The timeline below is an estimation of your time commitment as a mentor, but will vary depending on each student. All mentorships in 2020-2021 were held virtually, but we look forward to going back to in-person or outdoor meetings when possible, while following COVID guidelines for the city of Boston. Please reach out to us with any questions about mentoring during this time.
Junior Year
The Principals and College Guidance Counselors nominate a group of juniors to interview to be a part of the CP Mentors Scholars program. The juniors then apply and interview with the CP Mentors team and representatives from the Catholic Schools Foundation. Once accepted into the program, we match students with a mentor based on common interests or career aspirations. We reach out to mentors to suggest the match, and share a profile of the student and instructions on how to contact them.
The goal is for the two of you to get to know each other during junior year before any college work begins. We would also encourage you to email your mentee during the summer to check in.
Fall Semester Senior Year
As students begin working on college applications, they may reach out to mentors to discuss their college list, to discuss essay topics, or for help editing their essays. Essay editing is not a requirement for mentors. If this is not an area of interest for you, there is additional editing help available from our team.
There are usually several opportunities to attend events at the school during the fall of senior year. It is always fun to see the students as a group, and to get a sense of the community at their school, so we encourage you to join us whenever possible.
Spring Semester Senior Year
During second semester, the seniors will be sending in the last of their applications and hopefully receiving acceptance letters! They might be looking for help writing a resume, practicing interviews, discussing supplemental essay topics, or talking about their college acceptances. Your student may also be making college visits and may ask if you are interested in accompanying them to a local campus. If that is the case and you are interested, please let us know and we will help you team up with another mentor or someone from our office to go with you.
At some point during the semester your mentee will be making a final decision on where they will be going to college and will have lots of questions about what comes next. This is a wonderful time for the kids, and your student will be excited to share the festivities with you.
Summer After Senior Year and Freshman Year of College
During this period you may be asked questions regarding course selection, dorm life, and how your mentee should prepare to make the transition to college. The beginning of freshman year is also often the most stressful period for students. If there are going to be difficulties this is often when they arise, so we would encourage you to check in regularly. If your student reaches out about particular issues (ex. financial aid, course selection, roommate problems) let us know and we can help figure out solutions.
Looking Forward
Our hope is that your student will keep in touch for years to come, and that they will feel comfortable coming to you with questions about their major, internships and other decisions as they work their way through college.
