Frequently Asked Questions

PathLeap is a free career exploration tool designed for teens. We help high school students discover 70+ careers with real salary data, growth projections, AI risk scores, and recommended AP courses — so you can plan your future with confidence, not fear.

PathLeap is free to explore — browse careers, AP courses, take the career quiz, and read all blog content at no cost. Some premium features (like full career rankings and personalized AP planning) require a subscription. We want every student to have access to career discovery, with deeper tools available for those who want them.

PathLeap was founded by Mike Gu in 2026 with a mission to help teens navigate career decisions in the age of AI. We combine real labor market data with AI impact analysis to give students the most relevant and forward-looking career guidance available.

Most career tools show you outdated job descriptions. PathLeap is built for the AI era — every career includes an AI Impact Deep Dive showing which tasks AI will handle and which stay human, plus an AI risk score. We also connect careers directly to AP courses and college majors, creating a clear pathway from high school decisions to career outcomes.

Our AI risk scores are based on O*NET task data, Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational projections, and the Microsoft 'Working with AI' research (2025). We analyze which specific tasks in each career can be automated by current AI technology and weight them by importance to the role. Scores range from 0 (no AI risk) to 100 (high automation potential).

We update salary data, growth projections, and AI risk scores quarterly using the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics releases, O*NET updates, and industry research. Career descriptions and AP course recommendations are reviewed monthly. Last update: March 2026.

It depends on your career interests! Each career page on PathLeap includes specific AP course recommendations marked as 'essential' or 'recommended.' As a general rule: STEM careers benefit from AP Calculus and AP Sciences, business careers from AP Macro/Microeconomics, and creative careers from AP English and AP Art courses. Visit our AP Course Guide to explore all 40 AP courses and their career connections.

Yes! Each career page includes recommended college majors, and our Majors Guide covers 48 popular majors with starting salaries, employment rates, and career outcomes. We also show which AP courses connect to which majors, helping you build a clear path from high school to college to career.