Blackburn Mentoring matches college students with a one-on-one mentor who meets by video every week, anywhere in the US, and in person in Los Angeles. Sessions cover planning the week, deadlines, motivation, follow-through and life outside class, for students at any college or university. Mentoring since 2014, it starts with a free 20 minute intro call, and students are matched with a dedicated mentor within 2 business days.
College gives students more freedom than they have ever had, and less structure. A mentor meets with the student by video weekly or several times a week, with text and phone contact in between, helps them build the habits college demands and keeps them moving when things start to slide.
What college students work on
- Time management, weekly planning and keeping up with deadlines
- Study habits, office hours and asking for help early
- Motivation and follow-through when no one is checking
- Choosing a major, internships, resumes and first jobs
- Money, budgeting and living independently
- Sleep, exercise and routines that hold up during exams
- Friendships, roommates and finding your people on campus
Why mentoring helps in college
Most students who struggle in college are not short on ability. They are short on structure: the planning and follow-through skills sometimes called executive function skills, which high school, parents and teachers often supplied without anyone noticing. A mentor rebuilds that structure with the student, one week at a time, until it becomes their own.
How it works by video
Sessions happen by video from a dorm room, library or apartment and are scheduled around classes in the student’s time zone. Between sessions, the mentor checks in by text and phone around the moments that matter: the week before midterms, the day an application is due, the morning after a rough week.
For parents
Many families reach out because they can see a student struggling from a distance and do not want to become the one who nags. With the student’s permission, mentors share progress updates with parents, so you know how things are going without having to ask. See mentoring for families.
How to start
- Take a short assessment. Tell us about the student or yourself and the goals. It takes about five minutes.
- Have a free intro call. Our team reviews it personally and sets up a short call.
- Meet the mentor. We match each student with a mentor whose experience and style fit, within 2 business days.
- Start the plan. 60 minute video sessions, scheduled in your local time.
Who it is for, and who it is not for
- Students who are capable but behind: skipped classes, a slipping GPA or a pile of late work. See when a college student is failing classes.
- Students doing well who want more: a plan for internships, a major decision or a heavy semester.
- Students returning after a break, a transfer or a leave of absence who want a fresh routine.
- Not a substitute for campus tutoring, disability services, academic advising or counseling. If a student is dealing with depression, anxiety or substance use, a licensed professional is the right step, and a mentor can work alongside them. In a crisis, call or text 988.
A typical week with a college mentor
The week is built around the syllabus, not a generic template. In the first session the student maps every deadline for the term, then each week looks something like this:
- A planning session early in the week: classes, assignments, work shifts and one personal goal, such as the gym or sleep.
- Short texts on the days that matter, like the night before a problem set is due.
- A second session or quick call for students who want more support, especially around midterms and finals.
The college time management and study habits guides cover the same tools a mentor helps put in place.
What progress looks like over a semester
There is no promise of a grade, but there is a usual shape. Early on, the student stops being surprised by deadlines. By midterms, they are going to office hours before a problem becomes a crisis and asking for help earlier. Later in the term, the student starts making the weekly plan on their own and uses sessions for bigger questions: a major, an internship, next summer. Parents who receive updates (with the student’s permission) usually notice fewer late-night calls in a panic.
Some semesters are simply harder than others. If a term goes badly, the mentor helps the student look at options early, such as dropping a class before the deadline or talking with an advisor about a lighter load, instead of hoping it turns around.
