Academic alignment
Classes, grades and scores that fit the direction.
Built with Course planning, SAT coach
One story behind every part of the application.
Pursiva finds the idea that ties your student's grades, activities and essays together. Then it plans every part of the application around it, year by year.
See Pursiva in action
Maya is a fictional student, just to illustrate the actual product experience.
Read what happens in the video
- A dark navy screen. Text: “College admissions. Standing out keeps getting harder.”
- Text: “The only way in? One integrated story.”
- Pieces of the Pursiva app tumble around the screen with no order, then the text appears: “So many pieces. No plan.”
- The pieces of the Pursiva logo snap together, with the words “AI college admissions counselor.”
- Maya’s dashboard builds itself piece by piece: “Maya, here’s what to focus on next.” Her profile is 100% complete, her Core Narrative is approved and her roadmap is 25% done.
- “Core Narrative: finds the story.” A possible Core Narrative for Maya, about whether kelp forests can recover, shows its scores, and the cursor approves it.
- “Course planning: plans every course.” Maya’s course plan for the coming years appears.
- “SAT coach: coaches the SAT.” Her SAT coaching shows where her points are.
- “Essay coach: brainstorms the essay.” The cursor drags an essay idea into the “Worth exploring” column.
- “College list: builds the college list.” The cursor opens UC San Diego in her list to show its fit and cost.
- “Recommendations: lines up the letters.” A draft request to a teacher appears.
- Every module flies in, links to one center and merges into a single stack. Text: “Everything colleges look at. Finally working together.”
- End card: the Pursiva logo, “AI college admissions counseling for every part of the application” and pursivaprep.com.
It starts with your student's story.
Not a major, and not a list of activities. A Core Narrative is the pattern that already runs through your student's life: what they care about, what they keep doing, and where it is taking them.
- 1
Profile
Your student answers questions across seven areas, from academics and character to curiosity, impact and college fit.
- 2
Patterns
Pursiva looks for the interests and motivations that keep coming back, and drafts several possible Core Narratives.
- 3
Evidence
Each option is checked against what your student has already done: classes, activities and experiences.
- 4
Your student decides
Your student chooses the narrative that feels true. It can grow and change as they do.
What a Core Narrative sounds like
Translating complex science into accessible public understanding.
Using economics and policy to improve opportunities in underserved communities.
Designing technology that reduces friction in people's daily lives.
Combining storytelling and behavioral psychology to shape human decisions.
Every part of the application, working for the same story.
Most services work on one piece and never see the rest. Pursiva covers every dimension of the application on purpose, so courses, scores, activities, essays, recommendations and the college list all prove the same story and strengthen each other.
Core Narrative
What kind of person is your student becoming?
Six pillars of evidence prove it
Intellectual curiosity
Learning that goes beyond what is assigned.
Built with Activities, passion projects
Impact
Real value for real people, not just participation.
Built with Activities
Character
Values shown through actions, never just claimed.
Built with Essay coach, Recommendations
Personal skills
How your student works with others and for others.
Built with Recommendations, Activities
Future and fit
A believable direction, and colleges that match it.
Built with College list, Financial aid
Each part strengthens the others.
- CoursesClasses that build depth in the subjects your student's direction depends on.
- ActivitiesCommitments that show the skills and traits behind your student's goals.
- EssaysA story that reveals how your student sees the world, and why their direction matters to them.
- College listColleges chosen because they fit your student's goals, not just their rankings.
A plan for every year, guided by the same principles.
The method stays the same. The focus changes as your student grows, and each year puts one principle to work.
9th
Explore
- Study habits that last
- A balanced schedule with one or two advanced classes
- Two or three interests worth trying
- First relationships with teachers
Authentic beats optimized
Follow real interests, not what looks impressive.
10th
Go deeper
- Depth in the interests that stuck
- First leadership
- A small passion project
- Summer programs and a testing plan
Depth beats breadth
Years of growing commitment count for more than a long list.
11th
Prove it
- The most rigorous year that still fits
- SAT timing and target scores
- Teachers who will write strong letters
- A first, balanced college list
Reinforce, don't repeat
Every class, score and activity adds a new angle on the same story.
12th
Tell it
- A final Core Narrative and pillars
- Essays in your student's own voice
- Recommendations and financial aid forms
- Every application and deadline, tracked
Essays show the why
Activities show what your student did. Essays explain why it mattered.
Built on how top counselors work, and shaped with feedback from admitted students.
Pursiva's method brings together two things families rarely get in one place: the practices of leading admissions counselors, and feedback from recently admitted students at top US universities.
Methods of leading college admissions counselors
Feedback from recently admitted students at top US universities
Selective colleges say the same thing: a real person reads every file and looks for depth over a long list. Read what they say.
Questions about the method
More answers in the admissions FAQ.
What is a Core Narrative?
A Core Narrative is the one idea about a student that every part of the application supports. It describes what kind of person the student is becoming, based on interests and actions that already show up in their life. It is deeper than a major or a list of activities.
Does Pursiva choose my student's story?
No. Pursiva drafts several possible Core Narratives from your student's profile and checks each one against real evidence. Your student chooses the one that feels true, and it can change as they grow.
What are the six pillars?
Academic alignment, intellectual curiosity, impact, character, personal skills, and future direction and fit. They are the kinds of evidence that show a Core Narrative is real. Pursiva looks for weak pillars and suggests what to work on next.
What modules are included?
Every plan includes all eight modules: Essay coach, College list, Course planning, SAT coach, Activities, Recommendations, Financial aid and Application tracker.
Can I use it as much as I want?
Yes. There are no session limits or extra fees. Every module is available at any hour, for as long as your subscription is active.
How do I get started?
A parent or guardian, or a student who is 18 or older, creates the account. Your student completes a short profile, chooses a Core Narrative from the options Pursiva drafts, and gets a plan for the year. Pursiva is $49.90 a month, and you can cancel anytime.
When should my student start?
Any time from 9th to 12th grade. The method is the same in every year, and the plan adapts to your student's grade: exploring in 9th, going deeper in 10th, proving it in 11th and telling the story in 12th.
Find the story that ties it all together.
$49.90 a month, every module included. Cancel anytime.
Get started