Mytonomy is a social network that facilitates near-peer mentoring on topics like colleges, majors and careers. Launched in April 2011, the free site features more than 1,800 short videos - organized by topic and question - that connect advice givers with advice seekers.
Mytonomy - a play on the word "autonomy" - primarily serves students between the ages of 14 and 25. Video topics are varied and include students' advice on the college application process, opinions on dorm life or sports culture at specific colleges and explanations of why students choose to pursue particular majors.
Most of the contributors are college students, especially because the site has spread through high schools' alumni networks.
The site can be a valuable asset to a high school student. In part, this is because Mytonomy's reliance on student voices that make the site reliable.
Because Mytonomy uses personal video testimonies, it lacks the element of anonymity found on similar sites like College Prowler or College Confidential.
Anonymity at similar sites often leads to inaccurate information and negative or unhelpful comments, co-founder Bhargava told Next Generation Journal.
"Video is a hurdle that filters out a lot of troublemakers," he said. "We have the least amount of content, but I would argue that we have the highest quality content."
Mytonomy already has one of the web's largest collections of video content on STEM majors, he said.
With professional content, Bhargava said, a young user can easily see every step of a career path, from the classes required in college to advice on getting an internship to a description of the actual job.
A new version of Mytonomy, scheduled to launch this summer, will also make this easier, Bhargava said. The new version will have more social media features, allowing users to follow specific contributors. This, in turn, will easily show a contributor's progress toward a desired career.
