Advisors, deans and college counselors at independent schools can refer a student to Blackburn Mentoring by suggesting it to the family. The family completes a five-minute assessment or calls (888) 305 5422, has a free intro call and is matched with one dedicated mentor. With written permission, the mentor shares progress with the referring staff member and coordinates, working alongside the advising system the school already has.
Why independent school staff suggest a mentor
Independent schools often have strong advising, but even close advising has limits. An advisor may meet a student once a week in a group or a short check-in. A dean sees the student when something has gone wrong. A college counselor is focused on the college process. None of those roles can sit with the student on a Sunday night and help them plan the week.
A mentor can. The student works with one dedicated mentor, weekly or several times a week, with text and phone contact between sessions. The focus is the practical layer: routines, planning, follow-through on the commitments the school has set, and the habits that independent study demands. Our guide for independent school families covers the wider picture for parents.
Students who may benefit
- Students handling a demanding course load and a full schedule of activities, who need help planning the week (see AP classes explained and the IB program)
- Boarding students who need a consistent outside check-in by video (see mentoring for boarding school students)
- Students new to the school, or switching mid-year, who are adjusting to new expectations
- Students on academic or behavioral watch who need structure to get back on track
- Juniors and seniors who need help keeping up with the timeline their college counselor set, without the mentor advising on admissions
How each role can use a referral
Advisors
If you notice a student who knows what to do but is not doing it, suggest mentoring to the family. With permission, the mentor can share progress with you, so your check-ins build on what is happening at home.
Deans
When a student is working through a plan to get back on track, a mentor can help them keep the weekly steps of that plan. Decisions about standing and discipline stay entirely with the school.
College counselors
Mentors do not advise on school lists, essays or applications. What a mentor can do is help a student manage their time so the deadlines you set do not slide. See planning senior year and the summer before senior year.
How the referral works
- Suggest mentoring to the family and share our number, (888) 305 5422, or the five-minute assessment.
- The family reaches out. Our team reviews the assessment personally and holds a free intro call, with a parent or guardian always present for high school students.
- The student is matched with one dedicated mentor.
- With the family’s written permission, the mentor shares progress with you and coordinates.
Follow your school’s own policies on student information. The refer a student page lays out each step.
Questions families often ask you
When you raise mentoring, parents usually want to know three things: whether it replaces anything the school does, who will hear what, and how much of their time it takes. The honest answers are that it replaces nothing, that parents of high school students always get regular progress updates and decide whether the school is included, and that after the intro call most of the work happens between the student and the mentor.
What mentors do not do
- The academic program and any learning support belong to the school’s faculty and specialists; a mentor teaches no course content.
- The college process belongs to your college counseling office; a mentor never comments on lists, essays or strategy.
- Discipline and standing belong to the dean; a mentor has no part in those decisions.
- Clinical care belongs to licensed professionals, and formal advocacy to the family and the people they choose.
Where a mentor helps
Mentoring happens by video anywhere in the United States, scheduled in the family’s time zone, which suits boarding and day students alike. Students in Los Angeles can also meet in person. See mentoring for high school students and mentoring for schools.
Related
- Boarding school vs day school
- For professionals
- Academic coach vs mentor
- For educational consultants
Common questions
Can boarding students work with a mentor?
Yes. Mentoring happens by video, scheduled in the student’s time zone, with text and phone contact between sessions.
Does a mentor help with college admissions?
No. Mentors are not admissions counselors. They can help a student manage time and keep up with deadlines the college counselor has set.
Who gets progress updates?
Parents of high school students get regular progress updates. With the family’s written permission, the mentor also shares progress with the staff member who referred the student.
Is this a school program?
No. Mentoring is arranged with the family, one student and one mentor. A referral is a recommendation, and the family decides.
Get started
Want to talk through a referral? 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 intro call.