11 TH. College Transition Program Checklist Goals GRADE

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1 imentor s College Transition Program ensures students successfully transition to and persist in college by matching them with mentors for three years, from 11th grade through the first year of college. Pairs weekly and meet monthly in person to develop strong relationships while students build skills necessary for college success. These skills such as critical thinking, self-advocacy, social capital, intellectual curiosity, and perseverance empower students to realize their full academic potential and excel in new and challenging environments. Mentors also help mentees develop college knowledge such as how to identify the best college match, apply for financial aid, meet application deadlines, write effective essays, and integrate into college life which allows them to reach important milestones on the path to college graduation. During the first year of college, mentors help mentees create advisor and peer support networks, develop effective time management and study skills, reapply for financial aid, and identify summer learning and internship opportunities. At the end of the three-year program, pairs have the option of extending their match through college completion. 11 TH Get to Know Each Other: Find Similarities and Celebrate Differences Mentors and mentees will begin building relationships by sharing their backgrounds, experiences, interests, and aspirations. Pairs will demonstrate a sincere interest in each other by exploring both their similarities and differences. Establish a Foundation for a Successful Mentoring Relationship Mentors and mentees will establish expectations for their relationships. Mentors and mentees will explore what a good mentoring relationship looks like. Mentors and mentees will make commitments to each other concerning what each person will bring to the relationship and their work together. Pairs will reflect on past disappointments from their lives and other relationships and project how this may affect their partnership. Together, mentees and mentors will set SMART (specific, measureable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals for the year and talk about how mentors can support mentees as they work to achieve these goals.

2 11 TH Inspire Curiosity and a Love of Learning Mentors and mentees will be introduced to the idea of intellectual curiosity and its connection to an appreciation of learning new things. Pairs will investigate something they ve always been curious about and teach each other something new. Mentees will display an interest in learning new things and engaging in new experiences. Mentees will learn to cultivate curiosity in their academic work and outside of the classroom, and to appreciate the process of learning new things. Identify Potential Careers Mentors and mentees will make connections to what draws them to the kinds of careers they re interested in. Mentors and mentees reflect on what motivates them to succeed. Pairs will explore specific careers that connect to mentees motivations, passions, and skills, and will understand that motivation is a key factor in deciding what career they ll choose in the future. Mentors and mentees will explore what skills are needed for the careers mentees are interested in. Mentors and mentees will understand the kind of education necessary for the careers mentees are interested in. Learn to Utilize a Growth Mindset Mentees will be introduced to the concept of a growth mindset, and how that is different from a fixed mindset. Mentors and mentees will understand the connection between the amount of work they put in and the level of success they attain. Mentees will feel empowered to work hard understanding that this motivation, dedication, and hard work will positively affect how well they do at any given task or project. Mentees will understand the growth mindset concept and learn how intelligence can be developed over time. This belief will lead to greater student engagement in school and increases mentees resilience in the face of setbacks. Understand the Importance of Resiliency and Perseverance Mentors and mentees will be introduced to the concepts of resiliency and perseverance and how both of these skills relate to academic and personal success. Mentees will demonstrate a combination of persistence and resilience that allows them to work effectively toward goals, even in the face of obstacles and setbacks. Mentors and mentees will reflect on personal failures and mistakes and what caused them. Pairs will examine how personal mistakes can impact other people, as well as lessons learned from past mistakes. Help Mentees Understand How College is Fun Pairs will look at the exciting aspects of college and focus on the reasons college is fun and desirable. Pairs will talk about the social, extracurricular, and lifestyle reasons why college is a fun place to be, and spend time on a college campus. In particular, mentors will share stories about their own fun experiences in college. Mentees will explore other social and non-academic elements of college to build excitement about college as they go through their 11 th grade year and the college application process gets into full swing.

