I think this sux for one major reason: why the hell didn't she just tell you that she felt she should be graduated? I for one really appreciate your advice- like I've told you , you are the first person of your generation that I take advice from seriously! Don't take it too personally. people have issues!

I agree that those enrolled in classes should not be able to request status upgrade, it would be nice if the system was set up so that if they are currently enrolled, they would need a mentor's approval. It would also be nice if you had to get approval for cancelling a class, as well. Especially if you are still a basic reviewer. If there's a reason why you would want to, I don't see any reason why you couldn't just talk to your mentor and tell them what you are not getting out of the program. That would be the mature thing to do, and both parties could come to an agreement.

Though I have to admit, I did submit a request during the time I was Ryu's student (sorry again for that!) but it was because I was totally confused about how that worked. I searched high and low for answers, but the information was so scattered and I was not told that I would become an advanced reviewer after graduation. I also had no clue about the $25 gift card, so I felt bad about that as well. All I could find was that being an advanced reviewer would allow me to be able to apply for buyout assignments, which I still wanted Ryu's help with, and filing for an upgrade was the way to get that.

That said, I know some of the others out there were probably misinformed as I was/unable to find answers.

I'm sorry that this happened to you, Ryu. You are a truly awesome mentor and I'm upset that you could not be rewarded for all of your hard work, and instead was cheated. Dealing with people is hard - this is like any other job that revolves around doing so. You just have to grin and bear it, because you did the best you could and difficult people will never go away. They are usually only difficult because they are having problems within themselves, not because your quality of service is the fault (in most cases, at least, and definitely in yours).

I agree with this very much, mostly about Ryuson being an amazing mentor! But also that perhaps when a student is in a class, they should not be able to submit a request. But then again, it would be the same thing since she dropped out of class to submit the request.

Personally, I think you should have to take one class to become a mentor. I think you should go to JR or another Eden hierarchy and see what they think. I remember when I was first on here, I didn't really know how this went, so I submitted a request before I even truly understood the Mentor Program.

I'm sorry you put in all that effort and got jipped Ryuson.

I'm not a mentor (for reasons that have everything to do with time to everything mentioned in this thread) but I agree with everything Kindred said and numbered.

We have been kindly asking that the system NOT allow people who are enrolled in the Mentor Program be allowed to go up for an independent vote for ages and nothing has happened. Also, it seems like the same 2 or 3 people vote for ALL the people who ask for an upgrade. Do these voters NOT know read most of these reviews? I've seen maybe 2 or 3 people who have gone up for a vote in the 2 years I've been here, who I think should have been upgraded without a Mentor Program graduation. BUT, a few members of our community, for reasons unknown (because they never answer) vote EVERYONE and anyone in, even when the reviews shown are unreadable.

In addition to Kindred's list I suggest

Why not only allow each member to only vote on 2 upgrades a month? No more. That might help this problem.... and NO points for voting to upgrade people.

It's as frustrating as hell.

Just to clarify, there are no points associated with voting on an upgrade. The contributors doing the voting are doing so for reasons other than points.

See, that is why I don't want to mention it to a student. I don't want them to apply for voting when they are taking a class from me but I'm too worried that IF I mention that option that they will go do it.

THANK YOU--for the excellent ideas!!

Oh. I didn't know that. Probably I didn't know this because I rarely, if ever vote someone an upgrade. Maybe then make it only possible to vote 2 upgrades or so a month, after that, the button doesn't work. That will prevent the few who abuse the system from continuing to do so.

What reasons would a few have for voting for every single person who asks for an upgrade? I mean, you might not know. I certainly have NO idea.

I had someone that I messaged back and forth quite a bit, I even requested a toy for them to review and they got it. A month later, nothing, they stopped replying to my emails (alongside of making excuses for why they haven't reviewed yet or sent me a review). I got my hopes up and was so excited to help someone as well as the GC because I had something I wanted to use it toward. I take my time to write out detailed messages to people then they just drop off the face of Earth. I was really recently upset by the person I requested a toy for. It pissed me off that I had EF send them something worth like $20 for free and they can't even have the decency to atleast write ONE review for it and then drop off the radar. I feel like it makes me look bad for excitedly asking for a product for someone that doesn't follow through. I thought maybe they wanted to get in the easier way by votes and have kept an eye out, nothing, no activity on their profile either. It just really sucks.

I don't get it either. I rarely vote for anyone's upgrade unless I read their reviews and they don't need a mentor because they write EU reviews right away. I think they need to change the requirement for requesting your upgrade. 2 reviews is not enough. I like that there is a way around the mentor program, because not everyone wants to join the program and not everyone needs it. That is fine. However, the bar is set far to low.

