Curious Cardinals matches kids aged 8-18 with inspiring university mentors from top schools to:
Our mentors
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Your child is smart and driven, maybe even ahead in math. But right now, they are:
You don’t need another tutor, test-prep plan, or resume strategist.
You need someone who can ignite your child’s potential—and help them build the kind of resume that speaks for itself.
Top performers have coaches. Your child deserves the same.
From Olympians to CEOs, no one reaches their potential alone.
Curious Cardinals mentors are the catalysts that help your child dream bigger, follow through, and achieve something truly extraordinary. They:
Matthew D.
Matthew started his Curious Cardinals journey as an uninspired 10th grader. Over the course of 2 years, he created his own video game (Multiverse Mercenaries), learning everything from coding to character design, marketing, and music production with the help of his CC mentors. He’s now a confident freshman studying Computer Science and Game Design at U of Michigan, and in his own words, “It wouldn’t have been possible without Curious Cardinals.”
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Elise L.
Elise began with Curious Cardinals as a shy 8th grader. With her mentor’s help, Elise discovered her passion for feminism and developed her Passion Project, Maud the Blog, telling the stories of inspiring women in fashion. Starting her first year at Cornell soon, Elise is now a determined, self-assured leader and feminist fashion icon in the making.
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Scarlett S.
Scarlett joined CC as a busy Junior with a ton of seemingly disjointed interests, seeking a project that would combine all her passions and help her stand out from peers. Scarlett’s mentor helped her found Under the Same Sky, a global community which connects people from all around the world via shared experiences and topics (like mental health) called “constellations”.
View Case Study
Picture your student here
What will your child’s Curious Cardinals success story look like? With a Curious Cardinals mentor by their side, here’s no limit to what your child can accomplish.
Get Started
We guide students to compete and win in prestigious STEM competitions, enhancing their academic and professional profiles.
Not just tutors teaching subjects, but accomplished students from top universities who remember exactly what your child is going through—from AP stress to college applications. They guide your child in building something meaningful while managing their busy schedule.
One hour per week, virtual sessions that fit your family's schedule, and the freedom to focus on what matters most to your child - whether that's diving deep into a passion project or combining it with academic support.
Clear milestones, weekly updates, and tangible achievements you can track. No more wondering if time and money are being well spent. Most students complete their first significant project within 3-6 months.
Our mentors are Olympians, Rhodes scholars, class presidents, team captains, award winners, and fellowship recipients. With 650+ mentors from the world’s top schools on our roster, we will match your child with an inspiring role model who has been in their shoes and can pave a path to follow.
subscription
$380
(4) one-hour sessions
billed monthly
We’re confident in the value we provide, which is why we offer a 100% money-back guarantee. If after 2 weeks of working with Curious Cardinals you’re not completely satisfied, we’ll give you a full refund — no questions asked.`
Find your perfect match
We pair your child with a mentor from a top school who shares their interests and understands their busy schedule. Whether your child loves soccer, Taylor Swift, fashion, or video games, we handpick a mentor they can see themselves in and be inspired by. We personalize a learning plan for each student based on their superpowers and needs.
Choose your path
From "I have no idea" to "I know what I want," mentors guide students in discovering and developing their unique interests. Your child's journey begins with exploration and evolves into a concrete plan for turning their passions into a deliverable.
Build an impactful project
Students transform their interests into concrete achievements that make a real impact. Over 6-12 months, they progress from initial concept to polished final project—whether that's breakthrough research, an award-winning digital platform, or a global nonprofit— opening doors to recognition, awards, internships and leadership roles.
See real progress
Every mentorship adheres to a consistent structure, a clear roadmap, and proven teaching principles. You will receive weekly session notes and data-driven insights as well as quarterly progress reports.
I still remember staring at that blank piece of paper.
It was my freshman year, and I had just been cut from the academy soccer team. My "perfect" plan was shattered. Like many students, I had no idea what made me unique.
Sound familiar?
Maybe your child is:
▸ Getting good grades but missing that "spark"
▸ Struggling to find their "thing" that makes them stand out
▸ Doing all the right activities but lacking passion
▸ Following the standard playbook but blending in with thousands of others
Here's what nobody tells you: Real standout achievements don't come from following a template. They come from finding that sweet spot where passion meets impact.
I discovered this by accident. That blank paper became Soles4Good — a nonprofit that's now transformed lives across multiple countries. Not because I was trying to "build my resume," but because I found something that truly mattered to me.
Today, I watch the same transformation happen with our students:
▸ A gaming enthusiast who built an 8,000-download educational app
▸ A fashion lover who launched a sustainable clothing movement
▸ A coding beginner who created accessibility software for their grandmother
These aren't just impressive achievements. They're authentic stories that set students apart. That's why we built our Passion Project program at Curious Cardinals.
We pair your child with extraordinary mentors from Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and Yale who:
▸ Have built their own successful ventures
▸ Know how to turn interests into impact
▸ Understand what top schools really look for
▸ Can guide your child from idea to execution
Because here's the truth: Colleges don't want to see another "volunteer project" or "leadership position." They want to see what makes your child uniquely them.
