We prepare the next generation for college and everything that follows.
Who we are
Cohort is a modern guidance platform reimagining how students prepare for college and launch their careers. Founded in 2022, we’ve helped hundreds of students from every background gain clarity, confidence, and control over their futures.
Who we support
Whether you’re a 9th grader figuring out what excites you, a rising senior building your college list, or a college student seeking your first internship, Cohort is here to help you make your next move with purpose. We support students virtually across the US and internationally with a focus on American universities.
Why Cohort
We believe that great guidance should be inspiring, not intimidating. That’s why we combine expert mentorship, powerful technology, and a deeply human approach to meet students where they are—and help them get to where they want to go.
Our platform closely tracks students’ every step, allowing us to proactively suggest next steps and provide resources to help accomplish those goals. Our students emerge confident about their process and excited for their next challenge!
Meet our founders
Kian Simpson
Kian studied neurobiology and economics at Harvard, drawn to understanding how people learn, grow, and make decisions.
He began his career at Bain & Company, where he advised enterprise tech clients and diligenced impact investments. After Bain, he joined Zeta Charter Schools—one of New York’s fastest-growing charter networks—where he built systems to help teachers collaborate and deliver rigorous curriculum at scale. Since high school, he has mentored students through college and career.
Kian is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and holds a certificate in college counseling from the University of California San Diego.
His work on Cohort is rooted in a core belief: that every student deserves access to real guidance, meaningful mentorship, and the chance to define success on their own terms. Cohort is his answer to what the college admissions process should be—affordable, ambitious, and human.
Caden Mackenzie
Caden is a software engineer and educator who leads all things technical at Cohort. He’s passionate about building tools that make expert guidance more accessible to students and families—especially in moments that shape their future.
Caden began his career as a coding instructor, helping students around the world build real-world programming skills. He later led engineering teams focused on turning complex data into simple, actionable insights—experience he now brings to Cohort’s student-first platform. At Cohort, Caden builds the infrastructure that powers our curriculum, live workshops, and mentorship matching—ensuring every student gets the support they need, when they need it.
He believes that technology should amplify human connection, not replace it. That belief is at the core of how Cohort delivers smart, scalable, and deeply personalized college guidance.