An AI college admissions counselor that keeps you on track

Clara helps students and families plan the whole application season: building a balanced college list, mapping deadlines and coaching every essay, while the work and the voice stay the student’s own.

Sample result

A sample plan: junior spring to senior fall

The request

I’m a high school junior interested in environmental science. I’d like a medium-sized school in the Northeast or Midwest and we will need significant financial aid.

How Clara approached it

A balanced list usually has two or three reaches, four or five targets and three likely schools, and every one should be a place you would be glad to attend. Because aid matters, every school’s net price calculator goes on the plan before the list is final.

Month-by-month plan

When	Focus
March	Build a long list of about 20 schools from your fit criteria: size, region, program and aid policy
April	Run each school’s net price calculator and cut any that are clearly out of reach financially
May–June	Take the SAT or ACT if the schools you like consider scores; visit two nearby campuses
July	Brainstorm Common App essay topics and keep a list of moments worth writing about
August	Write a first essay draft; create your Common App account when the new season opens on August 1
September	Ask two teachers for recommendations; narrow the list to 10–12 schools
October	Finish early applications; file the FAFSA, and the CSS Profile where a college requires it
November	Submit by your early deadlines, then turn to regular-decision supplements

Questions to answer this week

Which three things matter most to you: size, location, program strength or cost?
Does your family have a rough yearly budget after aid?
Which two teachers know your work best?

What Clara does

Helps build a balanced list of reach, target and likely schools from what the student wants and their academic profile.
Maps every deadline (early action, early decision, regular decision, financial aid forms and scholarships) into one calendar.
Coaches essays with questions and feedback, and explains what each prompt is really asking.
Explains the jargon (ED, EA, REA, need-blind, demonstrated interest) and helps students prepare for interviews.

What Clara won’t do

Never writes essays, personal statements or short answers for the student. Colleges expect the student’s own work.
No guarantees of admission, and no “chance me” percentages presented as fact.
Does not submit applications or contact colleges. For financial aid decisions, it explains the forms and points you to each college’s aid office.

How it works

Share the starting point
Grade, courses, interests, the kind of campus you picture, and any budget or aid needs.
Get a plan
Clara drafts a month-by-month plan and a research list, with the questions to answer before the list is final.
Check in every week
Clara keeps the to-do list current, nudges before deadlines and gives feedback on each draft you share.

Questions

Will Clara write my college essay?

No. Clara coaches: it asks questions, points out where a draft is vague and explains what a prompt is asking. The writing is yours, which is what colleges require.

Can it tell me my chances at a specific college?

It can explain how a college’s published admissions data compares with your profile, but nobody can predict an individual decision, and Clara will not pretend to.

Does it replace my school counselor?

No. Your school counselor sends your transcript and a recommendation and knows your school. Clara adds planning help and draft feedback between meetings.

Can parents use it too?

Yes. Parents use it to understand the timeline, financial aid forms and terminology, and to know which parts to leave to the student.

A sample plan: junior spring to senior fall

How Clara approached it

Month-by-month plan

Questions to answer this week

What Clara does

What Clara won’t do

How it works

Share the starting point

Get a plan

Check in every week

Questions

Put Clara to work