3 11 TH Introduce the College Road Map Mentors and mentees will refamiliarize themselves with the college application process and what is coming up this year. Pairs will be introduced to a college checklist and make connections to the goals they ve set for themselves this year and ready themselves for 12 th grade. Identify Personal Preferences and Link to College Fit Mentors will support mentees as they reflect on their identity and preferences and what kinds of colleges are right for them. Pairs will explore all the factors in college preference, including available majors, school size, location, social life, and financial aid. Mentors share their personal stories about the priorities and preferences they had in 11 th grade and how these informed their college decisions and satisfaction with their school selection. Pairs will work together to create a prioritized list of preferences that they can use to explore the fit of a wide range of potential colleges. Create a College List Mentors and mentees will use online college research tools to research preferences and identify the requirements for each of these colleges. Pairs will use the personal preferences mentees identified about the right fit for them and create a prioritized list of mentees college preferences. Mentors will support mentees as they create their college resumes. Mentors and mentees will discuss what mentees need to do in order to be eligible for each of their favorite schools on the list. Mentors will ensure mentees are composing a list with a diversity of safety, reach, and target schools. Mentors will help mentees form and manage realistic expectations about their college preferences, and will instill confidence in mentees about the support they will receive throughout the process. Introduce Financial Aid Basics and Financial Literacy Mentors and mentees will work to explore all the options available for paying for mentees college education. Mentors help mentees create a personal financial action plan for college and map out the steps mentees must take in order to execute the plan. Mentors and mentees discuss ways mentors may be able to assist in the implementation of this plan as they look ahead to senior year. Pairs will practice self-advocacy skills and mentors will encourage optimism and excitement about the future as they talk about the reality of paying for college. Reflect on Year One, Preview Year Two Mentors and mentees will reflect on and celebrate everything they accomplished the past year. Pairs will discuss discrete college preparation goals for the summer. Pairs will review the 12 th grade checklist as a preview for what to expect as they start their senior year. Mentors will support mentees as they prepare for their summer activities.

4 12 TH Set 12 th Grade Goals Mentors and mentees will reconnect by recapping their summer experiences. Pairs will reestablish the norms and expectations they have of each other as they start a new year together. Mentors and mentees will set SMART (specific, measureable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals for senior year and complete a calendar that maps out exactly when they need to meet each of these goals in order to stay on top of the college application process. Mentees will express their hopes and worries for their senior year of high school. Map Out Senior Year: Create a 12 th Grade Timeline Pairs will revisit the college goals they set in 11 th grade and check-in on their progress and next steps. They will practice using a growth mindset during the college application process. Mentors and mentees will continue to build social capital as they review the list of colleges mentees want to apply to, and pairs will review how to ask teachers and other members of mentees advisor networks for letters of recommendations. Mentors and mentees will reflect on the reality of paying for college and brainstorm strategies for how to approach financial aid. Complete the College Essay: Telling My Story Mentors and mentees will understand the purpose of the college essay and personal statement. Pairs will review excellent personal statements and understand how to write a great essay. Mentees will draft their own college essays. Mentors will give mentees feedback on their college essays and support them through the drafting and revision process. By the end of November, pairs will have a final draft of one personal statement that mentees will use for college applications. Prepare College Applications: Staying on Track Mentors and mentees will make sure they have all of the pieces of their college applications in order. Mentees will finalize their college list and will have started on all of their college applications. Mentors will make sure mentees are utilizing resources at their high schools and following-up on commitments and deadlines mentees have set for themselves. Pairs will go through mentees college applications to make sure everything is of high quality and completed. Mentors will continue to instill a sense of both urgency and empowerment in mentees about the college application timeline and process. Submit College Applications and Celebrate the Accomplishment Mentees will finalize all college applications and mentors will support them through this process. Mentees and mentors will celebrate the huge accomplishment mentees have just experienced. Pairs will understand that they will now enter the second phase of college applications, which is the financial aid process, and mentors will follow up on the progress mentees have made toward meeting financial aid deadlines.

5 12 TH Learn to Manage My Money: College Financial Literacy 101 Mentees and mentors will reflect on how they spend money, and mentees will understand the basics of responsible money management and how this connects to financial aid. Pairs will revisit the basics of the financial aid process. Apply for Financial Aid and Understand My Aid Package Pairs will discuss where mentees are in the financial aid process. Mentors will provide mentees with resources where they can find additional scholarships and provide encouragement as mentees explore their options and make decisions. Mentees will update mentors on how their families are feeling about paying for college. Mentors and mentees will go through the FAFSA together and learn about other financial aid opportunities. Learn the Importance of Fighting Senioritis and Finishing High School Strong Mentees reflect on how they re feeling now that they ve submitted their college applications. Mentees and mentors will understand that 12 th grade is important and that the consequence of slipping grades in the second half of senior year could be rescinded admission. They will examine the idea of senioritis and identify perseverance strategies to combat it. Pairs will discuss ways mentors can support mentees in their efforts to finish high school as strong as possible. Discuss the Transition to College: Leveraging Mentors Experience Mentees will interview their mentor about what they felt like at this time in their senior year of high school. Mentors will help mentees as they start to prepare for the transition between high school and college. Mentees will share their anxieties about going to college and the changes that this will mean for their lives. Mentors will share their personal stories with mentees to normalize mentees anxieties. Discuss College Options and Make a Decision Pairs will think about what it would mean for mentees to get into schools that are most aligned with their college preferences. Pairs will reflect on the options the mentee has and talk about how to make a choice as to which college to attend. They will think about a disappointing college scenario as a way to prepare for possible disappointment, as well as worst case scenarios. Mentors help mentees think through coping strategies for all of these possibilities.

