Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophie Smith
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Jupiter, Florida, and have always been drawn to entrepreneurial endeavors. In high school, I started a non-profit charity to combat breast and ovarian cancer, which ended up reaching thousands of high schoolers. We raised $70,000 by the time I was 16, and our efforts were regionally recognized.
After getting into UVA, my top choice, everything seemed to be on track, but during my first year in 2020, COVID hit, and I lost my summer internship. So, I started working for an older sorority sister who had launched a nonprofit to help high school students get involved in leadership during the pandemic. My role was to recruit high schoolers to join the program.
On a whim, I posted a video on TikTok to promote it, thinking nothing of it. At the time, I only had 15 followers—mostly my college friends. The next day, I got a call from the nonprofit’s founder, freaking out because we had 800 sign-ups overnight, all referencing me. The video had accidentally gone viral, reaching 300k students. As I read through the comments, I noticed that students were stressed about college admissions, asking if this would help with their applications.
I quickly put together a Google form and posted another TikTok, offering to help students with their college apps. The response was incredible. We had thousands of students sign up for help, so I created a waitlist and started recruiting my college peers to assist. We built a true duct tape and glue website and system, and from there, College Contact was born.
I ran the company all through college, and by the time I graduated, we had helped over 2,000 high schoolers get into college, with 86% getting into their top-choice schools. By my senior year, I had a team of 15 undergrads. We went on to win all the UVA pitch competitions, got accepted into TechStars Austin, and raised over $1M in pre-seed funding just four months after graduating.
Now, we are headquartered in Austin, and have over 230 undergraduate mentors on our platform across 90 different universities nationwide. Our network is incredibly diverse. 37% of our undergraduates are bilingual (we have 20 different languages on the platform) and over half the students are BIPOC. We built a technology platform to facilitate the high school to mentor matching system based off our learnings from the four years of helping students in college, and are continuing to serve families directly from a national perspective. Recently, we opened up our K-12 arm, and have started selling our solution into school districts that could use our help. We recently became an Awarded Vendor in Austin ISD, so you might see us in your middle or high school soon!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a founder at 23 comes with its fair share of challenges, and revolutionizing a college counseling system that has been driven by inequity for decades only adds to them. One of the recurring hurdles we face is pushback from Independent College Counselors, who often see us as competition to their business model. But the funny thing is, we don’t view it that way. For families who can afford to pay thousands for private college advising, we actually encourage them to pursue those options—most of those professionals are highly skilled and great resources.
However, we’ve found that even families who work with private counselors often seek out our undergraduate mentors for a fresh, on-the-ground perspective. Our trained undergraduate mentors provide insights on campus culture, evaluate admissions essays based on the latest trends, and help students find the right fit in a real, practical way. They offer emotional support and the kind of advice that comes from being just a few steps ahead in the journey. Often, these students and mentors form lasting connections, so the student knows someone on campus even before they arrive. Not only that, but 86% of our students end up getting into their first choice – and often earn massive scholarships along the way (so we know our solution is working!).
At the same time, we’re purposefully more affordable to ensure access for families who can’t pay for private advisors. Our mission is to democratize higher education through an equitable model. We work with many first-generation families, and we partner with school districts and organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas to make this happen.
Ultimately, our solution benefits every student, regardless of their background, so it’s been somewhat of a challenge to market that in a way that is comprehensive for parents to understand.
What’s so intriguing about our near-peer model is that it taps into something fundamental—human connection. When it comes to such a major decision in life, students want someone relatable and reliable to guide them. We have heard that parents often struggle to get their teens engaged in the process, but with near-peer advising, students are excited to meet with someone who’s only a few years older, shares their interests, and offers relevant guidance. One parent recently told us “College Contact is great! My son came downstairs and was actually excited about working on his admissions essay with his mentor (an undergraduate at UF). We could have worked with a private college advisor, but we couldn’t get him to go to the meetings. We are super excited about the lift it has taken off our shoulders.”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about College Contact?
