Our Beginnings

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, countless students across the country missed hundreds of hours of live instruction as schools shut down. Then juniors Bhuvana and Delia witnessed a steadily enlarging learning gap among their peers. Hoping to overcome the obstacles of virtual learning and the expensive cost of hiring private tutors, Bhuvana and Delia established Rochester Peer Tutoring (RPT), a peer-to-peer tutoring service that tutors students free of charge. Countless hours were spent planning the logistics of running an entirely virtual organization, and when the first applications came in September 2020, growth was rapid. As of 2025, RPT has served 245 tutees as far away as Texas and Oregon, and boasts 125 qualified tutors who have given more than 1550 hours towards the program.

WHAT DO WE DO?

Rochester Peer Tutoring (RPT) is a free peer-to-peer tutoring service that provides tutoring in a variety of subjects from Core Subjects to foreign languages and help with college essays. ​

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FAQ

Is tutoring really free?
Yes! All of our tutors volunteer their time to tutor in order for students to get the help they need free of charge.

What is the process to become a tutor?
To become a tutor, you first apply by filling out our tutor application either through the "Apply" section of our website, clicking the link in our social media accounts' bios, or through the Brighton Memorial Library website. Afterwards, you should get an email after a few days about scheduling an interview. For the interview, you will choose a topic beforehand from a list we will provide and the interviewer will give you a mock homework assignment to simulate how you would tutor someone. After the interview, you will receive an email if you got accepted and will be given further instructions about your role as a tutor.

Who can get tutoring?
Students grades 1-12 are eligible to be tutored. You do not have to live in Rochester or even New York to apply to be a tutee.

How can I get tutoring?
You can apply by filling out our tutee application either through the "Apply" section of our website, clicking the link in our social media accounts' bios, or by searching it up through the Brighton Memorial Library website. 

Where will tutoring take place?
​This year, tutees have the option of being tutored in-person at Brighton Memorial Library or through Zoom. If you apply to become a tutor, you can state whether you are comfortable tutoring in-person or only on Zoom.