The message arrived at 2 a.m. from a panicked freshman in Ohio: “I wish I had known someone, anyone before I got here.” For Noor Kawalit, CEO of Gradsbook, this wasn’t just another user testimonial. It was validation of the problem she and her sister Jana had experienced firsthand: the isolating uncertainty of starting college without a single familiar face.
What began as a shared frustration between two sisters has evolved into a platform that’s fundamentally changing how students transition to university life. Gradsbook, the first social platform designed specifically to connect incoming students before they arrive on campus, recently secured investment from AdamTech Ventures the same visionaries behind Mawdoo3.com, the Arab world’s largest digital content platform. The investment signals a watershed moment for a company addressing what educators have long recognized as one of the most critical factors in student success: early social connection.
The Kawalit sisters didn’t set out to revolutionize higher education. They were simply two students who remembered the anxiety of those first weeks, wondering if they’d chosen the right roommate, if they’d find their people, if they’d made the right choice at all. “We kept thinking about all the students who drop out or transfer not because of academics, but because they never found their community,” Noor recalls. “The statistics are heartbreaking. Nearly 30% of freshmen don’t return for their sophomore year, and loneliness is a primary factor.”
Their solution was elegantly simple yet technologically sophisticated. Gradsbook creates a secure digital space where accepted students can connect months before orientation. Users build profiles highlighting their interests, study habits, and lifestyle preferences. The platform’s matching algorithm suggests potential roommates based on compatibility rather than random assignment. Students can join groups for their specific majors, discover others from their hometown, and even coordinate travel plans to campus.
The timing of their launch proved prescient. As universities worldwide grappled with creating community during pandemic restrictions, Gradsbook offered something invaluable: genuine human connection in an increasingly digital educational landscape. Within months, organic growth exploded as students shared the platform with incoming classmates. No expensive marketing campaigns, no influencer partnerships, just word-of-mouth from students who finally had a solution to their pre-college anxiety.
What sets Gradsbook apart isn’t just its first-mover advantage in this specific niche. While other platforms focus on current students or alumni, the Kawalits identified a completely unserved moment: the critical months between acceptance and arrival. “Everyone talks about the college experience, but no one was addressing the pre-college experience,” Jana explains. “Those months of uncertainty can set the tone for a student’s entire academic journey.”
The platform’s features reflect deep understanding of student needs. Beyond roommate matching, users can connect with current students at their future university to get unfiltered insights about professors, courses, and campus culture. International students particularly benefit from finding others from their home country or connecting with locals who can help them navigate cultural transitions. Parents, often equally anxious about their children’s transition, find comfort knowing their students are building support networks before leaving home.
The AdamTech Ventures investment represents more than capital, it’s validation from entrepreneurs who built a billion-user platform and understand the power of connecting communities. Rami Qawasmi and Dr. Mohammad Jaber, AdamTech’s founders, see in Gradsbook the same potential for regional and global impact. Their backing positions the platform for aggressive expansion across the Middle East and North Africa, where family concerns about student welfare abroad are particularly acute.
The numbers tell a compelling story. Students who connect on Gradsbook before arriving at university report 73% higher satisfaction with their roommate selections and 65% faster social integration. Universities partnering with the platform have seen measurable improvements in freshman retention rates. But for the Kawalit sisters, the most meaningful metrics arrive in personal messages, students sharing how finding their best friend on Gradsbook changed their college trajectory, or parents expressing relief that their child isn’t navigating this transition alone.
The platform’s growth trajectory suggests they’ve tapped into something fundamental. As higher education becomes increasingly global, with students crossing continents for their degrees, the need for early connection intensifies. Gradsbook isn’t just solving a logistical problem of roommate selection; it’s addressing the human need for belonging that determines whether students thrive or merely survive their college years.
Looking ahead, the Kawalits envision Gradsbook becoming the essential first step in every student’s higher education journey. Plans include AI-powered mentorship matching, virtual campus tours led by current students, and integration with university systems to streamline everything from housing applications to course selection. They’re building more than a platform, they’re creating a new standard for how students transition to university life.
The story of Gradsbook is ultimately about recognizing that education isn’t just about academics, it’s about community, connection, and confidence. By solving the pre-arrival anxiety that plagues millions of students annually, Noor and Jana Kawalit have created something that transcends technology: they’ve built a bridge between the familiar and the unknown, making the journey to higher education less daunting and more exciting.
For students preparing for college, parents seeking peace of mind, or educators focused on student success, Gradsbook offers a revolutionary approach to one of education’s oldest challenges. Visit Gradsbook.com to explore the platform, download the Gradsbook App for Android or Apple devices, and follow their journey on Instagram. Watch their story unfold through their introduction video, platform demonstration, and student testimonials. Join thousands of students who are already discovering that the best part of college might just begin before you arrive on campus.
