Subscription FAQs
Got questions about the Curious Cardinals subscription model? We've got answers!
How subscriptions work
Why do you have a subscription billing model?
What is the benefit of having a subscription?
What is the trial/evaluation period?
How much is the subscription?
What is a "credit"?
How many credits do you get each month?
What happens if I don't use all my credits?
How do rollover credits work?
What happens if I accumulate credits?
Modifying and managing your subscription
How do I cancel my subscription?
Can I pause my subscription?
What if I don’t want a subscription?
I have been on a package for my student, can we stick with that?
Can I downgrade my subscription? We rarely hit 4 hours per month and I don’t want to worry about credits.
We’re going on vacation, what do I do with our subscription?
My student is about to wrap up with their mentor, why should I have a subscription?
Billing inquiries
How can I see how many credits I have?Why can I not see my subscription on the billing side of the platform?
Why was I charged multiple times?
Why was I charged during the trial period?
My student’s mentor cancels on me; how is it fair that I have to roll over credits?
I don’t understand, my student has only had 1 or 2 sessions – why am I being charged $380?
My trial period is almost over but my student has not met with their mentor yet. Can you extend the deadline?
Do you offer pay-as-you-go sessions?
What if I have 2 students? Can I use the credits from one subscription for the other student?
How subscriptions work
Why do you have a subscription billing model?
We chose a subscription-style billing model for a couple key reasons:
Firstly, we know from our extensive data that matches that meet weekly are the most connected, strongest, and most productive mentorship pairs. To deliver the most effective learning, students need consistency. Sporadic meetings don’t produce student progress or allow mentees to properly bond with their mentors. Monthly billing facilitates predictable scheduling and curriculum pacing to unlock the most value.
Secondly, in order to attract and retain the best of the best – the most exceptional college-aged mentors from top universities around the world – we must offer consistent pay in the form of predictable hours.
What is the benefit of having a subscription?
Your subscription has many benefits, and we’re always endeavoring to add more perks. In addition to the convenience and consistency of 4 guaranteed sessions per month, subscription pricing is lower than pay-as-you-go pricing. Your Curious Cardinals subscription also unlocks community-exclusive discounts to additional enrichment activities, like Camp Curious, our summer program offering.
What is the trial/evaluation period?
The trial/evaluation period begins the day you accept your child’s learning proposal and lasts for two weeks. This evaluation period allows you and your child to determine if the mentor is a good fit. You can schedule as many sessions as you’d like during the trial period at the special subscription rate of $95/session hour before being switched over to the monthly subscription. (Pay-as-you-go sessions are $115/session hour – that’s a savings of $20 per session hour!)
How much is the subscription?
The subscription is $380 per month, and is billed once per month based on your start date.
What is a “credit”?
A Curious Cardinals credit is one hour of mentorship (valued at $95/hour). Credits can also be used toward other CC offerings, like Camp Curious.
How many credits do you get each month?
Your subscription includes 4 credits (four one-hour mentorship sessions) per month. We’ve structured the subscription this way because we know that meeting at least once per week produces the most connected and fruitful mentorships.
What happens if I don’t use all my credits?
If you don’t use all 4 credits each month, those credits will roll over to the next month. Roll over up to 3 hours of unused credits monthly. Cancel or pause anytime as your family’s needs change.
How do rollover credits work?
Unused credits not subject to our cancelation policy will be applied to your account balance and can be used for future sessions, summer enrichment, and other Curious Cardinals offerings. You can roll over up to 3 hours of unused credits monthly.
Note: We value your time and our mentors’ time. For this reason, we adhere to a strict 24-hour notice cancelation policy. If your child misses a session without providing 24-hour notice, you may forfeit that session credit.
What happens if I accumulate credits?
There are so many ways to use your accumulated credits! You can use your credits to add an additional mentor for your child, adding in a passion project or an academic mentorship. You can use those credits toward summer enrichment, like Camp Curious. If you have another child who would benefit from mentorship, you can use your accumulated credits to get them started with their own CC mentor. You may also donate your credits to our Financial Aid program, or gift them to a kid you care about.
Modifying and managing your subscription
How do I cancel my subscription?
To experience the full benefits of Curious Cardinals mentorship, we ask that you stick with us for at least two months before deciding to cancel. After the required two-month commitment, you can cancel your subscription anytime by visiting the Manage Subscriptions page in Settings on your account.
Can I pause my subscription?
Of course! You can pause your subscription at any time by going to the Manage Subscriptions page in Settings on your account or contacting Lily.
What if I don’t want a subscription?
We hear you. While we would love for everyone to make the most out of their Curious Cardinals subscription, we get if that’s not the right fit for you. We offer pay-as-you-go sessions at $115 per session hour as an alternative to the subscription. Please contact lily@curiouscardinals.com to explore other options and custom plans.
