Built by Counselors. Powered by Code. Designed for Every Student.
GradMap was founded by two women who met in college, built careers on opposite sides of the education-technology divide, and came back together years later with exactly the right combination of expertise to build something neither could have built alone.
Mission Statement
Every student deserves a clear path to college — not just the ones who can afford a private counselor.
GradMap exists to close the gap between the students who have expert guidance and the ones who don’t. We believe the college planning process should be clear, manageable, and stress-free — for students, parents, and the counselors who support them.
Our mission is to give every student — regardless of zip code, income, or school resources — access to the same quality of guidance that has helped thousands of students over the past 21 years.
Our Story
Two careers. One mission. Twenty-one years in the making.
Michelle and Samantha met in college. After graduation, they went their separate ways — Michelle into college counseling, Samantha into software engineering — and spent years building deep expertise in their respective fields.
Years later, they came back together with a shared question: what if the best college counseling expertise in the world could be made available to every student, not just the ones whose families can afford it?
Michelle brought 21 years of college counseling experience and the founder of College Planning Source — thousands of students guided, thousands of families supported, and a deep understanding of what actually works in the college planning process. Samantha brought the technical foundation to build it at scale.
GradMap is the result. The guidance behind our AI is the same expertise families have paid thousands of dollars for — now available to every student, starting in 9th grade, for free.
Our Approach to AI
AI-powered. Human-verified. Always honest.
We use AI to make expert guidance accessible — not to replace the humans who provide it.
GradMap’s AI — called PUSH — is trained on 21 years of real college counseling knowledge, not generic internet data. It gives students guidance that’s been verified by experienced counselors, which means you can trust it.
We don’t write essays for students. We don’t make admissions probability claims we can’t back up. And we never sell student data. Our AI helps students get organized, stay on track, and understand their options — the same things a great counselor does.
In a world full of AI tools that hallucinate deadlines and make up requirements, GradMap is different: every piece of guidance is grounded in verified, expert knowledge — and we’ll always tell you what we don’t know.
What Makes us Different
- Starts in 9th grade, not 11th
GradMap grows with students from freshman year through acceptance — building the strongest possible foundation before applications even open.
- Built on 21 years of verified expertise
The guidance behind GradMap isn’t scraped from the internet. It’s the distilled knowledge of a 21-year college counseling practice — human-verified and continuously updated.
- Designed for the whole family
Students, parents, and counselors each have their own experience — connected, but never in each other’s way. Parents get visibility without hovering. Counselors get tools without switching apps.
- Ethical AI — no essays written, no data sold
We use AI to guide students, not do the work for them. And we will never sell student data to colleges, test prep companies, or anyone else. Ever.
Start Your Journey to College Success Today
Discover how Gradmaps can revolutionize your college application process. Our app streamlines your journey with powerful organization, optimization, and automation tools. Simplify your planning, maximize your opportunities, and achieve your academic dreams effortlessly. Join thousands of students who have already transformed their path to success. Sign up now and take the first step towards your future!
