About Us
We’re a team of young professionals passionate about mentoring the next generation of students. Path Mentors was founded in Silicon Valley, California in 2019 by a group of Columbia alumni who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over time, our mentor team expanded to include alumni from many top universities such as Stanford, MIT, and the Ivy League, mainly through personal referrals and trusted connections. Today, we have fewer than 100 mentors across a wide range of industries, including technology, finance, medicine, science, film, design, animation, law, and more. We support students not only in the Bay Area and New York, but also internationally in countries like Japan, China, Thailand, and beyond.
“There are no checklists for college admissions: there’s a reason why not every valedictorian goes to Harvard… Seek to succeed on your own terms, and college admissions should be a byproduct. High school is a time for exploration and curiosity, there is no better way to do that than identifying something you might be interested in and going for it.”
— Mentor Spencer | Columbia University
Tech | Engineering | Crypto
“I know how demanding college applications can be and I look forward to supporting your next creative endeavor!”
— Mentor Rémy | Brown University/RISD
Design | Illustration | Animation
Why We Started Path Mentors
The idea was born out of our frustration with the high-pressure, checkbox-driven culture surrounding college admissions, especially in the SF Bay Area. We understand that getting into college is a major milestone, and it’s natural to feel anxious about the process. But we also believe there’s a more meaningful way to spend your high school years to stand out without burning out. Based on our own experiences and those of our peers, we know these approaches work. Our goal is to help you grow through impact-driven projects, real-world experiences, and thoughtful guidance, supporting not just your college journey but also your long-term personal and professional path.
“My focus is on facilitating the intellectual exploration of novel ideas about our social reality, an activity that forms the foundation of the humanities and social sciences. I’m excited to collaborate with you to sharpen your best ideas and embody them in the future projects”
— Mentor Jane | Harvard University
Sociology | Data | Psychology
“Find an NTA (non-teenager activity) you enjoy doing outside of school. Doing something that is not as common for teenagers to do is the best way to make you stand out.”
— Mentor Ruby | University of Pennsylvania
Business | Finance | Music
Every Student is Unique
Everyone has ups and downs during their high school journey. Life is a marathon and we hope that you can grow and spend time doing things you genuinely enjoy, rather than force yourself to chase a checklist of activities you are not interested in, only to get mediocre results. Believe in yourself – everyone is unique and has a different path!
“No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life. There may be countless trails and bridges and demigods who would gladly carry you across; but only at the price of pawning and forgoing yourself. There is one path in the world that none can walk but you. Where does it lead? Don’t ask, walk!”
- Friedrich Nietzsche, 19th Century German Philosopher.
“Born and raised in the SF Bay Area, I work as a data scientist at an AI startup to build data-driven interventions to reduce incarceration and drive criminal justice reform.”
— Mentor Mayuka | Stanford University
Data | AI | NLP
“If you focus too much on learning a skill, you tend to lose the forest through the trees. Certain technical skills can be applicable both in day-to-day life. Most importantly, the road to learning these skills can be rooted in practicality”
— Mentor Austin | Columbia University
Finance | Tech | Crypto
Leadership Team
Clara Zhi
Co-Founder & Product
Columbia Psychology
