Take on College

What Take on College does

Take on College is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2019 that delivers free college application counseling to first-generation and low-income high school students. The organization operates two core programs: the Summer Fellowship Program (SFP), a free 8-week intensive running June to August that pairs rising high school seniors with undergraduate mentors for college list creation, personal statement writing, and financial aid education; and the Fall Mentorship Program (FMP), a free virtual program focused on personal statement and supplemental essay editing. Each Summer Fellowship cohort is capped at 15 students, and all services are provided at zero cost to participants. The organization has produced five consecutive annual reports (FY2020-2024) and is currently operating its 2025 cohort.

The underlying technology stack is non-proprietary and consists of standard web-based tools: Google Forms for program applications, Google Drive for shared resources, and Zoom for virtual mentorship sessions. There is no custom platform, mobile application, or AI-driven tool. The organization is supported by a 6-person board of directors, a core team of program, strategy, and administrative directors, and a volunteer mentor network drawn from selective universities including the University of Washington, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, Vanderbilt, Harvard, and Carnegie Mellon.

The business model is donation-based, with all revenue derived from charitable contributions collected through Zeffy.com donation forms. There are no fees charged to beneficiaries, no institutional investors, no parent company, and no earned revenue streams. The organization is governed by a board led by President Alan Nava, with Hong Ta serving as Co-Founder and Executive Director. Distribution occurs through direct-to-consumer outreach via the takeoncollege.org website, social media channels (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook), a monthly newsletter, and a network of seven community partners in the Seattle/King County region including Seattle Public Schools, Vine Maple Place, All Girl Everything, ScholarFund, KCLS, Mercy Housing, and Raisbeck Aviation High School.

Name

Take on College

Legal name

Take on College

Website

https://takeoncollege.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Take on College is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2019 that provides free college application counseling and mentorship to first-generation, low-income high school students through its Summer Fellowship Program and Fall Mentorship Program, connecting them with undergraduate mentors from selective universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

College Access Mentorship Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL), College & Career Exploration Camps (Pre-College Samplers, Pathways) (EDAMALAN)

Keywords

• College application mentorship
• First-generation student support
• Nonprofit education services
• College counseling programs
• Peer mentorship programs

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Take on College operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The primary revenue stream is donations from individuals, community supporters, and potentially institutional funders. The organization accepts donations through Zeffy.com donation forms. No programs or services are charged to beneficiaries—all programs are free for students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Take on College provides free college application mentorship services to first-generation, low-income high school students by pairing them with undergraduate mentors from top universities. Its two flagship offerings—the Summer Fellowship Program (an 8-week intensive summer program) and the Fall Mentorship Program (a virtual essay-editing mentorship)—cover personal statements, supplemental essays, college list creation, financial aid, scholarships, and SAT/ACT preparation. All services are free to students and funded entirely through charitable donations.

Product overview

Take on College is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering educational mentorship services rather than a traditional software product. The organization provides two primary programs: the Summer Fellowship Program (SFP), a free 8-week intensive summer mentorship for rising high school seniors focused on college applications, personal statements, and financial aid; and the Fall Mentorship Program (FMP), a free virtual program pairing high school seniors with mentors for essay editing support. Both programs target low-income and first-generation college students. Additionally, Take on College offers a monthly Newsletter providing scholarship updates and upcoming opportunities. The programs are designed to remove barriers to higher education by connecting high school mentees to undergraduate mentors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Fellowship Program (SFP) A free 8-week intensive virtual summer program running from June 15 to August 3 that pairs rising high school seniors with undergraduate mentors for comprehensive college application support, including personal statement writing, college list creation, financial aid education, career prep, and supplemental essay work. The program also provides laptops and WiFi hotspots as needed and holds weekly Monday meetings of 2 hours. The Summer Fellowship accepts 15 students per cohort.
• Fall Mentorship Program (FMP) A free virtual program that pairs high school seniors (Class of 2026) with undergraduate mentors to guide them through the college application process, primarily focusing on personal statement and supplemental essay edits with one-on-one mentorship support.
• Take on College Newsletter Monthly newsletter providing information about upcoming events, programs, and scholarships to support students in their academic journey and college preparation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15 students per Summer Fellowship cohort with 100% free services including laptops and WiFi hotspots as needed
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Seattle Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle Public Schools collaborates with Take on College to deliver workshops at Franklin High School. This partnership enables direct access to students who can benefit from college application mentorship and support services.
• Vine Maple PlacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA nonprofit in South King County, Washington dedicated to breaking the generational cycle of homelessness by providing housing solutions and support services to single parents and their children. Partners with Take on College to provide educational support to families.
• Raisbeck Aviation High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA STEM-focused public school in Tukwila, Washington, specializing in aviation and aerospace education through hands-on learning and industry partnerships. Works with Take on College to support students' college application processes.
• All Girl EverythingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA BIPOC-led, South Seattle-based organization leveraging the power of sports to create spaces for young people to build power, strengthen connections, find belonging, and experience joy. Partners with Take on College for educational support.
• ScholarFundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA nonprofit providing affordable housing and supportive services to low-income families and seniors in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Collaborates with Take on College to provide comprehensive support including financial guidance for families.
• King County Library System (KCLS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with KCLS to host workshops on Financial Aid, Writing a Personal Statement, and Starting a Business. This partnership leverages library resources and community spaces to deliver educational content.
• Mercy HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA nonprofit providing affordable housing and supportive services to low-income families and seniors in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Partners with Take on College to provide educational resources to residents.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• College Possible: National 501(c)(3) providing near-peer coaching for low-income students through college application and persistence support. Most direct comparable in mission, target population, and free coaching model to Take on College.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit delivering one-on-one college access and success advising to first-generation students from low-income backgrounds. Comparable target demographic, free model, and emphasis on personal mentorship relationships.
• QuestBridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving low-income students with top colleges and universities through free college application support, scholarships, and mentoring. Similar focus on first-generation/low-income high schoolers and college access.
• iMentor: Nonprofit pairing low-income high school students with college-educated mentors for college application and persistence support. Closely aligned peer mentorship model targeting underserved students.
• ScholarMatch: Nonprofit providing mentoring, advising, and scholarships to low-income students to navigate the college application process. Comparable small nonprofit scale and direct mentoring approach.
• Matriculate: Nonprofit connecting high-achieving high school students from low-income backgrounds with undergraduate mentors for one-on-one virtual college advising. Strong comparable on virtual peer-mentor delivery model.
• uAspire: Nonprofit focused on financial aid advising and college affordability for low-income students. Overlapping target population and free advising delivery model.
• PeerForward (formerly College Summit): Nonprofit using peer-to-peer model where trained near-peer leaders help classmates apply to college. Comparable peer-led college access approach and focus on first-generation students.
• College Advising Corps: Nonprofit placing recent college graduates as full-time college advisers in underserved high schools. Overlaps in serving low-income students and applying to college through trained advisors.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Through College: KIPP Foundation's college persistence program supports KIPP alumni through high school and college. Comparable in serving first-generation/low-income students with college access and success support, though operates within broader KIPP charter network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/takeoncollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/take-on-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/takeoncollege

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Take on College