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Koofers.com: Take a look before you take the test
For most students, final exams can make or break a college semester. So to ensure he's prepared, Virginia Tech University senior John Politte pores over class notes, textbooks and, of all things, a copy of the test he is about to take.At the Blacksburg school, students call them "koofers." They're copies of professors' tests, quizzes and study guides that students keep and give to fellow students to use as study aids.
"If [professors] hand the tests back to you," Politte, 21, said, "then it's fair game."
While the practice of exchanging koofers used to be limited to dorm rooms and frat houses, the idea has since moved to the Web.
Koofers.com is the brainchild of Glynn LoPresti, Michael Rihani and Patrick Gartlan, graduates of Virginia Tech, where the term "koofers" was coined in the 1940s. The three launched the site 18 months ago and have seen business flourish, allowing them to set up shop this fall in an office in tech-heavy Reston.
The site works like this:
Students log on to the site for free. Once there, they can either upload old tests, quizzes and study guides onto the site, or search for ones already there.
Students also can critique courses and professors, or view grades given in a course they are planning to take.
"We are absolutely concerned about academic integrity," said LoPresti, 35, the company's chief executive officer, when asked if viewing koofers was considered academically honest.
"I've been asked is this is the end of the world of academics," the Ashburn resident added. "We don't help people cheat ... All we want is a level playing field for all students."
Fairfax's Gartlan, 24, the company's chief technology officer, said students are not alone in their allegiance to Koofers.com. Even professors place items on the site to help students prepare for their classes, he said. "We want to create more relationships with teachers."
Rihani, 22, of Reston, Koofers.com's chief strategy officer, said that what the company offers is nothing new. Students were exchanging old tests and assignments long before the Web site came along.
"This stuff has always existed in fraternities," he said. "It gives you a good insight in how a professor teaches."
The company, which makes most of its money by selling space on its site to advertisers, has introduced Koofers.com to nearly 30 universities across the country. In December, it secured $500,000 in venture capital to expand further.
So far, LoPresti said, most professors have been receptive when he visited their universities.
However, he added, "If you have been using the same test for the past 10 years, then you're not going to be happy when we show up at your school."
Contact the reporter at jjacks@timespapers.com
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