Our Why
College admissions favor the few who can pay thousands for private guidance.
Ilya Guide flips the script with free and affordable tools, human advice, driven by a mission to put opportunity within reach for everyone.
Three Core Goals
-
Clarity
Step-by-step guidance that cuts through the noise
-
Access
All students, all towns, everywhere, no outrageous prices
-
Growth
Gain a stronger sense of who you are and what you want
One Passionate Founder
Hi! I’m Gabe Murray. I grew up in a seaside town in New England. I come from a family of engineers and builders, so I learned early how to take things apart and make them work. The families in my town help their kids access internships, extracurriculars, and expensive college consultants.
Then I started school in Cambridge and met classmates who did not have the same support system I did. Some were first-generation students, some worked jobs after class, and none had a budget for the pricey college counselors in my town.
Watching friends try to navigate admissions with fewer resources did not sit right with me. So I did the one thing I know how to do: I built.
Ilya Guide is my answer to this challenge! I’ve been building passionately to deliver an amazing college admissions support experience to all students from all backgrounds. And I’m building it so everyone can afford to benefit - not just the wealthy. Folks who can’t pay at all, can gain free access by helping share Ilya Guide with the world.
Why Ilya Guide
Everyone should have access to support and help. Ilya Guide accomplishes this goal by providing expert college admissions counciling to everyone. This whole project is about opening options to everyone.
I love Lord of the Rings and the rich tapestry of languages that it contained. Many amazing companies have pulled their names from Tolkien’s worlds such as Anduril, Durin, Palantir, and Valar Atomics. I looked for a word that fit our mission and found Ilya Guide, which roughly translates to the “All Guide”. Over time I’d love Ilya Guide to help us in our lives and careers beyond college as well!