Question 1

What is Pathways?

Accepted Answer

Pathways is a free platform that gives every high school student equal access to real, firsthand guidance on college and careers. Students, professors, and admissions counselors share experience, connect as mentors, and answer questions in one focused space with no addiction loops.

Question 2

Is Pathways free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The core app, including the feed, search, connections, messaging, and profiles, is completely free with no premium tier. The only paid feature is Sage, an optional AI advisor, at $5 per month or $40 per year.

Question 3

How is Pathways different from a college counselor?

Accepted Answer

Private college counselors can cost $200 an hour. Pathways gives students the same kind of guidance for free, through real students who recently applied, verified professors, and admissions counselors, plus an optional AI advisor at $5 a month.

Question 4

Who can use Pathways?

Accepted Answer

Any student 13 or older, from 9th grade up. College students use it for peer mentorship, and educators, professors, and admissions counselors apply to be verified mentors, and a person checks each one against their institution's public directory before the badge appears.

Question 5

How does Pathways help low-income students?

Accepted Answer

Everything that matters is free: mentorship from people who have been there, college search, application advice, and scholarship posts. Students without private counselors or alumni networks get the same access as everyone else. Pathways never sells student data.

Question 6

What is Sage on Pathways?

Accepted Answer

Sage is the AI college and career advisor built into Pathways. It is personalized to your grade, school, and goals, saves your conversations, and costs $5 per month or $40 per year. You can also attach an essay draft or a transcript and ask Sage about it.

Question 7

How much does Pathways cost?

Accepted Answer

The core app is free forever, with no premium tier. Sage, the optional AI advisor, costs $5 per month or $40 per year, and it is the only thing on Pathways that ever costs money. Sage subscriptions are what keep everything else free.

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