Mentoring for private school students in Los Angeles gives a high school student at an independent or parochial school one dedicated mentor who meets with them every week, in person in Los Angeles or by video, to plan a demanding week, keep up with every class and follow through. Mentors work alongside the school’s advisors and learning specialists when the family wants that, not instead of them. The first step is a free 20 minute intro call.
Why capable private school students still fall behind
Independent and parochial schools in Los Angeles often ask a lot of students: long reading loads, frequent tests and projects, required activities, service hours and athletics, often with a long drive on top. Many students handle it well. Others are just as capable but lose track: assignments slip between the learning platform and the planner, long projects start the night before, and grades swing with how organized the month was.
Families usually notice it in one of a few moments: the jump into ninth grade, a heavy sophomore or junior year, a transfer into a new school, or a comment from an advisor that the student is “not working to potential.” Our guide on when a student is struggling at a private school covers the signs and first steps for parents.
What a mentor works on
- A weekly plan built from the school’s own systems. The learning platform, the syllabus, the activity calendar and the drive, all in one plan your student builds with the mentor.
- Long assignments in steps. Papers, labs and projects broken into dated pieces, so they do not land on one night.
- Studying for frequent assessments. A plan for each test that starts days ahead, not the night before.
- Executive function skills. Starting tasks, estimating time and keeping materials organized.
- Check-ins between sessions. A text or call on the days that usually slip.
- Confidence. Students who feel behind their classmates often stop asking for help. A mentor helps them use advisors, office hours and teachers again.
Working with advisors and learning specialists
Many independent schools have advisors, learning specialists and college counselors. A mentor does not replace any of them. When the family wants it, and with permission, the mentor can coordinate with the school team so everyone is working from the same plan: the learning specialist’s strategies get practiced every week, and the advisor hears a consistent picture. Some families prefer to keep mentoring separate from school, and that is fine too; it is agreed on the intro call.
If your student has a learning difference, the mentor can help them use the accommodations they already have. Our IEP and 504 plan guide explains how school supports work for families.
Junior and senior year
Junior year usually brings the heaviest load: advanced courses, standardized testing, activities and the start of college planning, all at once. Senior year adds applications on top of a full schedule. A mentor does not advise on admissions, choose courses or prepare applications; the school’s college counselor does that. What a mentor does is keep the week steady so grades and deadlines do not slip while everything else is happening.
For students considering University of California campuses, the University of California A to G subject requirement asks for 15 yearlong courses with a C or better, at least 11 finished before the last year of high school. Our guide on going from a private school to a public university explains what private school families should know. Always check details with your school’s college counselor.
Applying to private school
For families still choosing a school, our guides on private high school admissions and the ISEE vs the SSAT cover the process. A mentor is not an admissions consultant or a test prep tutor.
In person in Los Angeles or by video
Mentors meet students in person in Los Angeles at a convenient, appropriate place worked out on the intro call, and use video when traffic, games or exams make meeting impractical. Video works well because the student and mentor can open the school platform together. Sessions are usually 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week, with early morning, evening and weekend times. For the year’s key dates, see our Los Angeles school calendar for 2026 to 2027.
How parents are involved
Parents can join the intro call, help agree the goals and receive regular progress updates on attendance, the weekly plan and how grades are moving. Your student still owns the goals: mentoring works best when it does not feel like more supervision.
What mentoring is not
A mentor is not a tutor, a therapist, an admissions consultant or a test prep instructor, and mentoring does not promise grades or admissions. If a mental health concern is driving the struggle, a licensed professional should come first. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Related
- Independent school families
- Academic coaching in Los Angeles
- Executive function coaching in Los Angeles
- Teen mentor in Los Angeles
- Free education resources for Los Angeles students and families
- Mentoring and coaching in Los Angeles
Common questions
Do you work with students at independent and parochial schools in Los Angeles?
Yes. Mentors work with students at independent, parochial and other private schools across Los Angeles County on planning, studying and follow-through, in person in Los Angeles or by video.
Will the mentor talk to my child’s school?
Only if your family wants that. With permission, the mentor can coordinate with advisors and learning specialists. Some families prefer to keep mentoring separate, and that is agreed on the intro call.
Is this tutoring?
No. A tutor teaches a subject. A mentor helps your student plan, start and finish work across every class, and works well alongside a tutor.
Do you help with college applications or school admissions?
No. Mentoring is not admissions consulting or test prep. A mentor keeps your student’s week steady while the school’s college counselor guides applications.
How often do students meet with a mentor?
Sessions are usually 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week, with text and phone check-ins between them.
How do we start?
Book a free 20 minute intro call. After the call your student is matched with one dedicated mentor within 2 business days.
Get started
Want to talk through whether a mentor fits 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.