ABSTRACT
College application is a marathon, not a sprint. Mentors are key to helping students understand their options, set realistic goals, and to pursue a reasonable number of possibilities for future success. This means working against some aspects of the current culture of college applications, and the way in which students have been encouraged to apply to an ever-lengthening list of schools in order to successfully enroll in prestigious institution. Mentors can help students in high school think about opportunities they have available to show service and leadership, and to make sure they are not passing by experiences that can set them apart from their peers. This does not always mean studying abroad or other resource-intensive activities. Freshman year is a pivotal year for high school and the first year that really counts for college admissions. From their first day of ninth grade, students are building a GPA that will, in a few years, unlock scholarship aid automatically at many colleges.
