College Guidance Network
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersCambridge, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What College Guidance Network does
College Guidance Network (CGN) is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based education technology company founded in 2020 that operates an AI-powered college and career guidance platform targeting high school families, K-12 schools and districts, and colleges. The core product is EVA (formerly AVA), a conversational AI counseling assistant built on OpenAI's ChatGPT API and trained exclusively on curated content from more than 400 nationally recognized experts across college admissions, financial aid, career navigation, and parenting. The platform layers this AI onto a personalized roadmap and checklist system (grades 9–12), a 2,300+ video expert library, live Office Hours, native iOS and Android mobile apps, and parent-teen collaboration tools. Content is delivered in 8 languages and supports a parent-first engagement model that complements, rather than replaces, school counseling capacity.
CGN operates a three-tier go-to-market model: (1) direct-to-consumer family subscriptions branded as CGN Complete, accessed via a 14-day free trial on web or mobile; (2) school and district licensing, including statewide pilots with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (58 districts) and the New Hampshire Department of Education, delivered through direct sales and Calendly-based demos; and (3) college and university sponsorships (e.g., Trinity College, Marquette University) where institutions underwrite access for prospective families in exchange for branded experiences and recruitment analytics. The company has raised $5.5 million from family offices and institutions after 18 months of founder self-funding and reports revenue in the $5–10 million range, primarily attributable to state contracts. Strategic alliances with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) and NACAC anchor its distribution into counseling networks.
College Guidance Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- College Guidance Network
- Legal name
- College Guidance Network, Inc.
- Website
- https://collegeguidancenetwork.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
College Guidance Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Technology / College and Career Guidance Software
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Core LMS Platforms (Academic & Corporate) (EDAFAAAA)
Keywords
Where College Guidance Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
College Guidance Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Family Subscriptions (CGN Complete): Monthly or annual subscription for families providing access to AI advisor (EVA), personalized roadmap, expert video library, Office Hours, and live programming. Families start with 14-day free trial, then convert to paid membership at a few dollars per week. Available through direct consumer signup or school/district provision.
- School/District Contracts: District-wide licensing agreements where schools provide CGN access to all families in their district. Revenue between $5-10 million mainly through state contracts in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Schools get branded experience, counseling team support, and reporting dashboards.
- College/University Sponsorship: Colleges sponsor CGN access for prospective families as a recruitment and engagement tool. Provides custom branded experience and usage insights to help institutions build trust with future students and parents.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free 14-day trial with full access to all features |
| Subscription | Monthly | CGN Complete (Premium Family Membership) |
| Subscription | Annual | School/District Licensing |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
College Guidance Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
College Guidance Network (CGN) is an AI-powered guidance platform that helps high school families navigate college admissions, financial aid, and career planning through a personalized roadmap, a conversational AI advisor (EVA) trained on 400+ national experts, an expert video library, live Office Hours with admissions leaders, and native mobile apps. The platform is delivered as CGN for Schools (district licensing), CGN for Families (consumer subscription), and CGN for Colleges (institutional sponsorship).
Product overview
College Guidance Network (CGN) offers a unified AI-powered college and career guidance platform consisting of a core web/mobile application complemented by multiple integrated modules. The central component is Eva (formerly AVA), a conversational AI counseling assistant trained on expert content from 400+ national experts, which powers 24/7 personalized guidance. This AI engine is layered atop a Personalized Roadmap & Checklists system that provides step-by-step plans for grades 9-12. Supporting content modules include the CGN Original Series (expert video collections), a Resource Center (videos, guides, PDFs), and live Office Hours with admissions experts. The platform is distributed through three go-to-market tiers: CGN for Schools (K-12 districts), CGN for Families (direct-to-consumer with CGN Complete premium subscription), and CGN for Colleges (institutional partnerships). Additional features include Counselor Bites professional development, sentiment reporting for schools, and native mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EVA: AI counseling assistant trained on guidance from 400+ college and career experts, providing 24/7 personalized support for families with college list building, career exploration, essay feedback, interview prep, and expert answers.
- CGN School
- CGN Complete
- CGN Original Series
Products and services
- CGN for Schools A school-focused platform providing K-12 districts and high schools with expert-backed guidance distributed to families. Includes real-time sentiment reporting, school-branded customization, Counselor Bites professional development, and complements existing counseling teams by engaging families directly.
- CGN Complete (Family Membership) The premium paid family membership tier offering full access to EVA AI advisor tools, personalized roadmaps, expert video library, Office Hours, and all premium features. Available after a 14-day free trial at a few dollars per week via monthly or annual subscription.
- CGN for Colleges A partnership offering for colleges and universities to engage prospective families through branded expert guidance. Provides custom branding, institution-specific content, anonymized usage reporting, and seamless Google SSO integration as a recruitment and engagement tool.
- College Guidance Network Mobile App Native iOS and Android mobile applications providing 24/7 access to CGN's tools, personalized roadmaps, EVA AI advisor, and expert content for busy families.
Quantifiable outcome
- Student-to-counselor ratio addressed through 24/7 AI support
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use College Guidance Network
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
College Guidance Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability6 records
Feature13 records
College Guidance Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.
- Dan Domenech (Superintendent-in-Residence)coreDan Domenech, former Executive Director of AASA (2008-2023) and Fairfax County Superintendent, joins as Superintendent-in-Residence. Brings experience from leading AASA and access to vast network of school leaders to advance CGN's vision.
- Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)coreState pilot with 58 school districts enabling Guidance Counselors to provide personalized navigation systems, foster parent-student collaboration, and give families access to over 260 (now 400+) expert videos. Critical component of Massachusetts' pathway to college education for every student.
- New Hampshire Department of Education (NHED)coreState-wide expansion providing college and career guidance services to students across New Hampshire. Continuation of efforts to improve postsecondary decision-making with expert-backed support.
- National Student Clearinghouse (NSC)coreStrategic alliance to support high schools by offering CGN School, the first curated college and career content platform providing comprehensive expert information to students and families. NSC's reach of 3,600 postsecondary institutions combined with CGN's guidance platform creates comprehensive support for postsecondary transition.
- NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling)corePartnership to scale expert college counseling by providing school counselors with accessible resources and support for guiding students through college search and application process.
- SACAC (Southern Association for College Admission Counseling)secondaryRegional association partnership to reach counseling professionals across southern U.S. states.
- PNACAC ( Potomac-NACAC)secondaryRegional association partnership serving counseling professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region.
- TACAC (Texas Association for College Admission Counseling)secondaryRegional association partnership reaching Texas-based counseling professionals.
- AASB (American Association of School Boards)secondaryPartnership with national school board association to reach district administrators and school boards.
- Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC)secondaryProud member of SDPC, demonstrating commitment to maintaining highest standards of data privacy and security for students, families, and educators. Aligns practices with stringent SDPC requirements.
- LinkedInminorOngoing negotiations mentioned by CEO Jon Carson to potentially scale the guidance system through LinkedIn's platform.
- National Superintendents Association (AASA)minorOngoing negotiations mentioned by CEO Jon Carson to scale guidance system through AASA's network of school superintendents.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
College Guidance Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Maia Learning: Maia Learning is a college, career, and alumni outcomes platform for high schools and districts. It directly competes with CGN School and targets the same counseling capacity and parent engagement pain points.
- Xello: Xello is a leading college, career, and future-readiness platform serving K-12 districts across North America. It directly overlaps with CGN's school/district offering and competes for the same district budget lines and counseling team workflows.
- CollegeVine: CollegeVine is a college admissions advisory platform offering 1:1 advising, AI tools, and resources. Notably founded by CGN CEO Jon Carson, CollegeVine overlaps heavily with CGN Complete's consumer value proposition.
- SchooLinks: SchooLinks is a college, career, and alumni success platform for K-12 districts. It directly competes with CGN for Schools in helping counselors manage postsecondary planning and engagement with families.
- Scoir: Scoir is a college admissions platform serving high schools, students, and colleges with a network connecting counselors, applicants, and institutions. It overlaps with CGN's college recruitment/sponsorship and school-side workflows.
Broad incumbents
- Naviance (PowerSchool): PowerSchool's Naviance is the dominant college and career readiness platform used by thousands of US high schools. It competes directly with CGN for Schools at the district level but is part of a much broader SIS-centric K-12 software suite.
- BigFuture (College Board): College Board's BigFuture is a free college and career planning resource for students and families, widely adopted by US high schools. It competes with CGN's family/consumer offering as a free, brand-trusted alternative.
Regional players
- BridgeU: BridgeU is a college and careers guidance platform primarily serving international and EMEA schools. It is comparable in product approach (personalized recommendations, counselor tools) but operates in different geographies than CGN.
Others
- Common App: Common App is the dominant college application platform connecting students to 1,000+ member colleges. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but increasingly adds planning features that intersect with CGN's roadmap.
- Lightcast (formerly EMSI): Lightcast provides labor market data and career analytics, and is connected to CGN via Chief Product & Analytics Officer Dan Restuccia. While not a direct competitor, Lightcast's career data underpins part of CGN's career exploration capabilities.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
College Guidance Network social profiles
Digital presenceCollege Guidance Network compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
College Guidance Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
College Guidance Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
College Guidance Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
College Guidance Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about College Guidance Network
What does College Guidance Network do?
College Guidance Network (CGN) is an AI-powered guidance platform that helps high school families navigate college admissions, financial aid, and career planning through a personalized roadmap, a conversational AI advisor (EVA) trained on 400+ national experts, an expert video library, live Office Hours with admissions leaders, and native mobile apps. The platform is delivered as CGN for Schools (district licensing), CGN for Families (consumer subscription), and CGN for Colleges (institutional sponsorship).
Is College Guidance Network a public or private company?
College Guidance Network is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was College Guidance Network founded?
College Guidance Network was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is College Guidance Network based?
College Guidance Network is headquartered in Cambridge, United States, in the North America region.
How does College Guidance Network make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Family Subscriptions (CGN Complete) is the primary driver. The others are school/District Contracts and college/University Sponsorship.
Who are College Guidance Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Maia Learning, Xello, CollegeVine, SchooLinks and Scoir. Broad incumbents are Naviance (PowerSchool) and BigFuture (College Board). BridgeU is listed as a regional player. Others are Common App and Lightcast (formerly EMSI).
Does College Guidance Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for College Guidance Network.
What industry is College Guidance Network in?
College Guidance Network's product category is Education Technology / College and Career Guidance Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAAAA, Core LMS Platforms (Academic & Corporate). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.