At College Contact, we’re on a mission to make college & career counseling more accessible, affordable, and personalized for every student. What sets us apart is our near-peer mentoring model. We pair high school students with current college undergraduates who have recently been through the admissions process and know firsthand what it’s like to apply and transition to college life. These undergraduate mentors are trained in our proprietary certification course that is informed by years of postsecondary advising and our CEO’s innovative essay writing method. Even so, these mentors are not just knowledgeable about admissions – they bring a relatable, authentic perspective that builds trust and makes students feel more comfortable asking questions and seeking guidance about their next big step.
We’re especially proud of the fact that 86% of our students get into their first-choice schools, and that’s not by accident. Our mentors help students craft stand-out applications, find best-fit schools, and stay organized with deadlines all through our technology platform.
On our platform, students and parents can sign up and fill out our matching quiz or use our filters system to build their personalized undergraduate mentor team. Students can find mentors who share similar interests, personalities, or even attend colleges/are studying majors on their list. Once matched, students can message their mentor 24/7 through our messaging system, book 1:1 meetings through our calendar functionality, and send in admissions essays, resumes, and other documents for 72 hour review from a mentor. We operate on a subscription basis, so families can pay $60/mo for one free meeting and access to everything else within the platform, or they can pay $240/mo for 4 meetings with a mentor (plus everything else in the platform). Students can also sign-up for free and message mentors on the platform without charge.
What makes us proud, brand-wise, is our commitment to inclusivity and transparency. We don’t discriminate based on GPA, statistics, or where you want to go to college. We are very excited to work with students from all backgrounds and academic profiles. Our mentors are trained and ready to help students whether they’re aiming for an Ivy League or a local community college. Our goal is simple: to make sure each student feels confident, prepared, and excited about their future.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Austin has been a great fit for me as a young founder. The city is crawling with founders, so it’s been very easy for me to find like-minded people who share a passion for innovation and building. I often joke to “non-founders” who are not familiar with our world to “watch out, we are everywhere!”.
Most of my connections here are in the startup space, and soon, I’ll be joining a “founder house”—a self-created workspace in a renovated downtown warehouse where a group of us will work and share some ramen together.
What stands out about Austin is the access to resources for entrepreneurs. There are constant networking events, startup-focused communities, and plenty of accelerators. Experienced operators here are also willing to offer mentorship at all hours, which makes it an ideal place for founders to learn and grow.
The lifestyle in Austin is also a plus. It has a strong community feel and offers a balance between work and downtime, whether you’re into outdoor activities or just want to relax in a social setting.
My only real challenge so far is the distance to the ocean. Growing up in Florida, I got used to having the beach nearby, and that’s something I miss—but otherwise, it’s been a great experience.
Pricing:
- College Curiosity – Free We recommended this plan for students looking to purchase advising meetings & essay editing on an as-needed basis. Younger students in grades 7-10 and parents who want to learn more about the college process through our weekly newsletter. For FREE this plan includes: Mentor messaging to connect with mentors on the platform Ability to book meetings ($75/hr) and submit essays ($25-$50/ea) at full price. Weekly newsletter with college info, tips, & tricks!
- College Confirmed – $60/month We recommend this plan for students who want to work regularly with a college mentor to craft stand-out college applications. Monthly meetings keep students on track and an extra 15% off additional meetings and application editing provides affordable additional support. For $60/mo this plan includes: Free monthly advising meeting ($75 value) 15% off all additional meetings and essay & application edits Full college prep tool access — scholarship search, college search, application progress tracking, & more Mentor messaging for communication between meetings Weekly newsletter with college info, tips, & tricks!
- We are about to launch the “College Elite” plan for $240/month. This option includes 4 mentor meetings per month, which is a $300 value! We recommend this plan for students who are determined to get into their top school(s), as well as those who are in the most critical stages of the admissions process.
- For any school districts or non-profits that want to tap into our mentor network for near-peer advising for their students, contact me for custom pricing.
- For any corporations, startups, or businesses that want to advertise or recruit from our undergraduate network, contact us!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yourcollegecontact.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegecontact/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollegeContactLLC
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-smith273/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sophie.e.smithh?lang=en
