Daniel A.
$35/hrUniversity of Southern California
Class of 2028 · Mechanical Engineering
Essay edits 4¢/word · New on Luminao
25 college students
at 12 colleges
Talk to a college student
at the school you want.
Free 15-min intro · Verified college students
Nothing over $60
Mentors currently study at
- USC
- UW
- Tufts
- Georgia Tech
- Northeastern
- Johns Hopkins
- Yale
- Northwestern
- NYU
- Dartmouth
- Brown
- Berkeley
Mentors on Luminao
Every mentor is a verified college student. We review each profile before it goes live.
Mentors sign up with their college email and confirm it with a one-time code sent to that inbox. Luminao reviews every profile before it goes live. We don’t run background checks.
Nihal K.
$30/hrUniversity of Southern California
Class of 2029 · Business Administration
Essay edits 4¢/word · New on Luminao
Aiden P.
$15/hrUniversity of Southern California
Class of 2030 · Political Science
Essay edits 4¢/word · New on Luminao
Sohum M.
$30/hrUniversity of Washington
Class of 2028 · Chemical Engineering
Video calls only · New on Luminao
Emilie D.
$35/hrUniversity of Southern California
Class of 2028 · IYA
Video calls only · New on Luminao
Owen C.
$35/hrTufts University
Class of 2028 · Economics
Video calls only · New on Luminao
Kevin D.
$25/hrUniversity of Southern California
Class of 2029 · Psychology
Essay edits 5¢/word · New on Luminao
Isabella D.
$25/hrNortheastern University
Class of 2027 · Health Science
Essay edits 5¢/word · New on Luminao
We believe the best mentors are those who just went through the process.
Every mentor on Luminao applied to college recently. They remember what worked in their own essays and what didn’t, because they just did it.
How it works
Start with a free 15-minute intro. Then get essay feedback or a 60-minute video call from the same mentor.
Step 1
Find a mentor
Search by college, and see each mentor’s college, year, major and price before you book.
Browse mentorsStep 2
Meet free for 15 minutes
Pick one of their open times, or ask for one, and meet in Luminao’s own video room to check the fit.
Step 3
Get essay feedback or a 1:1 call
Send your draft for feedback, or book a 60-minute video call. Luminao holds your payment until the edit is delivered, or until after your call.
Nothing over $60.
The price you see is the full price, with no added fees. Each mentor sets a rate under Luminao’s caps.
Video calls, per hour$15–$50 today
Video calls, per hour: 25 mentors, $15–$50, under the $60 cap.
Essay edits, priced per word (dots show the total for 700 words)$28–$49 today
Essay edits, priced per word (dots show the total for 700 words): 22 mentors, $28–$49, under the $60 cap.
- Free intro
- $0
- 15 minutes on video, no card needed
- Essay edit
- from 4¢/word
- Per word, up to 700 words; you pay for the words in your essay
- Video call
- $15–$50
- 60 minutes on video, at each mentor’s rate
- Essay edits: held until your mentor delivers your edit. Not delivered within 3 days? Automatic full refund.
- Calls: Luminao holds your payment and releases it to your mentor only after your session.
For parents
You can create the account, book and pay. Your student meets the mentor in Luminao’s own video room. Payment is held until the edit is delivered, or until after the call.
In college? Become a mentor.
Help high schoolers with essays and applications over video. You set your own rates, $20–$60 an hour for calls and up to 8¢ a word for essay edits, and you keep 80% of every paid order.
- Sign up with your .edu email and build your profile.
- We review each profile before it goes live.
- Take sessions when you have time; you choose your hours.
Questions
Is the first call really free?
Yes. The free intro is 15 minutes on video in Luminao’s own video room. No card needed, and every student gets 3.
Who are the mentors?
College students at 12 colleges, each a verified college student. Luminao reviews every profile before it goes live.
Will a mentor write my essay?
No. Mentors give feedback. They never write your essay. Every suggestion is labeled “Mentor suggestion”, and Luminao uses no AI on essays.
How does payment work?
Paid help is charged when you book, on Stripe’s secure page. Essay edits are held until your mentor delivers; not delivered within 3 days means an automatic full refund. For calls, Luminao holds your payment and releases it to your mentor only after your session.
Refund policyHow much does it cost?
Nothing over $60. The price you see is the full price, with no added fees. Each mentor sets their own price, and you see it on their profile before you book.
See pricingCan a parent book?
Yes. A parent can create the account, book and pay. Your student meets the mentor in Luminao’s own video room.
Read the parent guide25 verified college students at 12 colleges
Find your mentor.
Free 15-min intro · no card needed · every student gets 3