Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

 

Basic Questions:

 


What is College Confidant?
College Confidant is a social enterprise that provides high-quality admissions advice anyone can afford. Started by five Harvard students, College Confidant employs an online peer-to-peer model that can radically improve the way college counseling works.
 
How do I connect with Confidants?
High school students can log on to our website, search our extensive and diverse network of College Confidants, and choose the best Confidant based on college, background, and interests. After choosing a Confidant, you can book a session to receive high-quality, personalized college counseling.
 
Who are the Confidants?
Our Confidants are students (and a few recent alumni) from top colleges. Our Confidants applied to college only a few years ago and are equipped to provide candid, personalized, and insightful advice on the college application process. We currently have Confidants from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Stanford. In the coming months, College Confidant will expand to other schools.
 
What can I do during my Confidant session?
You should view your Confidant session as an opportunity to connect with a real college expert! During this time, you can learn about a particular school, ask questions about the admissions process, discuss application strategies, brainstorm an essay topic, run through a mock interview, or learn more about the overall college experience. You have the ability to book multiple sessions with the same Confidant to do things like review multiple iterations of an essay, or you can book multiple sessions with different Confidants to get a variety of unique perspectives. Regardless of what you do, these sessions will provide you with the insights that have enabled others to get into their dream school!
 
How much does a Confidant session cost?
It depends. Each Confidant sets his or her own price for each session. In general, new Confidants will charge $12 to $20 when they enter our network. 
 
How do I know if a Confidant will be good?
We have screened all of our Confidants and provided them with training materials to ensure they offer high-quality advice. We also have an online rating system where Confidants are reviewed by users.
 
Can Confidants see a user’s profile?
We take your privacy very seriously. A Confidant will only be able to see your profile once you request a session with him or her. The Confidant will use information from your profile to provide the best possible advice and guidance for you.
 
I really like what you are doing and would love to work with you.
Thanks so much! Feel free to get in touch with us via our Contact Us page. We will then get in touch with you and figure out a way we can work together.
 
I know a way to make your service better.
Great! We would love to hear from you! College Confidant is still in its Beta phase and we are constantly working to improve our service. Let us know how we can make College Confidant better, via our Contact Us page and we will make it happen!
 
How do I become a Confidant?
If you are a student at Harvard, Yale, Princeton or Stanford, email recruit[at]collegeconfidant[dot]com. We are always looking for talented Confidants to join our network. If you are a student at another school, contact us and we will talk with you about bringing College Confidant to your campus.
  

 

Confidant Sessions:

 


I booked a session. Now what?
After you book a session, we will send your Confidant an email to confirm his or her availability. Once the Confidant confirms, you both will be sent an email with how to get in touch (based on each of your contact preferences).
 
What if my schedule changes and I need to cancel my session?
All users can cancel their sessions 24 hours in advance and receive a full refund. If a cancellation is made within 24 hours, the user will be charged. However, for these late-cancellations a "make up" session can be scheduled at the discretion of the Confidant.
 
What if my Confidant misses his or her session?
In rare cases, a Confidant may not be able to make his or her session. If this is the case you will receive a full refund. We will also take action on our end to ensure that this is not a repeat problem.
 
How do I receive a refund?
Refunds are only issued if a Confidant misses his or her session. If you feel that you are entitled to a refund, get in touch with us through the Contact Us page.
 
I am running late to a session, what should I do?
As soon as you know you will be late, contact your Confidant. In many cases your Confidant will be able to reschedule or push your session back. If the notification is within 24 hours, you will be charged for the session. 
 
How do I rate my Confidant?
After you complete a session you will receive an email that tells you how you can rate your confidant. These ratings are extremely valuable as other users search for Confidants on our site.
 

 

Payment:

 


How do I pay for my sessions? 
All sessions are paid for via credit card through our fast and secure checkout process.
 
Is payment secure?
College Confidant uses the same high-level credit card security and fraud protection used by other top e-commerce sites. We utilize data encryption, antifraud risk models, fraud-detection techniques, address verification service, card security code, verification and antifraud specialists to ensure all transactions are safe and secure.
 
Why do Confidants cost different amounts? If I pay more, will I get a better Confidant?
Each Confidant sets his or her own price. Just because a Confidant charges more, it doesn't mean he or she will offer a better session. Instead, you should rely on the rating system and Confidant profile to find the best Confidant for you!
 
When will my credit card be charged?
As soon as you check out, your credit card will be charged. In the case of a refund, you will receive the full refund amount once refund eligibility is determined.
 
What is the "transaction cost"?
The transaction cost is the amount it costs us to charge your credit card. 100% of the fee will go towards processing your payment. The transaction cost is 30 cents plus 2.9% of your total purchase price.