Mentoring versus Tutoring in College Counseling
When it comes to helping college students achieve academic and personal success, there are different approaches that parents can take. One popular method is tutoring, where students receive individual or group instruction in specific academic subjects. However, a mentoring approach to college counseling is often seen as a better option, as it takes a more holistic approach to student support and has been shown to have a range of positive benefits and outcomes.
Firstly, a mentoring approach to college counseling recognizes that students need more than just academic support to thrive in college. Mentors work with students to identify their strengths, interests, and goals, and provide guidance and resources to help them achieve their full potential. This can include helping students navigate the social and emotional challenges of teenage life, such as managing stress, building relationships, and coping with social pressures. By addressing these non-academic factors, mentors can help students develop the confidence and resilience needed to succeed in all areas of their lives, not just academically.
Another advantage of mentoring over tutoring is that it fosters a more personalized and long-term relationship between the mentor and student. While tutoring is often a short-term solution focused on addressing specific academic challenges, mentoring can continue throughout a student's entire high school and even college experience. This allows the mentor to develop a deeper understanding of the student's needs, strengths, and challenges, and provide ongoing support and guidance. Additionally, the mentor's role can extend beyond academic and personal support to include career guidance, networking opportunities, and other forms of professional development.
Moreover, a mentoring approach to college counseling is more effective in addressing the root causes of academic difficulties. The tutoring approach often focuses on helping students master specific subject matter or testing, but may not address underlying issues such as study skills, time management, or motivation. Mentors, on the other hand, work with students to identify these underlying issues and provide strategies to address them. This not only helps students perform better academically but also equips them with lifelong skills that will serve them well beyond college.
While the tutoring approach can be effective in providing short-term academic support, a mentoring approach to college counseling is a better option for promoting overall student success. By providing holistic support that addresses academic, personal, and professional needs, mentors can help students thrive in college and beyond helping students develop the skills and confidence needed to achieve their full potential.
Famous Alumni
Steve Case, Co-Founder and past CEOs of AOL, currently a division of Yahoo.com and one of the original email providers. Mr. Case was the brainchild behind the merger of AOL with Time Warner that created AOL Time Warner which was one of the biggest .com companies in the early 2000s. Mr. Case graduated from Williams College in 1980 with a degree in Political Science. Williams College is a highly rated liberal arts college, located in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