They don't have to be 2 decent reviews just 2 reviews. You can write 2 300 word reviews within a few hours. The minimal amount of reviews for an upgrade should change to something more than 2.

I'm sorry this has happened to you Ryuson! I haven't had this happen but I have had issues with mentoring. I agree with others. The option to fail someone at any time should be available. I also agree, if someone is a student they shouldn't be able to request the upgrade. It should be blocked. I try to express to my students who don't have an upgrade that I can request items for them. They do get their upgrade, but after graduation. If they don't have the upgrade and write at least one review in my class I will request the item for them, but if they have the upgrade they can request their own items. I tell them that this stops me from having proper payment and in the end you make out better if you allow me to request the items for you. They seem to understand this. It's just a matter of getting them to review that item. I've had two that never did.

These are really great suggestions and I support them wholeheartedly. I hope that these can be implemented.

For Edens sake, they really need to be more strict, because people are greatly abusing the system. They are losing money, etc, when people are falling off of the face of the earth and not writing reviews for free products. We work to earn our points and free products, and it's not fair when other users are getting upgraded after putting very little effort, or are cheating mentors out of their payment. It is time consuming, just like a job, and not a game.

Perhaps another way to limit the undeserved upgrades is to increase the number of votes needed to move up. Another suggestion, and I hate to say this because it excludes some folks, is that those who vote should be of a certain rank or mentors themselves since they would have a better idea of who is ready to be upgraded without a graduation from class.

Aw! Ryuson, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I can tell that you are a kick ass mentor! I always read your reviews and you put A LOT into it. I am 100% sure that you put that same very hard work into your students as you do your own reviews.

I hate that that happened. When I signed up to have a mentor, she asked that I not upgrade. I didn't even know what that meant at the time, but I was careful not to click anything that said upgrade. Lol. She was up front and honest and I have a feeling that worked with her other students as well.

The problem is this: people carelessly upgrade. Due to mentors being "duped" by students, I completely quit voting to upgrade anybody. I simply won't do it no matter what now. I don't want to be part of the reason some hard working mentor gets screwed out of their points. I don't know who does the voting and why they don't bother to vote with morals, but it's wrong to just upgrade everybody. Many of them do need A LOT of work, like you said and they shouldn't be upgraded anyway. Either the upgrading needs to be changed or they need to start upping the number of votes you need to become advanced. Maybe make it 20 votes and it'll cut down some.

My advice is to do what my mentor did. When they request you, be upfront and say "I'd be happy to mentor you. I only ask that you don't request to be upgraded while in my class." I don't understand why the person wants an upgrade and wants to cancel the class when they know they are not even ready? Well, I suppose it's to get to the "top" quicker. Nobody wants to be patient or even care if they're ready or not, they just want to become advanced in hopes to soon become a mentor, editor, etc.

Last month I had someone ask to be my student. I said yes and guess what? They did not want to write reviews! They asked me right away "how do I be an editor? Will you tell the others that I'm good and should be an editor? I don't want to write reviews unless I have to to be an editor. Will you help me be one?" I was honestly angry. I felt used and it felt unfair. Some of us have worked HARD (rather than only worrying about getting advanced) to make it to the mentor/editor program and then people come along and want to be advanced, become a mentor or editor without putting effort in at all. It blows my mind. I'm like, you can't even write a review and you wanna be an editor?!

In my opinion, you put the work in, Ryuson and you deserve your points. I wish you were able to get your payment for your work. I think changes are in order because this happens all the time.

It was really nasty and wrong of her to not even tell you that she was going to go be voted in. At the very least, she could have been honest with you. It's not fair for mentors to be used like that. I wish I had advice for you on how to approach it, but the only thing I know to do is from now on, tell them up front. I wonder if you could send a message and explain the entire thing to an admin, just bring up your concerns. I mean, it's happening to the mentors daily at this point so it's understandable to complain. Maybe send a message and show them all the work you've put in. Surely something could be done about this.

So sorry to comment again, but I had the same problem! I've had several students who will not get back to me at all! I don't know what to do. I message them, nothing. Some are active on the site, and one recieved her free assignment and will not get back to me or even start a review! That needs to be addressed too. I thought I was the only that had this situation. I wondered how long would be fair before cancelling the class with the students. I've had them for a few months! I just wanted to wait in case something big had come up like an emergency, but I agree, it's a pain!