Seeking tutoring or help in high school often carries a stigma, even though asking for help is essential to growth and development among students. And many low-income and first-generation students don’t have the social capital to know what to ask for. I am familiar with this challenge as a first-generation, low-income student myself. As such, I was curious about UPchieve, a free tutoring platform founded by Aly Murray, which supports low-income students applying to college. A former low-income student, Murray understands the challenges that can arise when students do not have essential resources. She said, “I wanted to provide tutoring and college counseling to underserved students—resources I wished I had when I was growing up.”
Murray’s experiences shaped the creation and development of UPchieve. Despite excelling in math, Murray found navigating the college application process daunting. She shared, “My mother didn’t have the experience or capacity to help guide me through it.” Murray’s vision for UPchieve stemmed from a desire to prevent other students from facing similar hurdles.
One of the UPchieve platform’s key features is its accessibility. Students can connect with a tutor within five minutes; the platform is also available 24/7. This type of flexibility is essential for students who often do not have access to resources during traditional school hours or who lack stable internet connections. By tapping into a network of volunteer tutors, UPchieve offers support in over 30 subjects, including math, science, and the humanities.
According to Murray, human tutors are essential in providing personalized support. Despite rapid advancements in AI chatbots, she believes that human interaction remains critical to effective tutoring. “Students consistently see large gains in achievement when they receive high-dosage 1:1 support from a human,” she notes. Murray does acknowledge that AI can be a valuable tool for generating formulas or practice problems. Still, she argues it cannot replace a human tutor’s intuition, empathy, and warmth.
From Murray’s perspective, AI tutors cannot yet adjust to a student’s unique learning style. She is critical of the rush to AI-driven tutoring solutions, noting that “AI tutors today struggle with both accuracy and pedagogy. They are prone to confidently providing incorrect answers and explanations,” which human tutors can avoid as they can express doubt and revise their approach when needed.
Research supports Murray’s argument. Some studies show that students learn more by studying independently than by relying on AI platforms. Instead, Hybrid models, where AI complements rather than replaces human tutors, are more effective, according to recent research. Combining AI and human tutoring for low-performing students leads to better outcomes than using AI alone. Moreover, students often prefer human tutors even when the quality of AI assistance is perceived to be similar.
One of the ways UPchieve has grown its operations is through an innovative volunteer recruitment and retention strategy. Murray shared the challenge when volunteering: “Many Americans want to volunteer but can’t because they lack flexible, convenient ways to give back.” UPchieve has developed an on-demand volunteer model to address this challenge, allowing tutors to work within their schedules. Volunteers receive notifications when students need help, eliminating the need for long-term commitments or travel to physical locations. This flexibility makes UPchieve an attractive option for working professionals who want to contribute to their communities but cannot commit to a rigid volunteer schedule.
According to Murray, once tutors join the platform, the work keeps them engaged. UPchieve also fosters a sense of community through monthly virtual meetings and celebrations of volunteers’ contributions, but Murray believes that the most powerful motivator is the students themselves. “Helping a student to get unstuck from a math problem, build confidence ahead of a major test, or brainstorm essay ideas for their college app is gratifying work,” she explained. She added, “This sense of fulfillment drives over 90% of UPchieve’s volunteers to return after their first session.”
The success of UPchieve is reflected in its numbers, boasting 200,000 tutoring and college counseling sessions for over 20,000 students across all 50 states. Of these students, 97% reported improved grades, and many felt more confident working on advanced coursework. These outcomes are particularly significant for first-generation college students, who comprise 64% of UPchieve’s users.
According to Aaron Custodio, a student from Queens who used the platform for over 30 hours of college counseling, he was accepted to 19 colleges, including three Ivy League schools. He is currently a student at Yale University. In addition, Raisha, an 8th grader, raised her grades from the 70s to A’s after 100 tutoring sessions. These stories underscore the power of individualized, human-centered academic support.
As UPchieve expands, Murray envisions a future where AI plays a more significant role in complementing human tutors. While she remains committed to keeping human interaction at the core of UPchieve’s tutoring model, she acknowledges that AI could help check answers or guide students through problem-solving processes. However, she is adamant that human volunteers will remain a crucial platform component, particularly when motivating and engaging students.
UPchieve is focused on closing the opportunity gap for low-income students. By creating partnerships with schools and districts and raising awareness about its services, Murray wants to ensure that all students, regardless of socioeconomic background, have the tools they need to succeed.