I have been on a package for my student, can we stick with that?
We may allow existing Curious Cardinals families to “grandfather in” their packages. We will handle these on a case-by-case basis and want to be flexible for existing families, so please contact lily@curiouscardinals.com if you have any questions and we will work something out.
Note: If your package expires, sessions will be charged at the $95/session hour rate in line with our new pricing structure.
While we understand not every mentor-mentee pair will meet 4 times per month, we highly encourage it, as we’ve seen it produces the best results. If 4 hours per month just doesn’t work for your student, we can downgrade the subscription to 3 credits per month or adjust the frequency with a custom plan based on your usage. Please email lily@curiouscardinals.com to explore smaller subscription size options. Alternatively, you can pause your subscription if you feel you’ve accumulated too many credits and want to use them up before resuming.
We’re going on vacation, what do I do with our subscription?
If your child won’t be able to attend sessions for a while (due to vacation, illness, family emergency, etc.) we recommend pausing your subscription until you’re ready to resume sessions again. You can pause anytime by contacting our Student Success lead, Lily, or visiting https://app.curiouscardinals.com/subscriptions.
Congratulations on your child’s accomplishments with their mentor! We encourage you to explore new pathways your child can continue their relationship with their existing mentor, or begin a whole new adventure with a new CC mentor. From college essay support, passion projects, academic support, help applying for internships, or just becoming a more confident speaker, there are so many ways we can support your student. Our world-class education team is happy to work with you and your child’s mentor to identify possible pathways for growth.
Billing inquiries
How can I see how many credits I have?
You can view the credit amount available in your account at https://app.curiouscardinals.com/subscriptions. A one-hour session equals $95 in credit. So, for example, if you have $190 in credit in your account, you have 2 hours of session credits ($190 = two sessions at one hour apiece).
To ensure accuracy, we bill by the minute, not the hour. For that reason, you may see uneven credit amounts on your account if your child’s sessions run a bit longer or shorter than an hour. For example, if your child has a 90-minute session, that would be 1.5 credits ($142.50).
Why can I not see my subscription on the billing side of the platform?
Due to our payment processor, subscriptions show up on invoices as “$0.00”. You can view your credit amount at https://app.curiouscardinals.com/subscriptions. (You must log in first.)
Why was I charged multiple times?
After the two-week trial/evaluation period, you will be billed for the sessions your child completed during the trial period (at $95/hour) plus the $380 monthly subscription. If you have any specific billing questions, we're always here to help review your bill to ensure the charges are clear and correct.
Why was I charged during the trial period?
Sessions during the trial period are billed at $95/session hour. We want to ensure our mentors are fairly compensated for their time. The trial period exists for you to evaluate the mentor before committing to a subscription. If the mentor you were matched with doesn’t seem like a good fit for you, we will refund your first session and match you with a new mentor. Contact Lily, our Student Success lead, to get the ball rolling.
My student’s mentor cancels on me; how is it fair that I have to roll over credits?
Rollover credits are our way of ensuring your credits for unused sessions don’t go to waste.
We strongly encourage mentors to work with families to make up missed sessions and proactively schedule 4 sessions per month. If you’re experiencing an ongoing issue with your mentor canceling on you, that is certainly not the experience we want you to have. Please reach out to Lily if you need more tailored support or would like to explore a rematch.
I don’t understand, my student has only had 1 or 2 sessions – why am I being charged $380?
After the two-week trial/evaluation period, you will be billed for the sessions your child completed during the trial period (at $95/session hour) plus the $380 monthly subscription. Unfortunately, this is just how our payment processor bills at this time. We send you a reminder 3 days before your subscription starts, as we always want to be transparent about what charges are being billed to your account.
My trial period is almost over but my student has not met with their mentor yet. Can you extend the deadline?
Yes, we can usually extend the deadline a bit to allow for your student’s first session. We also include a grace period to allow for your candid feedback about the session, because we want to ensure you’re thrilled about your child’s mentor match! We will send you a reminder 3 days before your subscription starts. Please let us know 24 hours before the trial period is over if you need to extend.
If you’re having difficulty arranging a first session with your child’s mentor, consider using our new Easy Scheduling feature to quickly find a time that works for everyone.
Do you offer pay-as-you-go sessions?
Yes! While we encourage you to make the most of your subscription, we understand some families prefer the flexibility of pay-as-you-go. We offer pay-as-you-go sessions at a rate of $115 per session hour. Please bear in mind that you can switch from pay-as-you-go to subscription at any time if you would rather save money and utilize session credits.
What if I have 2 students? Can I use the credits from one subscription for the other student?
If you have an accumulation of credits on your account, absolutely! We want you to get the most out of your Curious Cardinals session credits. If you have another child who has a CC mentor or would like to be matched with a mentor, we will happily utilize your existing credits toward that mentorship.
