What is Flashnotes?
What college student doesn’t want more money in their pocket? If you’ve job hunted on campus, every year the number of open jobs seems to decrease. As we battle out our fellow students in what turns into an application deathmatch, do you ever wonder if there is a better way? Do you ever just hope that you could be paid for doing what you do best, being a student? In 2009, Mike Matousek, then a junior at Kent State University, thought the exact same thing. That’s why he co-founded Flashnotes, where the average student makes $31/hr for taking notes in class.
How does it work?
It sounds a little too good to be true, right? We thought the same thing! Who is the person paying us to go to class to take notes? Essentially, we are paying ourselves. Flashnotes is a student-to-student study materials marketplace. It allows students to buy and sell course specific study materials. This includes: study guides, notes, flashcards, video tutorials and even live video help. In other words, it’s a tutoring program that we control. Unlike our current system, you do not have to fail a class in order to get a tutor. Nor do you have to wait for a TA session to have a peer answer your burning questions.
Is this good for me?
In this unique system, everyone wins. If you’re great at Chemistry, for example, you can live video assist ten students without leaving your bedroom. That means more people to help and more money in your pocket. If you’re someone who never had to study for a test until you came to Amherst and struggle in knowing how to “do the study,” this system benefits you as well. Students who neatly organize their notes or love to create study guides would be willing to sell it to you for as low as $3. That’s less than an Antonio’s slice, and you won’t regret purchasing this at 2 am.
Typical Concerns
Now, we all signed the honor code and Amherst does not tolerate plagiarism. You may wonder if sharing notes in this manner would be considered cheating. Actually, it’s not! In the same way your tutor or TA assists you, sellers on Flashnotes will be doing the exact same. Flashnotes has minused the awkwardness of asking a talented stranger for assistance. Flashnotes also monitors content to ensure students do not share material that may be considered cheating (eg. pictures of exams) and will remove material immediately. Lastly, they read and respond to DMCA, Digital Millenium Copyright Act, complaints. This also doesn’t allow for students share material that is not completely their own.
For monetary concerns, Flashnotes allows for sellers to keep 70% of their asking price. Flashnotes will refund unsatisfied buyers 100% with no questions asked. This makes the process safe for everyone.
If you would like to learn more about Flashnotes, you should check out their website. Whether you want to make money or fully grasp your college experience (or both!), Flashnotes may just be what you have been waiting for.