Mentoring vs academic coaching vs tutoring vs academic advising
Campus resources are free and worth using, and a mentor will push a student toward them. What they rarely offer is one person who knows the whole picture and checks in every week. An academic coach focuses mostly on study skills; a mentor also works on motivation, money, routines and what comes after graduation. Compare in academic coach vs mentor and group vs one-on-one mentoring.
| Option | What it covers | How often | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-on-one mentoring (Blackburn Mentoring) | The whole week with one dedicated mentor: classes and deadlines plus motivation, routines, money, work and what comes next | Weekly or more, with text and phone check-ins between sessions | The student is capable but drifting and needs one steady person who sees the whole picture |
| Academic coaching (including executive function coaching) | Study strategies, planning, starting work and keeping up with deadlines | Weekly, or a set number of sessions through a campus learning center | The student knows the material but cannot keep up with the workload |
| Tutoring | Course content in one subject | Before exams, or weekly for one course | The problem is understanding the material |
| Academic advising | Degree requirements, registration, policies and campus resources | A few meetings a term | The student needs answers about requirements, deadlines or options such as dropping a class |
Students whose main struggle is planning and follow-through can also see executive function coaching for college students, online and nationwide.
Questions about mentoring for college students
Can you work with students at any college?
Yes. Mentoring happens by video, so we work with students at colleges and universities anywhere in the United States.
Is this tutoring?
No. Mentors do not teach course content. They help with the planning, habits, motivation and life skills that make studying and everything else work.
Will parents get updates?
With the student’s permission, mentors can share regular progress updates with parents.
How are sessions scheduled across time zones?
Sessions are booked in the student’s local time and built around their class schedule.
Can a mentor help a student on academic probation?
Yes. Mentors help students build the routine and plan that probation calls for, and make sure they use advising and campus support. See academic probation.
Can my student start mid-semester?
Yes. Many students start after a rough midterm. The first session maps what is left in the term so there is a clear plan for finishing it.
Does mentoring cover internships and the job search?
Yes. Mentors help with resumes, applications and planning around classes. See college internships.
Is a parent required to be involved for college students?
No. College students can sign up on their own. Parents often reach out first, and with the student’s permission mentors share progress updates.
What if my student is thinking about dropping out?
A mentor can help them think it through calmly and look at options such as a lighter load or a leave. See when a college student wants to drop out.
Students in Los Angeles County can read about college student mentoring in Los Angeles, including commuting students and students away at school.
College students living at home in Los Angeles County can meet a mentor in person in Los Angeles or by video; see mentoring across Los Angeles County.
Studying in California? See our guides for University of California students, California State University students and California community college and LACCD students.
Is there an online mentor for a college student who is struggling?
Yes. Blackburn Mentoring offers one-on-one mentoring and coaching by video for college students anywhere in the United States, for missed deadlines, falling grades, academic probation or a hard first year. It starts with a free 20 minute intro call, and students are matched with a mentor within 2 business days.
What does a college mentor do that campus advising does not?
Campus advisors help with requirements, registration and policies, usually a few times a term. A mentor meets weekly or more, helps the student plan each week, follows up between sessions and works on the habits behind the grades. The two work well together.
Can a parent find an online mentor for a son or daughter in college?
Yes. Many families reach out first. A parent can book the free 20 minute intro call, and the student joins to make sure the fit is right. Blackburn Mentoring works with college students by video anywhere in the US, and with the student’s permission the mentor shares progress updates with the family.
My daughter is struggling in college, who can help?
Start with what her college offers for free: office hours, tutoring, the learning center, academic advising and, if she has a diagnosis, disability services. If she understands the material but is falling behind on deadlines, motivation or routines, a one-on-one mentor can tie the week together. Blackburn Mentoring offers mentoring and coaching by video for college students anywhere in the United States and in person in Los Angeles; it starts with a free 20 minute intro call, and students are matched with a mentor within 2 business days. If depression, anxiety or substance use is behind the struggle, a licensed clinician comes first, and in a crisis, call or text 988.
Related
- Mentoring for transfer students
- Mentoring for first-generation college students
- First year of college
- Students on academic probation
- Young adults
- Mentoring and Accountability for Students with ADHD
Get started
Looking for support for a college 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 intro call.
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Free, by video, 20 minutes, with a member of our team. Weekdays 9 to 5 Pacific.