Shmoop offers free study guides aimed at teens[3] on a range of subjects, including literature, biology, poetry, U.S. History, civics, financial literacy, and music.
The initial content, focused on a high school English curriculum, was provided by David, and converted into mobile app form by Ellen.
They converted Shmoop into a student-focused digital publishing company, hiring accredited authors, and installing Ellen as CEO and David as Chief Creative Officer respectively.
[10] By 2019, Shmoop was providing test preps and "digital curriculum" to more than 1,200 school districts in the United States;[11] the website's resources were being used by 16 million teachers and students monthly.
[21] Quoting Carl Fisher, the chair of the comparative world literature and classics department of California State University, Long Beach, Shmoop was also criticized by The New York Times for the irreverent tone it employs in its study guides: "'It makes an interesting attempt to be hip,' he said, 'but it is just so high school-y.