College student mentoring in Los Angeles gives a student one dedicated mentor who meets with them every week, in person in Los Angeles or by video, to plan the semester, keep up with classes and follow through on what matters. It fits students at a University of California or California State University campus, a community college, a private university or a trade program, as well as LA students who are away at school and want a mentor from home. The first step is a free 20 minute intro call.
What college students in LA work on with a mentor
- A semester plan: every syllabus deadline in one calendar in week one, with study time blocked around work and commuting.
- Keeping up: a weekly check of every course portal so a missed assignment is caught early; see college study habits.
- Getting back on track: after a bad midterm, a failing grade or academic probation, a mentor helps build a plan to get back on track and stick to it.
- Decisions with deadlines: dropping a class, taking a W, changing majors or taking a semester off, thought through before the deadline rather than after.
- Using campus help: preparing for office hours, advising appointments and the tutoring center so the student actually goes.
- Work, money and life: balancing a job, a budget and a commute with a full course load.
The Los Angeles college landscape
Los Angeles County students attend campuses across every public system and many private ones. The community college system alone is large: the Los Angeles Community College District reports nine colleges and about 205,000 full and part time students. Many LA students also attend University of California and California State University campuses, or commute to private universities across the county.
That variety means the support a student needs varies too. A student at a large public campus may need help finding their way through big classes and busy advising offices. A community college student planning to transfer needs to track requirements carefully over several semesters; see mentoring for community college students and mentoring for transfer students. A student who lives at home and drives to campus faces a different problem: time lost on the road; our guide for commuter college students covers it.
Commuting, living at home and the LA schedule
Many college students in Los Angeles live at home or off campus and spend real time on the freeway or on transit. Commuting students often lose the in-between hours that dorm students use for study groups and office hours. A mentor helps a commuting student plan around it: stacking classes, using the hours on campus well and keeping evenings for study rather than losing them to the drive. Because sessions can happen by video, a mentor fits around a split schedule of class, work and commute.
LA students who are away at school
Some families in Los Angeles have a student at college in another state. A mentor by video works the same way wherever the campus is, scheduled in the student’s local time zone, and the first meetings can happen in person in LA over a break if the family wants. For students starting out, see college transition mentoring.
How parents fit in
College students are adults, and the student owns the work and the goals. Parents often make the first call, and with the student’s permission mentors share regular progress updates, so families know how things are going without having to ask. A parent is not required to be involved.
What mentoring is not
A mentor is not a tutor, a therapist, an academic advisor or an admissions or transfer consultant, and mentoring does not promise grades or outcomes. Mentors help a student use campus advising, tutoring and counseling services, not replace them. If a mental health concern is driving the struggle, a licensed professional should come first. In a crisis, call or text 988.
For free tutoring, transit passes and help paying for college, see our list of free education resources for Los Angeles students and families.
Parents outside Los Angeles can read about a mentor for your college student in Los Angeles, and students planning a UC transfer can see community college to UC transfer in Los Angeles.
Related
- Mentoring for college students
- Academic coaching for college students
- Failing classes in college: what to do mid-semester
- Executive function coaching in Los Angeles
- Back home from college in Los Angeles
- Mentoring and coaching in Los Angeles
Common questions
Do you work with students at any college in Los Angeles?
Yes. Mentors work with students at community colleges, University of California and California State University campuses, private universities and trade programs, in person in Los Angeles or by video.
Can my mentor meet me in person?
Yes. Mentors meet students in person in Los Angeles at a convenient, appropriate place agreed on the intro call, and use video on weeks when that is easier. Many students mix both.
I am on academic probation. Can a mentor help?
Yes. A mentor helps you build a realistic plan for the next term, keep up week to week and use campus advising and tutoring. Mentoring does not promise grades, but it gives you structure and someone checking in.
Will my parents get updates?
Only with your permission. Many students agree to regular progress updates so their family knows how things are going without having to ask.
Can I keep the same mentor if I go away to college?
Yes. Mentoring by video works the same way anywhere in the United States, scheduled in your local time zone.
How do I start?
Book a free 20 minute intro call or take the short assessment. After the call you are matched with one dedicated mentor within 2 business days.
Get started
Want to talk through whether a mentor fits you or your student? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free 20 minute intro call.
Free, by video, 20 minutes, with a member of our team. Weekdays 9 to 5 Pacific.