FAQ’s for Evanston Scholars Mentors
What qualifications do I need to be a mentor?
At Evanston Scholars, we ask only that our mentors have a college education (so they
can draw upon their educational experiences) and a commitment to spending time
with our Scholars to help each student matriculate to and graduate from his/her bestfit college. Ideally, a mentor understands the need to assume a number of different
roles during the course of a mentoring relationship, but successful mentors also share
the same basic qualities:
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A sincere desire to be involved with a young person who is on a challenging
educational journey
Respect for young people
Active listening skills
Empathy
Resourcefulness in terms of identifying opportunities and solutions
Flexibility
How much time will I need to dedicate to being a mentor?
The mentor commitment is about five and one-half years (starting January of the
Scholar’s junior year of high school through college graduation). Of course, there are
many ways to meet with and/or communicate with a Scholar (texts, emails, cards,
etc.), but we ask that mentors make an effort to have a quality contact with Scholars
every two weeks as they are going through the application process. A quality contact
is a phone conversation or face-to-face meeting. Once Scholars are in college, we ask
for a quality contact once a month.
The amount of time you spend mentoring will depend on a few factors:
 The needs of your Scholar: some students will need more support than others.
 Your availability: mentoring is flexible. You will be able to work around your
schedule.
 The availability of your Scholar: some students are pretty heavily scheduled and
may not be available to meet very often.
What are the financial responsibilities of being a mentor?
It is realistic to expect that there will be some occasional expenses associated with
mentoring but mentors are not directly financially beholden to Scholars in any way.
Expenses might include: coffee, lunch or dinner meetings with the Scholar, college
research materials (though ES provides plenty), gifts, dorm room supplies, care
packages, informational reading materials, etc. It’s up to the mentor to decide what
level of giving is comfortable and appropriate.
We also hope that mentors will consider supporting Evanston Scholars through annual
giving (mentors are encouraged to give only to the level they deem comfortable). We
have a goal of 100% giving from our mentors. Feel free to call us to discuss it further if
this is an area of concern for you.
How are the Scholars selected for the program?
Potential Scholars must meet criteria for financial need, first-generation status,
academic achievement and college interest/ambition. Each potential Scholar
completes an application that is similar to a college application. Grades, extracurricular activities, a teacher recommendation, and a personal essay are all
considered. Once an application is initially reviewed and has passed minimum
qualifications, a panel interviews each applicant.
How are mentors and Scholars matched?
Scholars and mentors are surveyed about likes, dislikes, talents and interests. The
Evanston Scholars staff uses the data from the surveys, as well as interviews and other
applicant information to assess compatibility and make matches. Each match is
carefully considered.
Does every mentor applicant get matched with a Scholar?
In past years we have had more applicants for mentor positions than we have
Scholars. This means that we are not always able to match every applicant with a
Scholar. Most of our mentor applicants are highly qualified and it is not a matter of
qualifications. We simply try to make the best match between interests and
personalities and, unfortunately, some qualified applicants will go unmatched. We do
keep the applications of unmatched mentors in our files and, if the applicant is willing,
add them to our pool for the next year. Those applicants also remain on our mailing
lists and may be encouraged to volunteer with Evanston Scholars in other ways.
What supports are available to mentors?
All mentors receive orientation and training. Evanston Scholars has a Mentor
Coordinator on staff to provide support and communication on a regular basis. Each
quarter, a coffee hour or happy hour for mentors is held to provide a forum for
discussing issues and sharing resources and information. There is programming for
mentors and Scholars together, as well. Regular e-mail reminders and updates are
provided to mentors and Evanston Scholars Staff is always available to answer
questions or provide more information or assistance.
Besides a mentor, what are the supports for a Scholar?
Evanston Scholars believes students will thrive with a multidimensional support
system which starts with a mentor but also includes the following: ACT Prep,
Application Boot Camp, college visits, college fair visits, summer opportunities
workshops, essay writing workshops, resume writing and job search help, mock
interviews, financial aid information nights (for students and parents), college
transition workshops and more.
Can my spouse/partner and I mentor together?
Yes, you may partner with your significant other to mentor. If two of you plan to
mentor together, we ask that you are consistent in your attentions to your Scholar and
both mentors will need to submit information for background checks.
My own child will be going through the college process the same year as my
potential Scholar mentee, should I wait until next year to apply to mentor?
Much of the process for our Scholars is completed in advance of the non-Scholar
population. You may be able to help a Scholar through the process and then find that
you are well prepared to help your own child through the process a month or two
later. However, you may also feel that helping another child through the process at
the same time as your own takes more energy and resources than you are comfortable
expending in a year. It depends on your experience, availability and relationship with
your own child. You can always apply to be a mentor next year! We hope to have need
for many years to come.