community-powered advising for everyone

First-gen advising, connected coast to coast.

We enable high school students to find + connect with first-generation peer advisors at colleges nationwide, including from their neighborhood.

High School Students Become a Mentor Partner with Us

↑ pick your path

how it works

From college list to peer advisor, in three easy steps

1
Get your personalized college matches
Tell us your interests, goals, and where you want out of college. In minutes, get a college list fit to you from almost 3,000 schools.
2
Pick your peer advisors
Browse our grassroots network of paid, first-gen near-peer advisors and pick the one whose path fits yours.
3
Schedule your advising sessions
Book advising sessions in minutes and keep building confidence through every college decision.

Your college recommendations

Based on your profile, here are 30 curated schools that may be a great fit for you.

Get New Recommendations

Target Schools (10 colleges)

College Name	Location
Howard University	Washington, DC
University of Washington	Seattle, WA
Southern Methodist University	Dallas, TX
Northwestern University	Evanston, IL
Spelman College	Atlanta, GA
Georgia State University	Atlanta, GA
UC Davis	Davis, CA
Morehouse College	Atlanta, GA
Temple University	Philadelphia, PA
Rutgers University	New Brunswick, NJ

Talk to a student who has been there

Danielle B.

Currently at Howard University

Studying Biology

Graduating 2027

From Baltimore, MD

First in my family to go to college. Ask me about financial aid and studying biology!

Private CollegeHBCU

Chris S.

Currently at University of Washington

Studying Computer Science

Graduating 2028

From Fresno, CA

Went from community college to UW. Happy to talk transfers and CS!

Public CollegeAANAPISI

Schedule time with Danielle

Danielle B.Howard University · Biology

November 2026

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Wednesday, November 11

2:00 PM2:30 PM3:00 PM3:30 PM4:00 PM4:30 PM5:00 PM5:30 PM

Request Session

a real person who gets it

Get Matched!

Want free advising from Trailblazer peer advisors?Refer a school, nonprofit, or community organization and when they join Trailblazer, you get free advising!

Refer Your School!

in their own wordsWhat high school students say about their sessions

5.0/5

average session rating

100%of students gave 5 stars

I felt inspired hearing a college student’s experience, and felt heard and at ease listening to her advice.”
High school student

Now I’m more sure this is what I want to study… I’m better informed and more confident.”
High school student

It helped to learn what a student’s life is like and everything they face studying a college major.”
High school student

say hi toMeet some of our Trailblazer peer advisors!

Daisy Gonzalez Sanchez Harvard College

SeniorSociology

Graniteville, SC

I am part of Trailblazer because I believe in building a supportive network where first-generation students can access guidance, share resources, and empower one another to thrive and succeed.

Celina Chen Cornell University

SeniorFinance

Latrobe, PA

Being part of Trailblazer means paying it forward. I owe to the first-gen students who came before me and chose to uplift others. I’m here to continue that cycle: offering support, sharing honestly, and helping the next generation of first-gens feel confident forging their own paths.

Jiah Marks Nebraska Indian Community College

SeniorBusiness Management

Wichita, KS

I'm excited to share my experiences, including the challenges and the successes. I'm here to support and inspire future college seekers.

real schools, real impactTrusted by partners in the US and Mexico

Oklahoma

Osage Nation

Trailblazer supports high school counselors from the Osage Nation, a federally recognized sovereign nation, serving roughly 1,500 Osage Nation students across Oklahoma.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Esperanza Cyber Charter School

Trailblazer supports the counseling team of the Esperanza Cyber Charter School, a K-12 school serving students in North Philadelphia.

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Keeping Kids in School Project (KKIS)

Trailblazer partners with the Keeping Kids in School Project, a nonprofit in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, to enable students to learn more about attending university across Mexico from KKIS alumni.

Virginia

Virginia Tribal Education Consortium (VTEC)

Trailblazer is fully available for the seven federally recognized sovereign Tribes of Virginia: Chickahominy Indian Tribe, Chickahominy Indian Tribe Eastern Division, Monacan Indian Nation, Nansemond Indian Nation, Upper Mattaponi Tribe, Pamunkey Indian Tribe, and The Rappahannock Indian Tribe.

Our Mission

We believe every student deserves to go as far as their potential can take them, no matter their zip code. Our technology builds a personalized college path in minutes and connects students to a nationwide network of first-gen college mentors from their own communities.

We're built for those too often left to figure it out alone: students who are the first in their families to take this on, and educators stretched too thin to reach everyone.

Learn More