Curious Cardinals matches students with best-in-class mentors from top universities who:
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.
Our mentors provide accountability and focus directly on strengthening executive functioning skills. With tailored practice problems and reminders, your child will develop effective systems to manage their time and meet deadlines.
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.
Our mentors receive training from educators from Harvard and Stanford’s Graduate Schools of Education. We measure mentor performance and provide monthly feedback to teach your child better.
Hear it from parents and students who have experienced the Curious Cardinals magic
“Evan is exactly what our 15-year-old son needs to feel seen and supported as he tackles high school level math and physics. Evan is both a teacher, and a friend, plus someone close to the high school experience so he relates to what our son is going through and sometimes struggling with. They laugh, learn, and get to know each other every session.
I'm very grateful for the presence of Evan in my son's life. He provides something we can't as parents - a person who is invested in our son but not related. Someone who genuinely cares and wants to see him succeed.”
“Without exaggeration, Abby leaves her calls with you so excited. There is chemistry in your mentorship pair and she is completely blown away by this new world you've opened up. She's so interested and engaged in a way that she believes this is finally the spark she was looking for when it comes to an area of focus and passion.
Thank you for helping to navigate this in a way that it feels like Abby's idea. As a mother- daughter pair whenever we talk about these things, she fights it. With you, she leans in. I am beyond grateful for you!”
I still remember the exact moment I realized what was broken in education.
I was tutoring Jane during the pandemic. Bright kid. Honor roll. But something was off.
Each session, I'd watch her go through the motions: memorize, regurgitate, repeat. No spark. No curiosity. Just another student drowning in worksheets and practice problems.
Sound familiar?
Maybe you've tried everything:
- The best private tutors
- Elite test prep
- Expensive enrichment programs
- Constant reminders about homework
And still, you're hearing:
"Mom, I'll do it later"
"Dad, you just don't get it"
"I'm fine with a B"
"Why do I need to learn this anyway?"
Here's what nobody tells you: The problem isn't your child's potential. It's not about finding better tutors or pushing harder.
It's about who they look up to.
Think about it:
- Who would inspire your child more: A traditional tutor explaining physics, or a Harvard astrophysics major who built their own telescope at 16?
- What if your "gaming-obsessed" son met a Stanford Computer Science student who turned his own gaming passion into an 8,000-download app?
- What if your daughter who "hates math" connected with a female MIT researcher who felt the exact same way three years ago?
That's why I created Curious Cardinals.
We don't just have mentors – we have the brightest minds from Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and Yale who:
- Remember exactly what your child is going through
- Share their specific interests and passions
- Know how to turn "distractions" into achievements
- Can show them a future they never imagined
Our matching isn't random. We connect your child with someone who's not just academically brilliant, but who shares their interests, understands their struggles, and can show them what's possible.
Because when your child meets someone who:
- Aced the same classes they're struggling with
- Overcame the same doubts they're facing
- Turned their passions into achievements
- Is only a few years ahead on the path
Something clicks. Suddenly they're not just studying to pass a test – they're working to impress someone they admire.
The nagging stops.
The resistance fades.
The motivation comes from within.
This isn't about pushing harder. It's about showing your child a future they can see themselves in, through someone they actually want to become.
Your child has the potential. They just need to see it through the right eyes.
Ready to give them that edge?
We utilize a monthly subscription model to ensure consistent sessions, which leads to the best student outcomes. The subscription begins after a two-week evaluation period wherein you evaluate your mentor to make sure they’re a good fit. Sessions held during the evaluation period are discounted at $95/hour. After the evaluation period, a monthly $380 subscription will begin, including (4) one-hour sessions, plus exclusive perks. The date you are billed will be determined by your start date.
As an alternative, we offer pay-as-you-go sessions at $115 per hour. Most of our families choose the subscription model because of the significant savings and benefits. Please check out our Subscription FAQs and our Pricing Page for more information!
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+.
.png)
