or science teacher during the screening process.

To sign up as an academic coach, check here. 

For college students whose interests lie somewhere other than the fields mentioned above, you can still participate as UPchieve volunteer staff and not only help shape the organization’s growth, but also develop valuable professional skills and gain hands-on experience. 

Positions vary widely, from grant writer to graphic designer to web developer. From passionate undergrads to experienced professionals, if you can commit at least five hours per week, everyone’s welcome to apply. To look for available positions, check here. 

The last two years have shown us both the importance and the necessity of virtual tutoring services. So, whether as a student, an academic coach or a volunteering staff, joining UPchieve now is that much more exciting, timely and meaningful.

Follow UPchieve on TUN

Students can also follow UPchieve on TUN to get news and learn about free resources and volunteer opportunities!