College guidance should not cost a semester of room & board

By the numbers

160,000

Students that admit to having used a college advisor in high school

$200/hr

Average hourly rate of a college advisor

$6,069

Average price paid for Independent Educational Consultants (IECs)

Cohort gives you 10x the value for 1/10 the price

For the Class of 2024 (Seniors)

Senior Fall ‘23

$100/mo

What you can accomplish with Cohort:

  • Strategize compelling essays

  • Prepare for college interviews

  • Compare financial aid offers

  • Choose the right college for your future

  • …and much more!

From September to February:

  • 2-hour virtual group sessions each month

  • 10-15 seniors per Cohort supporting one another

  • 1 near-peer mentor leading each Cohort

  • 2 hours of optional Office Hours every week

  • 6 months of access to Cohort resources

For the Class of 2025 (Juniors)

Junior Spring ‘24

$100/mo $75/mo*

What you can accomplish with Cohort:

  • Build exciting college lists

  • Find academic, cultural, and financial fit

  • Write, revise, and perfect college essays

  • Form nuanced application strategies

  • …and much more!

From March to August:

  • 2-hour virtual group sessions each month

  • 10-15 juniors per Cohort supporting one another

  • 1 expert mentor leading each Cohort

  • 2 hours of optional Office Hours every week

  • 6 months of access to Cohort resources

*Register by Jan. 15, 2024 to secure the Early Registration rate. Submit a pay what you can request if affordability is a constraint.

Mentor spotlight

  • Kian, Harvard '19

    After studying Neurobiology at Harvard, Kian advised Fortune 500 companies through his consulting work at Bain & Company. He went on to help scale a rapidly growing New York charter school before joining Cohort. Kian is an active member of the IECA. He cares deeply about improving the lives of others and is excited to support you all!

  • Diana, Stanford '18

    Diana was premed at Stanford and did her Master's in health policy. After working for the Chinese Ministry of Health, she thought she wanted to do medicine. But after trying a bunch of things, Diana realized she'd always loved teaching and being a part of the community. She's really excited to help others figure out their way, and can't wait to meet her Cohort!

  • Austin, WashU '21

    Austin studied Economics, Global Studies, and Spanish at Washington University in St. Louis. He then pursued a Master’s in Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from WashU’s Olin Business School. After university, he worked on Diversity & Inclusion projects at the Boston Consulting Group. Growing up as a low-income Latino, he is excited to bring Cohort’s knowledge to students from all walks of life!

  • Cairo, UCSD '22

    Cairo studied Mathematics and Computer Science while at UCSD. He’s now been working as a Product Analyst at a financial technology company for the past year. He originally attended Rice University, but then attended community college so that he could transfer to UCSD. He’s excited to share his experience and all of his lessons learned!

  • Sim, SCAD '17

    Sim graduated from SCAD with a BFA in Graphic Design and went on to become a UI/UX Designer for various tech companies around the world. She grew up in Thailand and India and went through the rigorous international student college application process and understands how painful it can be. She is excited to help ease her fellow international students' application experiences as well as mentor prospective art school applicants.

  • Aren, Harvard '19

    Aren graduated Harvard in 2019 with a degree in Economics. He went on to management consulting at the Boston Consulting Group, where he worked before deciding to enter the world of startups. He’s quite motivated by big ideas, but he’s even more motivated by helping others!

  • Sophia, Swarthmore '20

    After much deliberation, Sophia settled on attending Swarthmore College, where she graduated with a degree in Peace and Conflict Studies and Psychology in 2020. She has since been working in investigations & intelligence at a New York-based risk management firm. She is excited to meet you all and help de-stress the college admissions process!

  • Dante, Princeton '21

    Dante attended Princeton University where he graduated with a degree in history in 2022. He now works for a policy nonprofit which advocates for de-asphalting and greening schoolyards. He spends his free time tutoring, printing photos and processing film in the darkroom, fixing watches and cameras, running, and riding public transit. He's excited to share his perspective on the college application process and guide students towards making well-informed decisions.

  • Hillman, Harvard '19

    Hillman graduated from Harvard in 2019 with a degree in Earth Science. For the past four years, he has lived in Los Angeles, pursuing a career in screenwriting. He has also spent this time helping high school students write their college essays, and he’s enthusiastic about taking the anxiety out of college admissions.

FAQs

  • We have an extremely generous pay-what-you-can option for those who are experiencing financial hardship. If this applies to you, let us know when you sign up through this form.

    Additionally, Cohort is a fraction of the price of traditional 1:1 college counseling! Our group model allows us to both deliver world-class expertise at an accessible price point AND facilitate connection between students going through the process.

  • Our Junior Spring program covers all aspects of the admissions process, from building college lists to knowing how to submit your applications.

    Senior Fall first focuses on getting applications over the finish line, including topics like supplemental essays and college interviews. Starting in January, our attention shifts to how evaluate financial aid awards and choosing the right college based on students’ individual needs.

  • From March to August, we will cover every aspect of the college admissions process. This includes finding the right schools for the college list, writing college essays, determining application strategies, and actually submitting applications through platforms like the Common App. By the end of August, students should know which schools they are applying to and have the much of their applications finished.

    Contact a mentor if you would like to learn more about the program!

  • September to December, we will address application strategy, writing supplements, college interviews, and all the other nitty-gritty up until students press “submit application.” January through February, we’ll talk about strategies for choosing the right college and evaluating financial aid offers.

    Contact a mentor if you’d like to learn more about the program!

  • We offer college counseling, Office Hours, and group discussions, all of which are tailored to the specific needs of the students within the group. We will cover a wide range of topics, including college research, financial aid, standardized tests, college essays, and more.

    Counseling will consist of a preliminary assessment of where students are in the process and regular group sessions guiding students through each step of college admissions. Students will emerge from the sessions well-informed and well-prepared.

    Office Hours, held weekly, are a chance for Cohort mentees to ask any question in an open forum with their mentors. Students will have 2 hours of guaranteed, live access to their mentor on a weekly basis.

    Mentors also facilitate group discussions to talk about pressing issues, like navigating high school, worries for college, or anything else!

  • There will be 2 hours of live programming each month that students are required to attend. The weekly Office Hours are an additional resource that all students are encouraged to take advantage of.

  • This program is for all US-based high school juniors and seniors looking to apply to multiple colleges. You will thrive in Cohort if you are able to complete tasks on time and enjoy intimate group settings.

  • You should contact our Fall 2023 Cohort lead mentor, Kian. You can schedule time to speak with him here.