Families and young adults in Columbus, Ohio can work with a Blackburn mentor by video. We are a Los Angeles team, and clients in Upper Arlington, Dublin, New Albany, Bexley, Worthington and across Franklin County meet one dedicated mentor online each week, scheduled in Eastern time. We work with high school students and their parents, college students and young professionals.
A young, fast-growing city
Columbus has grown steadily for years and has a younger feel than most Midwestern cities. It is the state capital, home to a large public university, and a hub for insurance, banking, retail headquarters, health care and logistics. New subdivisions keep spreading out past Dublin, Powell and New Albany.
That growth means a lot of families are relatively new to the area, and a lot of young adults moved here for a first job without a network around them.
High school students in the suburbs
The suburban districts around Columbus are known for strong schools, and the independent schools in and around the city draw families from across the metro. Students are often busy with competitive athletics, marching band and advanced coursework. The parents who reach out to us tend to say some version of the same thing:
- “My son is smart, but he waits until the night before for everything.”
- “She does well, but she is exhausted and I am not sure the schedule is sustainable.”
- “Senior year is coming and we have no plan, and every time I bring it up he shuts down.”
- “We are new here and our daughter has not settled in yet.”
A mentor helps a student build the plan themselves, check in on it through the week and own the result. Parents join the intro call, agree the goals and get regular progress updates. For the planning side, see our guide on teen procrastination.
A college town inside a big city
With a huge campus near the middle of Columbus and several other colleges and universities in the metro, a lot of the city is students. Some are local kids who stayed close to home; many came from elsewhere in Ohio or out of state. The challenges are familiar: a first year with too much freedom, a major that does not fit, classes that pile up after a few skipped weeks. A mentor meets the student by video in their dorm or apartment, helps them set a weekly routine and, with permission, keeps parents informed. See mentoring for college students and when a college student is skipping class.
For young professionals new to the city
Columbus is a common first stop after graduation. Rent is more manageable than on the coasts, there are entry-level jobs in finance, insurance, tech and health care, and the Short North and German Village make the city easy to like. It can still be lonely and directionless at first. Mentors help with the practical side: a first budget, the first 90 days at a new job, making friends outside work, and deciding on the next step. Our page on making friends after college is a good place to start.
Times and the Ohio calendar
Columbus is on Eastern time, three hours ahead of Los Angeles, so a 4 pm session after school is 1 pm for the mentor. Fall in Columbus revolves around football Saturdays, and many families prefer weeknight sessions in the season; winter is gray and long, which is when routines tend to slip and a weekly check-in helps most. We schedule in your local time.
Where a mentor helps
Mentors are not tutors, therapists or admissions counselors. They are consistent, practical guides who help people follow through on what they already want to do. Families with teens usually start with mentoring for high school students. Read how video sessions work on the online mentoring page.
Related
- Online mentoring in Cincinnati
- Online mentoring in Cleveland
- Mentoring for families
- The first job after college
Common questions
Do you work with families in Dublin, New Albany and Upper Arlington?
Yes, by video. Clients anywhere in the Columbus area meet their mentor online, with sessions scheduled in Eastern time.
Can a mentor help a student at a college in Columbus?
Yes. Mentors work with college students wherever they live, and with permission share progress updates with parents.
Is this the same as tutoring?
No. Mentors help with goals, habits, planning and follow-through, and can coordinate with a tutor if the student already has one.
Get started
Want to talk about a student or young adult in Columbus? 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.