College has long been a go-to for new high school grads.
Indeed, that’s truer now than ever before. In 2000, 63% of high school graduates headed straight to college. That figure’s now up at 70%!
Clearly, college is more popular than ever before. But that doesn’t make the experience of college easy. In fact, according to the same source, approximately 20% of new college students will quit along the way. Of course, the reasons for this attrition will vary.
However, you can guarantee that the trials and tribulations of this rite of passage into adulthood will play a role.
College mentoring can make a difference. Having someone there to show you the ropes can be a crucial college support network to have. Interested in learning more?
Keep reading to discover the top benefits of college mentoring programs.
1. Emotional Support
High school isn’t easy either.
But at the end of the school day, you get back to a warm house and a loving family. There might be a delicious home-cooked meal ready and waiting on the table. You’ve got the friends down the road, who you’ve had for years and who know and understand what you’re about.
There’s usually a level of security and comfort to high-school life.
All of that disappears when you first get to college. You’re in at the deep end. You know nobody, you’re on your own, cooking, cleaning and fending for yourself. Sure, there’s a level of excitement at the prospect! But the reality can be altogether more emotionally challenging.
The process of adapting to new circumstances can be hard.
A mentor has been through it all before though. They can empathize, relate, and help a freshman navigate the challenge. They can offer encouragement and a shoulder to lean on in difficult moments.
2. Advice and Insight
Everything feels new when you first get to college.
The first semester is a whirlwind of new experiences. From start to finish there are new faces, new subjects, and new hurdles to overcome.
Choosing majors, going to parties, meeting new people, getting involved in sports teams, learning how to cook and clean…It all takes some getting used to. We’ve covered the emotional challenges inherent within this already.
Mentors are also there to help you chart a course though everything. Once they get to know you and a relationship has formed, they can offer advice.
They look at their experience and know what’s best. They understand the different avenues available and can support you in taking the correct one.
Their insights and experience can prove invaluable to a freshman finding their feet.
Unsure where to find a mentor? The internet is a good place to begin your search. Numerous sites, such as iMentor, have set up to serve this purpose. It that doesn’t work out, then contact the college itself to enquire about their mentoring programs.
3. Push You to Succeed
It’s easy to get distracted at college.
It’s rarely a challenge to find excuses not to work. Opportunities abound; the freedom of college can be intoxicating. This is totally normal, and part of the experience of higher education! However, it’s easy to fall into bad habits.
Before you know it, your grades are slipping and you’re struggling to keep up with the workload.
Many freshmen get caught up in the college culture. They forget that they’re there to study and better themselves. Mentors can remind you of that fact. They can push you to excel and succeed- even if you aren’t slipping in the first place!
It’s their job to help you out. If that means challenging you to alter course, then they can do that too.
4. Make Friends and Connections
It’s ironic:
College is full of new faces. Thousands of people litter the dorms, classrooms, and campus. Yet it’s still all too easy to feel lonely.
Mentors provide a friendly face. They can also introduce you to new people. They can suggest the best places to go to meet likeminded individuals who could become your friends too.
In the same way, mentors may be able to introduce you to their professional network. After all, climbing the rungs of the life ladder often comes down to who you know. It’s important to get acquainted with the people who can influence your career prospects.
Doing that alone can be hard. You don’t know where to start or who to get to know. Your mentor may have already done the leg work!
If they’re in the same field, they can simply ingratiate you into their professional circles.
5. Gain Clarity
College is a time of transition.
It’s the middle ground between school and the fabled ‘real world’. That mysterious world of adulthood you’ve heard so much about throughout your life.
The years you’re at college should mold your understanding of who you are. During your college experience, you’d hope you become clearer on your life trajectory.
It’s time to ask particular questions. Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? What impact do you want to have on the world? And, most importantly, how will you achieve it all?
Finding answers to these questions can be a challenge. Not everyone is lucky enough to know exactly what they want to do. There seem too many choices. Again, this is something that mentors can support a student with.
Over time, they can guide and direct and push and suggest and question. In essence, they can do all the things that someone needs to find clarity moving forward.
College Mentoring Programs
The undeniable benefits of college mentoring programs.
College is a rite of passage for millions of students every year. It’s a time of novelty and excitement. It’s an intense experience of transition and growth. It’s profound, and it isn’t easy! For the reason, countless college students find themselves dropping out.
Having a mentor can make all the difference in navigating this novel experience. The challenge of college is felt keenly by almost everyone as they start their freshman year. The guiding hand of a mentor can be enormously helpful.
Hopefully, this post has highlighted the exact support they can provide.
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