ABOUT LETRADO
Education opened doors for us. We want it to do the same for you.
Letrado was started by a small group of people who studied at leading universities and business schools, then stepped back from demanding careers to focus on their own ventures, their families, and education. We believe good guidance and good resources should reach everyone, including students who can’t afford to pay for them.
Arrange your free introduction45 minutes with your proposed mentor. A personalized plan by email afterward.
Read our story
The Long Room, Trinity College Dublin · MichaelMaggs / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and cropped.
OUR STORY
We started Letrado to offer the kind of help we wish everyone had.
- Our team
- Graduates of leading universities and business schools
- Where we are
- Based in the U.S., with team members across Asia
- Who we help
- Students and families around the world, online
- How we begin
- A free 45-minute introduction with your proposed mentor
The people behind Letrado studied at leading universities and business schools in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Many of us went on to demanding careers in technology, finance, and consulting.
Over time, we chose to step away from that work to spend more of our time on our own startups, our families, and education. Letrado grew out of that choice.
We know how stressful applications can feel. It would be easy to build a business on that worry. We would rather do the opposite: explain things clearly, share what we know freely, and offer steady, honest support to the people who want it.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
Good resources and good education should reach everyone, including people who can’t afford to pay for them.
WHY WE HELP
We help because education did so much for us.
A good education helped us earn scholarships and study abroad. Between us, we studied at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge, London Business School, INSEAD, and other leading universities and business schools.
We know how much that opened up for us. That’s why we spend so much of our time helping students, often without being paid for it. This website and our free resources are how we pass on what we’ve learned.
Work with us
If you’d like personal help, we’d be glad to work with you privately. It starts with a free 45-minute introduction with your proposed mentor.
Arrange your free introductionAsk us a question
Not looking for advising? You’re still welcome to contact us with any question you have. We love hearing from students, and we admire everyone who keeps working toward their goals, whatever gets in the way.
Email us your question
WHAT WE VALUE
The promises behind every conversation.
These shape how we work with every student and family, whether or not you decide to work with us.
WHAT WE WON’T DO
We won’t use your worries to sell you anything.
A lot of admissions consulting runs on fear: warnings that one mistake will cost you, suggestions that you’re already behind, and pressure to sign up before it’s too late. We’re against that. It takes advantage of families at an already stressful time. We believe in supporting students: being honest and clear with you, and helping you to the best of our ability.
Honesty comes first.
We tell you what we really think, including when we are not the right fit or when another resource would serve you better.
No fear, no pressure.
Applications are stressful enough. We explain what matters, what doesn’t, and what you can do next, so you can decide calmly.
Every student gets our full attention.
We don’t try to take on as many students as possible. Each student should feel supported and well looked after, and if we don’t have enough time or space, we’ll say so.
Free help should be easy to find.
Our guides and resources are free to use, whether or not you ever work with us. We would rather you find good information than feel you have to pay for it.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND LETRADO
Our mentors have walked this path themselves.
A few of the universities and business schools our team attended. Not every mentor attended every school shown. Our careers span technology, finance, consulting, education, and government, and you meet your proposed mentor in your free introduction.
A café table · Luke Chesser / Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
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LONG AFTER THE APPLICATION
Many of our former students still keep in touch.
When time allows, or when our paths cross in the same city or country, we meet for a meal. Other times it is a call, or advice about a new job, a degree, or a big decision.
Seeing people we have worked with keep growing, year after year, is one of the main reasons we care so much about education.
- Meals
- Calls
- Advice sessions
WHERE YOUR SUPPORT GOES
Much of what we earn helps students who couldn’t otherwise afford support.
Beyond what it takes to run Letrado, much of what we earn goes toward scholarships and financial support for students from low-income families, in communities where our team volunteers.
- Southeast Asia
- Latin America
- Africa
- Eastern Europe
- The United States
Some of our favorite moments come from watching those students grow in confidence once they understand their own talents and have the right mentorship and resources.
Explore our free resources- ScholarshipsHelp with the cost of education for students who couldn’t otherwise pay.
- Financial supportPractical help for students from low-income families.
- VolunteeringOur team gives its time often, in communities around the world.
- Free resourcesGuides anyone can use, whether or not they work with us.
QUESTIONS FAMILIES ASK
A few honest answers.
If your question isn’t here, bring it to your free introduction.
Why don’t you list your mentors’ names?
For now, we keep individual names off the website. You meet your proposed mentor in your free introduction, before you decide anything.
Is Letrado affiliated with any universities?
No. Letrado is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the universities or schools shown on this site.
Where are you based?
We are based in the U.S., with team members across Asia, and we work with families around the world online.
Is Letrado right for everyone?
No, and that’s fine. If another advisor, service, or free resource would suit you better, we’ll tell you.
What if you don’t have room for another student?
We’ll tell you honestly. We would rather say so than take on more students than we can support well.
Let’s work out your next step, together.
Bring your questions to a free 45-minute introduction with your proposed mentor. We’ll listen, talk through your options, and send you a personalized plan by email. No scare tactics and no pressure to sign up: we’ll tell you honestly what we think, even if that means pointing you somewhere else.
Arrange your free introduction