The Value of Near Peer Mentoring
The value of a near-peer mentoring model has started to gain traction in recent years. For those unfamiliar with the term, a near-peer mentor is typically defined as a college-level student who guides a middle or high school student through a process or curriculum that they themselves have previously gone through. In the context of college counseling, the mentor is a current college student who is guiding a high school senior through the college application process. Despite the effectiveness of such a model, it has only been utilized by a small number of insightful companies in the college counseling space. I have seen and so strongly believe in the value of this model that I based my entire company — Near Peer Mentors — around it.
Whether discussing a newly founded biochemistry program at their university or writing about the effect of our nation’s inability to be bipartisan, a near-peer mentor is able to provide their mentees unparalleled insight. With respect to a specific university’s programs, who better to give accurate insight into the values and nuances of a school and specific major than a student currently at that university in that particular major! A mentor can give their mentee exclusive exposure to specific programs that non-students would be unable to simply Google. Personalized advice such as, “Oh you are planning on going down a pre-med route, you should look into this stem cell research opportunity my biochemistry professor is starting next year.”
A near-peer mentor’s insight is not limited to just the programs at their university, but to other facets of student life. Things such as organizations on campus, student traditions for their homecoming football game, etc., are unique to each school and help give it a distinct personality. A near-peer mentor’s collective knowledge can’t be replicated through online research and campus tours. In fact, in a study we conducted just this past year, we discovered that a majority of current college students stated that the school they found themselves at freshman year was very different from the one they thought they had applied to the previous fall. Online research and college tours don’t really tell the whole story, and gaining a true sense of student life is really only achieved by speaking with current students at that university.
Beyond the insight a mentor can provide is their ability to empathize with their students. No matter how many times a counselor has helped someone go through this process, there is no replacement for experiencing the anxiety, confusion, and uncertainty of applying to college firsthand. This ability to empathize is especially true when these unnerving feelings were a recent reality and not a distant memory. In a near-peer study, researchers found that mentees highlighted this connection and dedication as their mentor’s strong suits. Noting that mentors were “empathetic, approachable, enthusiastic” as well as “positive” and “patient.” One high school mentee was even quoted as saying that “[she and her mentor] worked in harmony even when we disagreed.”
My past experience leveraging this model has obtained similar results. The proximity in age between the mentee and mentor made the former more comfortable about opening up and sharing their personal experiences, which is vital when trying to write college application essays. They too cited empathy as the driving factor in their ability to connect with and trust their mentor. This empathy digs deeper than just connection and comfort, it extends to a near-peer mentor’s ability to assist a mentee authentically portray themselves through their essays.
Even when it comes to “overly sophisticated” topics like political bipartisanship, the guidance a near-peer mentor can provide is difficult to replicate. One may wonder how a 20-year-old with limited life experience is going to offer a 17-year-old with almost the same inexperience “unparalleled” advice into a topic that many adults struggle to conceptualize and articulate. I would argue that with respect to college counseling, this youth and naivety is a strength not a weakness, because it allows for an equal-leveled discussion to unveil the MENTEE’S thoughts. It allows for an arena of discussion, a level playing field where mentor and mentee can parse through the latter’s underlying beliefs and outlooks. Somehow, an older counselor’s own beliefs and knowledgebase always seem to bleed their way onto a student’s essay. A college admissions officer is not interested in the opinions of a 55-year-old college counselor, regardless of how sophisticated and “correct” they may be. And trust me, admissions can tell the difference between an essay written by a high school senior and an adult college counseling professional.
The preservation of a student’s voice is one of the biggest benefits I have seen from working in a near-peer model. Too many times when working with a high school counselor and especially a private college counselor, high school students feel compelled to take their counselor’s suggestions as direct orders. “This is how you should write your essay” and “this is what you should talk about,” which as mentioned above is the exact opposite of what this entire process is about. This process is not about looking to someone else for the answer, it’s about an individual looking within and spending time reflecting on who they are and what they have to offer (and everyone has something to offer). The students I’ve worked with who used our near-peer model were proud to turn in essays that portrayed them in a manner and tone which they felt was true to THEM. Above all, they knew that when they got accepted to their top choice school it was going to be on THEIR own merit, by telling THEIR own story, using THEIR own words.
To understand the value of a near-peer model, especially in the context of college counseling, you must identify the qualities of a good teacher or mentor. Atop this list of qualities includes knowledge of the “curriculum,” an ability to empathize, the experience to give unique insight, and the wherewithal to not do your student’s work for them. A near-peer mentor embodies all of these qualities but is sometimes overlooked as a worthy college counselor. The college application process is put on a pedestal and given special treatment because of its potential to impact a student’s future, and the lack of understanding those going through the process have about “what gets them in.” I’m here to tell you that there is no singular “magic formula” to be accepted to a university, or grandiose resume required to guide someone through this process, and that the most effective mentors for the college application process are current college students themselves.
Want to connect with a near-peer mentor?
I hope this article gave you some valuable insight into the value of near-peer mentoring! If you have any questions or comments please write a response or contact me directly at franco@nearpeermentors.com.
I’m passionate about guiding students through this process. This passion has led me to create an innovative and unique college counseling platform that connects high school students with current college students studying at the universities to which they are applying. We recognize the importance college applications can have on the trajectory of your future, and we want to ensure that you are given the tools to succeed. Interested in learning more? Check us out at nearpeermentors.com!