6 12 TH Understand the Non-Academic Transition From High School to College Mentors and mentees will discuss how high school is different than college and the expectations for the social scene in college. Mentees will reflect on how they will acclimate to a new setting, and mentors will give mentees advice about how to stay true to themselves and establish themselves in the college social setting. Pairs will understand the importance of relationship-building in college and how this looks different in college than in high school. They will examine the realities of drugs and alcohol on college campuses and talk realistically about how to handle difficult situations related to these issues. Mentees and mentors will proactively brainstorm ways to troubleshoot challenging situations that could come up in college. Pairs will learn about resources available on campus and how to access these resources. Ensure Mentee is On Track for High School Graduation and Discuss Summer Plans Mentors and mentees will make sure last-minute high school tasks are completed to ensure graduation from high school. Pairs will think about summer plans to help mentees feel confident and prepare for their first day of college. Celebrate Your Relationship and Look at What s Next Mentors and mentees will reflect on everything they ve accomplished together. Pairs will reflect on the highlights of their relationship over the last four years, and will participate in a fun year-end event that allows them to share memories, celebrate, and relax together.

7 YEAR FRESHMAN OF COLLEGE Ensure Mentee Has a Strong First Week of College Mentors and mentees focus on making sure mentees have successful first weeks of college. Pairs discuss everything mentees did in their first week, including their first impressions of courses, classmates, professors, dorms, and social life. Mentors offer encouragement and answer any questions mentees might have. Know Your Campus: Mentor-Mentee Campus Tour Through an in-person tour, a detailed phone conversation, or a Skype video chat, mentees walk mentors around the physical landscape of campus. Mentees highlight favorite areas where they can meet friends, hunker down for studying, or take breaks. Mentors and mentees also identify buildings of importance, including the financial aid, registrar, and student affairs offices, and other facilities designed to support students. Mentees share their thoughts about campus and how it affects the college experience, while mentors share descriptions of their own college campuses. Get to Know Professors and Advisors Mentors and mentees discuss the importance of getting to know college professors and advisors. Mentors work with their mentees to ensure he or she has met in person with all professors and advisors during office hours before the end of their first month of college. Mentors and mentees will also discuss the importance of continuing to develop these relationships throughout the year to build their social capital and help-seeking resources. Pairs will focus on building relationships with professors through classroom participation, use of office hours and tutoring, asking for extra help, and other methods. Make a Weekly Schedule: Learn Time Management Mentors and mentees discuss the importance of time management and how this affects many aspects of the college experience. Pairs work together to create a weekly schedule for the mentee. This schedule includes all classes, study time, social time, extracurricular activities, and other responsibilities. Mentors and mentees use this schedule to give the mentor a better idea of mentees day-to-day college experiences, as well as to have discussions around prioritization, optimization, and balance. Pairs revisit this schedule throughout the year and make adjustments as necessary. Develop College-Level Study Skills Mentors and mentees discuss how essential great study skills are for success in college as pairs explore the differences in study requirements between high school and college. Mentors gain an understanding of what mentees studying has looked like to-date (for example, location, time allotted, and time of day), and pairs discuss both what is and what is not working. Pairs then explore best practices for developing college-level study skills and identify a couple of discrete tactics mentees can try to improve their study skills.

