Or consider a young college freshman who needs to learn about local resources in her new world, to help on her academic journey.
With these kinds of young adults in mind, eight-year Moss Beach resident Phil Griffiths and Javi Mendezona, who was raised on the Coastside, are launching StuVu (as in Student View), a free online service that makes information about colleges a keystroke away.
 Phil Griffiths, left, and Javi Mendezona sit at the tools of their trade in their new online business, StuVu, which offers students a close look at college courtesy their peers. |
He describes StuVu, which launched as a test in October, as a work in progress that is growing as fast as information pours in. Through photos, videos and reviews written by students, former students and others familiar with the schools and their communities, browsers can easily access information to help them form their own report card about the colleges.
As of mid-November, StuVu carried information on 6,667 public and private two-year and four-year colleges and universities, online and actual vocational schools and graduate programs in the United States. The information covers academic and other facilities, housing, public transportation, jobs, surrounding community information – even popular restaurants — and more.
Prospective students can use the site to search for information according to geographical location, fields of study, or even if their SAT scores fall within acceptance range.
Unlike conventional university sites, StuVu reviews are the pertinent voices of peers. One video tours a California Polytechnic University dorm; the camera meanders around the rooms and checks out the kitchen facilities, bedrooms and common room while a young narrator points out features of interest to new students. Others explore surrounding communities.
The reviews don’t have to come from students, say Griffiths and Mendezona, 23. They need only be valid, free of obscenity and honest.
“We want people to say things like, the library sucks or the computers are outdated,” said Griffiths. “We’re giving the true student view. Schools can use the information too,” to improve.
The site evolved through a kind of cutting-edge rags-to-riches tale.
Mendezona grew up on the Coastside and attended local schools, graduating from Half Moon Bay High in 2003 and California Polytechnic University this year with a degree in computer science. Griffiths grew up in Cupertino and earned a degree in graphic design from De Anza College. He and Mitone Mendezona married in July 2000 and decided to raise their children – now 6 and 2 – on the coast.
In late summer 2007, Griffiths was the creative director of a San Francisco startup company, Mendezona was a summer intern, and both were bored. But they had noticed online sites like YouTube springing up everywhere.
“We figured that was the trend,” and that a niche market might be profitable, said Griffiths. “Why not have (a site) people could share with other students?”
StuVu pulls its information from aggregated sources, though videos and photos tend to be grassroots-generated. It has no direct connections with the schools. Limited advertising plus commissions from leads generate income.
Both men are excited about the growing field of cyber-employment. “Anybody with a laptop can start a business,” said Mendezona.
“For us, especially with the YouTube generation of people putting up photos who want their content out there, it’s all about accessibility,” said Griffiths.
StuVu is not full-time now and the pair say they are realistic about its potentials: if it takes off, it could be self-supporting, said Griffiths, but if not, they’re ready. Mendezona is a sales support engineer for salesforce.com and Griffiths is a freelance Web designer with CreativeKick.
“Neither of us can afford not to have another job,” said Griffiths.
They also have high hopes: to expand to Canada and the United Kingdom, and benefit from a small corps of interns who promote the site. Griffiths and Mendezona serve as moderators for it.
StuVu can be accessed at www.stuvu.com.
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