Collaborative Prep: College Counseling For All

Boston-based Collaborative Prep is offering access to premiere college counseling for all students.

The Problem

Public High Schools in America have on average a 400:1 student to counselor ratio, meaning students get very limited time for college guidance across their four years of high school. With college admission becoming more and more competitive, many students find themselves lost in the application process, putting them at a severe disadvantage.

What The Company Does

Collaborative Prep is solving the issue of counselor scarcity by creating a virtual classroom to connect counselors and students. They are offering live, online group classes and 1–1 mentorship to help students and their families make informed, intentional decisions for life after high school. Their ultimate goal is to help families get the best ROI on their college plans.

Founding Team Background

Collaborative Prep’s founder, Raj Pandey, moved to the US when he was three. While applying to college, Raj found that it was hard to navigate a system that his parents hadn’t experienced. His counselor was helpful but super busy helping his whole class make college plans. He landed at Berkeley where he studied business. Upon graduation, he joined Teach for America and was placed in Baltimore, MD, completed a Masters in Education at Johns Hopkins and moved to the West Coast to cut his teeth in the tech start up world. The team has now landed in Boston and is excited to be in the best city in the country for education.

What They Need Help With

The team is currently interviewing potential users and forming focus groups to trial the product and get feedback. If any high school students or parents are interested in joining, please reach out to Sara duPont at sara@collaborativeprep.com. In return, the team is offering access to counselors, mentors and curriculum at no cost.

Subscribe To The Buzz To Get More Startups In Your Inbox