8 YEAR FRESHMAN COLLEGE Discuss Strategies for Making Friends in College Mentor and mentees discuss mentees social networks at college, including who they are spending the most time with and who they are closest to. Mentors and mentees discuss the challenges and accomplishments inherent to building a new set of friendships in a new environment, and mentors share their own experiences making friends at college. Pairs discuss how college can be an opportunity to carefully choose new friends and explore strategies for making friends and feeling at home on the college campus. Establish a College Identity: Who Am I on Campus? Mentors and mentees discuss the social side of college. Mentees reflect on how their relationship-building with other students on campus is going and mentors normalize how hard it is to meet new people and share best practices for developing relationships with new people from their own college experience. Pairs also have candid conversations to address the worry, What if I don t fit in on campus?, and talk about integrating into three different communities: academics, social, and the larger campus community. Get What You Need: Becoming a Powerful Self Advocate Mentors and mentees revisit the notion of self-advocacy, this time focusing on its implications in a college setting. Mentors and mentees identify two to three concrete self-advocacy opportunities for the mentee during the second semester and develop strategies to support the mentee in these endeavors. Pairs also explore the idea of navigating bureaucracies and mentors help mentees understand the need to leverage self-advocacy and advisor networks to navigate bureaucracies in certain situations. Prepare for First Semester Finals Mentors and mentees explore the importance of mid-term exams and first semester grades. Mentors help mentees prepare for final exams by revisiting discussions about study techniques and time management. Mentors encourage mentees to meet with their professors to discuss how they are doing and what they can do to improve and how their professors (or other resources) can help them do so. Manage Stress: Performing Under Pressure Mentors and mentees discuss managing stress during the first year of college, with a focus on specific stress triggers and strategies mentees can employ for coping with stress. Mentors help mentees understand that feeling stressed out is not a sign of weakness and that learning to deal with pressure is an important skill for succeeding in college. Mentors and mentees explore best practices for stress management and select two to three discrete stress management strategies mentees can try during their second semester of college.

9 YEAR FRESHMAN COLLEGE Identify and Address the Hardest Parts: Top Three Challenges Mentee is Facing Pairs have a candid discussion about the aspects of college life that mentees are finding to be the most challenging. Pairs identify mentees top three challenges and develop strategies to address these challenges. During the course of this discussion, mentors and mentees also discuss typical freshman year challenges and mistakes (social isolation, time management, course selection, managing finances, managing deadlines, gaining weight, school-life balance). Mentors will check in regularly with mentees about these issues. Mid-Year Check In: Getting Ready for Second Semester After first semester exams are complete, mentors and mentees reflect on the first semester and have a candid conversation about what went well and what could be improved in the second semester. Mentors and mentees discuss topics including first semester grades, second semester course selection, and reapplying for financial aid. Mentees identify two to three areas they would like their mentor to assist them with in the second semester. Plan for a Successful Summer Pairs explore how mentees can best use the summer to make progress toward their goals. Pairs explore a wide range of options jobs, internships, summer classes and help mentees identify the best summer options. Pairs then create a plan for the mentee to secure this opportunity for themselves. Cultivate a College Network Mentors and mentees build on their conversation about friendships in order to have a broader conversation about developing mentees college networks. Revisiting the advisor network concept, pairs connect relationship building (making new friends, building rapport with professors, advisors, and finding other points of contact at critical school agencies/offices) to college success and social capital. Manage Your Money: Financial Planning 2.0 Now that mentees are more than halfway through their freshman year, mentors and mentees revisit their conversations about financial literacy and managing money. Pairs explore workstudy options and discuss establishing a personal budget, setting up a checking account, managing credit cards, and paying bills on time. Mentors and mentees identify specific areas for further attention and develop strategies for addressing these issues. Reapply for Financial Aid Mentors and mentees review the financial aid requirements for the second year of college, including all steps necessary for resubmitting FAFSA applications. Mentors help ensure that mentees successfully resubmit FAFSA applications on time. Pairs also explore additional scholarship, work study, and grant opportunities.

10 YEAR FRESHMAN COLLEGE Connect College to Career Mentors and mentees discuss the connection between what mentees are studying in college and the career options they will have after they graduate. Pairs focus on how mentees can maximize their college experience in order to best prepare them to fulfill their career aspirations. Mentors and mentees will revisit mentees career aspirations and brainstorm what they can do during freshman year to work toward achieving those aspirations. This discussion includes: academic performance, course selection, selecting a major, activities and clubs, and internships or jobs. Mentors and mentees create specific plans for using college resources to support these efforts. Prepare for Second Semester Finals In preparation for second semester finals, mentors and mentees revisit discussions about motivation, study techniques, stress management, and time management. Mentors make sure mentees are prepared to put their best efforts into second semester final exams. Year One Done: I Made It! Mentors and mentees celebrate the completion of the first year of college together. Pairs reflect on this huge accomplishment. Mentees identify and discuss what they are most proud of, bumps along the way, as well as the areas for improvement for sophomore year. Mentors help mentees see how much they ve grown and offer feedback, praise, and reassurance. Pairs then plan for their future together, including discussing (1) their summer plans, (2) whether or not they will enroll in imentor s Alumni Pairs program, and (3) what their relationship will look like during sophomore year and beyond. For pairs enrolling as alumni pairs, there will be specific discussion about what that entails. Pairs not enrolling in imentor s alumni program will work through activities designed to bring healthy closure to the relationship.