MENTOR ILLINOIS. CHANGE A LIFE.

Check out these perks:

Convenient
Mentor your student online, at times that fit your schedule, by connecting over the Internet via Zoom, Teams, or similar tools.

Impactful
Guide your student through one of the most significant transitions in life, from high school to college, and transform their life forever.

Paid
Receive up to $1,250 per semester either through your college's Federal Work-Study program or directly from Mentor Illinois.
And there's more...
Join a Movement
This isn't just a "job". Mentor Illinois is part of a national movement of idealistic university students working for educational justice.
Get Training & Support
Learn and follow concrete steps to take at specific stages and with specific tasks of the college application process.

Develop Key Skills
The values and skills you develop in Mentor Illinois will qualify you for and make you a better leader in your future career.
Transform Lives
It's a pleasure and privilege to help even one high school student transform their life forever by getting into college.

Improve the Community
When you help one high school graduate go to college, you change not only their life but also the lives of their descendants and community.

Shape the Future
By positively changing the trajectory of so many future lives, you literally transform the future of Illinois and of our country as a whole.
Closing the college gap
Closing the education gap is essential to building a more just and prosperous society. When more people—especially from historically under-served communities—can access college, they unlock opportunities for upward mobility, economic security, and civic engagement. It strengthens the workforce, fuels innovation, and disrupts cycles of poverty. Education isn't just a personal asset—it's a societal equalizer, and expanding college access is one of the most direct ways to empower entire generations.

Choose your mentorship
You can help high school students by working in one or more mentorship programs. Pick your preferences when you apply.
Pre-Application Guide
Help students plan whether and where to apply to college.
Application Guide
Help students navigate college applications from start to finish.
Testing Coach
Help students maximize their scores on the SAT and ACT tests.
Essay Coach
Help students craft application essays and short-answers.
Be able to work at least 5 hours/week.
Work digitally with 1 or more students.
Meet via Zoom, Meets, or similar platforms.
Schedule meetings that fit your schedule.
You may be wondering
Mentor Illinois currently is seeking to obtain federal tax-exempt status through a fiscal sponsor. Our mission is to pay and empower students at great Illinois colleges to help talented Illinois high school students from non-college or low-income backgrounds apply to college. Read more about our tax-exempt status.
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