How it works
A simple, human-centered process designed to find the best mentor for your student.
Tell us about your student
Share goals, interests, and preferences so we can find the right fit.
Get matched with a mentor
We pair your student with a relatable near-peer college mentor within 24–48 hours.
Start building a plan
Your student works 1:1 with their mentor to explore schools, build their list, and prepare.
Our approach
We believe the best guidance comes from people who've recently walked the same path.
Near-peer mentors
Current college students and recent grads who understand today's admissions landscape and can relate to your student's experience.
Identity-aware matching
We match based on goals, identity, and vibe — not just test scores. Your student gets a mentor who truly gets them.
Personalized guidance
Up to 24 one-on-one sessions per year. Real conversations about fit, applications, essays, and the stuff that really matters.
Matched within 24–48 hours
No waiting weeks. We move fast to match your student with the right mentor, so they can start building their plan immediately.
Mentors from 105+ universities
Our mentors come from top programs across the country and around the world.
What students say
"Pupil isn't just mentorship, it's the forging of a path that carries benefit beyond just college applications. The best way to survive a minefield is to know where the mines are, and mentors at Pupil have been in the spot of nearly every teen at least once in their lives. Pupil seems to have a solution to every issue I have in my high school to college journey, and it's refreshing to know I have this kind of support."
— Pupil Mentee
"What really stuck with me was how much I could relate to my mentor. We both come from similar backgrounds: first-generation, low-income, Latino students who were unfamiliar with the college application process and the challenges that came with it. Hearing his story and how he navigated everything made me feel understood and motivated, like I was looking at an alternate version of myself in the mirror."
— Pupil Mentee
"My favorite part about using Pupil is how easy it is to connect with mentors. I can talk casually with my mentor and get real, honest feedback from students at universities nationwide. I'd definitely recommend Pupil to other students as it's made a huge difference in my high school to college journey and how I feel going through the process."
— Pupil Mentee
"One piece of advice my mentor shared with me was that I'll be successful wherever I end up in college. It's just a matter of finding the right fit for me that will help be grow to the best of my abilities. This really relieved the stress of college applications, because instead of thinking of it as a sort of test, I started to think of it as finding a home. After all, it IS where I'll be spending 4 years of my life."
— Pupil Mentee
"My favorite part about using Pupil is the amount of stress it takes off. Pupil helped me through matching me with other mentors at schools of my interest. This has especially helped me when deciding the college that best fits ME. Instead of simply relying on a college's website, I get first hand information about things like student life, academic rigor, and details about my program of interest."
— Pupil Mentee