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Student of Fortune is Like eBay for Homework

15 Sep


Student of Fortune
is not a joke or a scam. They’re a service that claims to be the eBay for homework and compares themselves to Yahoo Answers. However, there is a big difference between Yahoo Answers and Student of Fortune. Namely, money. People are actually making good money answering tough questions from students all over the globe.

If You Ask it They Will Answer
The heart of the service is the Post a Question form. This is where students post whatever tough question or homework assignment they have and the amount of money they are willing to pay for the answer. Eventually, if someone out there has the answer, the transaction is completed and the student gets their answer and the person who provided the information gets paid by Student of Fortune, which acts as the broker.

Knowledge is Cash
Many people, known as tutors, are generating decent revenue by simply selling the same answers repeatedly over and over again. They usually pick a topic that they’re proficient in and cover all questions in that subject matter.

There’s even a leaderboard that tracks those who’ve made the most money on the site.

Learning vs Earning
So who benefits the most from this site? Is it the student that actually learns the answers to their questions and completes their homework assignment instead of flunking it? Or is it the one that provides the answer and earns compensation for their effort? Or is it the service itself? What about everyone involved?

Here’s more information from an interview by Aaron Novak from Stickam at our SummerMash LA event.

Final Exam
Some people out there will undoubtedly have problems with this service and what it does. Some will question how ethical it is to allow students to “cheat” and pay someone to do their dirty work. Others will think it’s a good example of true American ingenuity.

What do you think? Is it right for students to buy answers this way? Please share your thoughts in the comments area. No, we will not pay you for that! ;)

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