Getting accepted into your dream college can feel like navigating a tricky obstacle course while blindfolded and with one arm tied. It’s a daunting task, even for top students. This is why many successful students seek guidance from seasoned mentors instead of attempting the journey on their own.

“Mentors assist students in developing essential soft skills such as time management, effective communication, networking, and building self-confidence,” explains Ali Mantell, vice president of enrollment at the college admissions consulting firm Command Education. “By the time these students are applying to college, their mentors have guided them in gaining a deep understanding of their interests and passions; shown them how to use their skills to positively impact their communities; helped them excel academically and professionally; and taught them how to make the most of the networks, resources, and opportunities available to them.”

Although traditional college consultants help students tick items off their college application checklists (For instance, if you want to attend a liberal arts college like Middlebury or Williams, you need to complete X, Y, and Z), a Senior Mentor acts as a near-peer. They offer personalized, comprehensive, one-on-one support that goes beyond the basics.

They customize their strategies and take the time to walk teens through each step of the process — whether they are all-star straight-A high achievers who need focus or lost sophomores who need direction. 

“One of the major distinguishing characteristics of Command Education’s mentorship model is that we don’t just hand students our recommendations and then expect them to execute on their own,” says Ian Mullane, director of mentoring. “Senior Mentors walk through the journey with students, offering expert advice, personalized support and hands-on guidance every step of the way.”

Head start  

The mentorship process starts as early as middle school. Josiah Jordan, vice president of mentorship strategy, recommends that students begin working with a near-peer mentor by the eighth or ninth grade to achieve their long-term goals.

So, how does teen mentorship actually work? 

It starts by connecting students with a mentor who shares their interests, goals, academic background and personality. At Command Education, all mentors are Ivy League graduates who have excelled in unique academic disciplines, from astrophysics to creative writing. The firm notes they are published authors, professional athletes, award-winning researchers and experienced admissions professionals with a track record of results-proven success. 

It’s not a one-size-fits-all process, per Command, so a questionnaire for both parents and students is used to make a match.

“Mentors are deeply invested in understanding what each student truly cares about, where their strengths lie and how they can make an impact at the intersection of the two,” says Mantell. “Senior Mentors work one-on-one with students to help them align every aspect of their lives — from coursework to extracurriculars, summer activities and passion projects — with their long-term goals and genuine interests.”

Passion play

Mantell says that today, the most important quality in a standout Ivy League application is demonstrating an “authentic passion.” Students who simply look good on paper, who are flush with flashy résumé items and impressive accolades, are routinely rejected. 

“Top grades and high scores on standardized tests remain the foundation of an outstanding college application. However, a stellar academic record alone won’t differentiate a student in the admissions process at Ivy League and other top schools, where high-achieving students are a dime a dozen,” adds Erin Cao, a Senior Mentor at Command Education.

“Gone are the days of the well-rounded student. Now, top colleges seek to build well-rounded classes full of individuals with specialized interests. These schools want to admit those who will offer unique contributions to their communities and complement the student body once on campus.”

And don’t even think about padding your application with extracurriculars, volunteer work and activism in the months leading up to the application deadline. It doesn’t work. A student needs to cultivate a genuine interest that isn’t manufactured or faked — and that’s what mentorship is all about. 

“Authentic passion doesn’t spring up overnight — it’s cultivated over time,” says Jordan. “We take an intentional, long-term approach to helping students discover what truly motivates and inspires them. This starts with an exploratory phase in which Senior Mentors coach students as they experiment with different clubs, activities and subjects to discover their core passions, helping students critically evaluate not just what excites them but why.” 

Student passion projects can range from educational initiatives in literature, STEM and the arts to political advocacy for causes. Some have even launched small businesses or founded nonprofits. 

Think local

But never fear, your eighth grader doesn’t need to save the world just to get into a decent college. 

Jordan recalls a student who identified a need in his community: test scores were declining, and there were inadequate resources to help students outside of the classroom. So with the guidance of a mentor, they created a strategy for addressing the issue. Eventually, they launched a volunteer tutoring program with local libraries and community centers in their area. It was a difficult, bureaucratic process, but through persistence, they assembled a team of volunteer tutors and made a tangible difference in the community — even appearing on the local news.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of mentorship at Command Education is seeing students discover what they’re truly capable of,” says Jordan.

Other students may already be deeply involved in a plethora of activities but lack direction. Senior Mentor Lindsay Emi points to a student who seemed to be excelling but wasn’t making a direct impact. 

“She was exceptionally curious, driven, intelligent and organized,” she says. “She thrived in the classroom and held leadership positions in multiple clubs, but her academic and extracurricular profile wouldn’t lead to the Ivy League acceptance letter of her dreams if she couldn’t focus her interests and involvements.” 

Emi helped to strategically refine her activities and identify a single interest that she felt truly passionate about. It meant stepping back from a few of her other commitments, but in the end, she gained admission to the top program in her chosen field: University of Pennsylvania’s Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business. 

“Admissions officers aren’t looking for students who have solved a global crisis or founded a multimillion-dollar business,” says Jordan. “In fact, these types of projects often signal inauthenticity and adult interference rather than genuine interest in using one’s own passions for good. Instead, admissions officers want to see what a high school student is capable of with their limited resources and time. Accomplishing something within your community — however big or small — will go much further in showing admissions officers who you are and what you value.”

But the benefits of mentorship and finding your passion don’t end when the acceptance letter arrives in the mail. The end goal is to give every student the skills and resources to become a future CEO, community leader or nonprofit founder.

“We are not just interested in coaching students to become exceptional applicants,” says Jane Pritchard, vice president of client experience. “We want them to become exceptional college students, community members, professionals and citizens.”