Where College and Career Exploration Begins for Students
The Encourage student app is the centerpiece of our free college and career planning program. It helps students in grades 8–12 see more possibilities, connect their interests to real opportunities, and take their first steps toward a future they can imagine for themselves.
Why Students Need the Encourage App
The future can feel overwhelming when you don’t know what’s out there or where to start.
The Encourage app changes that by connecting students to options they may never have considered and showing them a clear, personalized starting point.
Encourage is free, simple to use, and built to meet students where they are—so they can explore, plan, and make progress with confidence.
Ready to dive in?
Share your information with us, and we’ll send helpful resources—including FAQs, a program flyer, communication templates, and a sample report—so you can explore the program in more depth and communicate with your team before your educator account is set up.
Who is the App For?
Encourage is made for students ages 13+, grades 8–12.
The app is great for anyone curious about life after high school and asking questions like:
- “How will I afford it?”
- “Where should I go to college?”
- “What careers fit me best?”
Ready to dive in?
Share your information with us, and we’ll send helpful resources—including FAQs, a program flyer, communication templates, and a sample report—so you can explore the program in more depth and communicate with your team before your educator account is set up.
What Students Can Do
Explore Careers They Didn't Know Existed
Take a short quiz to reveal career paths matched to their interests, with details on salary, demand, education, and responsibilities.
Find the Right College FIt
Discover and compare colleges, including 2-year and trade programs, without getting lost in dozens of websites.
See How School Connects to Their Future
Understand how their interests link to majors, colleges, and career options, making academics more relevant.
Access More Funding
Search 80,000+ scholarships, get personalized matches, and track applications in one place.
Get Reliable Answers
Learn about financial aid, applications, and career planning from trusted videos, articles, and advice.
Stay On Track
Follow grade-specific, step-by-step guidance to keep moving toward their goals.
Ready to dive in?
Share your information with us, and we’ll send helpful resources—including FAQs, a program flyer, communication templates, and a sample report—so you can explore the program in more depth and communicate with your team before your educator account is set up.
Turning Possibility Into Opportunity for First-Gen Students
For many first-generation students, the biggest challenge is not seeing themselves as college material. Encourage’s optional recruitment feature helps close that gap by making college feel more accessible and within reach.
Students can choose to connect with 2,000+ trusted colleges, universities, and educational providers who are actively looking for students like them—opening doors to schools, scholarships, and opportunities they might never have found otherwise.
This network also keeps the program free, while ensuring students remain in control of their data, choices, and future.
Why Educators Like the Encourage App
Designed Mobile-First—for Real Life
Students engage most on their phones—Encourage meets them there with a clean, visual design that works the same on mobile, tablet, or desktop.
Student-Centered College Matches
Matches are based on each student’s interests and data, not our partnerships—so students get unbiased, personalized options that truly fit their goals.
Backed by Trusted Data
Every college, scholarship, and career recommendation comes from respected national sources like SuperCollege, O*NET, and IPEDS.
Ongoing Engagement
Students receive monthly newsletters to keep them exploring and moving forward all year.
Ready to dive in?
Share your information with us, and we’ll send helpful resources—including FAQs, a program flyer, communication templates, and a sample report—so you can explore the program in more depth and communicate with your team before your educator account is set up.
Watch the Student Demo
Ready to dive in?
Share your information with us, and we’ll send helpful resources—including FAQs, a program flyer, communication templates, and a sample report—so you can explore the program in more depth and communicate with your team before your educator account is set up.
Every Student Has A Story
From discovering career passions to navigating college choices and unlocking scholarships, these student journeys show what’s possible with the right tool.
Ava is a junior using Encourage to bring structure to her post-high school planning and expand her college possibilities.
Matthew is a future veterinarian using Encourage to discover scholarship opportunities and schools close to home.
Sariah is a freshman who is saying goodbye to endless googling and using Encourage to get a head start on her scholarship search.
Get started for free —
Learn more about the
Encourage for Educators App
Frequently Asked Questions