Dive Brief:
- Upswing, an Austin-based online tutoring company with a stronghold in North Carolina, just got a $50,000 influx thanks to investment by Charlotte Angel Fund.
- Upswing’s focus is decreasing student attrition at the community college level, and its services are available to 55,000 students across seven North Carolina schools, according to a Charlotte Angel Fund announcement.
- Upswing was launched in 2013 and has grown quickly, pushed ahead by positive reviews from students and an increasing number of community colleges switching from their original tutoring services, the announcement said.
Dive Insight:
Colleges and universities lose billions of dollars every year because of student attrition. When students don’t come back, the investments in the early part of their education end up being for nothing. At the same time, students who spend much of their short-lived college careers in remedial classes get very little from the experience. Companies like Upswing that provide online tutoring services and keep students on track could end up being worth far more than they charge for their services. Many colleges and universities are already finding reasons to expand campus tutoring programs, justifying cost savings in tuition with direct reinvestment in the student support.