Your child has that spark. They just need the right guidance to turn it into something extraordinary.
Ready to help them stand out?
Stay Curious,
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Have questions? We’re here to help.
Our community of over 600 mentors hail from the top universities in the nation and are the best-of-the-best – think class presidents, Rhodes Scholars, Fulbright Scholars, and more! We have a rigorous vetting, recruiting, and interviewing process whereby we evaluate mentors' passion, depth of expertise, professionalism, ability to make concepts intelligible, as well as their emotional intelligence. Throughout the process, we ensure mentors are not only top-tier teachers who can meet students where they're at, but also relatable and empathetic individuals who can identify with students' struggles and provide the necessary support and encouragement to be there for them.
Beyond this, our onboarding process trains mentors to lead and drive sessions, our Education team equips mentors with resources and curricula to lead engagements successfully, and our Student and Mentor Success teams check in to ensure sessions are meaningful and meet expectations. We’re confident that our mentors are not only people your student will enjoy learning from, but are also positive role models they’ll want to emulate.
We pride ourselves on finding the “magic match” for your student. We aim to find a mentor that aligns with your student’s personality, interests, and mentor preferences. If it doesn’t feel like a great match, please share your feedback so we can understand what went wrong. From there, we’ll thoughtfully source a new mentor and make a rematch.
Note: If you are a Curious Cardinals subscriber, we will refund that first session as it is during the trial/evaluation period.
You can schedule time directly on your mentor’s calendar using our Easy Scheduling feature! We recommend you work with your student’s mentor to identify the best recurring weekly time. Your student’s mentor can also schedule, cancel, and reschedule sessions easily on the CC platform.
Our usual offering is primarily virtual, which allows us to find the best person in the world for your student with no geographical constraints. Students and parents also appreciate the convenience and comfort of digital learning, especially for neurodivergent students who prefer to learn in their own space. Our education team equips mentors with tools and resources to make lessons interactive and engaging, so your student will be excited to join their sessions.
Note: Students who live near our major university hubs (such as the Bay Area, NYC, etc.) may meet in-person with their mentors. Please speak with our team to discuss what’s possible for your student.
We offer two clear tracks your student can pursue: academic mentorship or passion project mentorship.
Academic Mentorship: Whether it’s making a subject finally make sense, or getting ahead in an area your student is already competent in, our mentors can infuse new purpose and joy into reaching your student’s academic goals. Mentors can also work with students on soft skills like executive function, interviewing, college essay prep, and more.
Passion Project Mentorship: Not sure what your student is passionate about? We believe the best way to learn is by doing! A mentor can help your student explore areas of interest with meaningful deliverables and goals along the way to finding their ‘thing’. Similarly, if your student has a wide variety of interests that are seemingly disconnected, a mentor can help them bring those passions together in a cohesive, meaningful project.
You can speak with our team to receive personalized recommendations for your student.
After the first session, we check in with our parents, students, and mentors to ensure a great fit. If the first session doesn’t go well, we ask for your feedback to assess, rematch, and re-engage – we can’t fix what we’re not aware of!
Note: Under our subscription model, you will have a 2-week evaluation period to ensure your student and their mentor “click” before transitioning into your subscription. Learn more about our subscription model here.
At Curious Cardinals, we prioritize building strong, lasting relationships between students and mentors. This holistic approach is crucial for outstanding results, but even more than that, allows for deep transformation in the way students approach learning and personal growth. With that in mind, engagements are usually 6+ months and are not dependent upon a traditional school calendar.
Students can work with mentors throughout the school year and the summer, pivoting as needed to keep them most engaged and productive. Mentees may always work with multiple mentors or transition to new mentors as their needs and goals change. Many of our mentees have stayed with us through middle school to college acceptance!
We are not here to just help your student pass Friday’s test – we’re here to guide your student in becoming their best, most confident self.
We’ve learned that the most impactful and transformative mentorships happen when pairs meet at a consistent weekly cadence, at least 1-2 hours per week. You can add additional sessions as needed and easily reschedule sessions using our Easy Scheduling feature, or by communicating with your student’s mentor.
The amount of time a student spends working outside of sessions may vary depending on the type of mentorship. For example, students on a passion project track may work on writing a blog outside of sessions, which they later review and edit with their mentor.
Students meet weekly with their mentors one-on-one for typically an hour. For students in 4th grade or under, and those with learning differences, we may suggest starting off with 30-minute sessions and working up to an hour.
While consistency is key, you can schedule longer or shorter sessions to meet your child’s needs; for example, a longer session for extra help preparing for a test, or a shorter session to quickly review a concept or brainstorm.
We're proud to support students in grades K-12! Our education model, delivered through 1:1 virtual mentorship, is especially impactful for ages 10+.
Mentor capacity is limited. Fill out the booking form so we know you’re interested.
Find a mentor
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