With the support of her mentor, Amber, iMentor Baltimore student Neah has been accepted to nine colleges—and counting.
“I think my essays were what really set my college apps apart,” Neah said, “and Amber had a lot to do with that.”
Before the college process hit full swing, the pair were already in frequent communication about everything from their favorite Baltimore spots to personal relationships. In the months before Covid-19 surfaced, they visited the aquarium, a local waterfall, and the horses Amber boards and trains as a hobby.
Neah was interested in pursuing a degree in nursing, her fascination sparked by watching her mother as she studied to become a nurse.
Amber wrote in a letter of recommendation for Neah that “another amazing trait of Neah—who wants to become a pediatric nurse—is the care she expresses towards others. She regularly cares for her younger brother and cousins while her parents and extended family work, and does so without hesitation.”
Neah and Amber tracked her list of schools in a spread- sheet that later became the template iMentor Baltimore program managers shared with other students and their mentors. They passed college essay drafts back and forth all fall, the difficulty of the task compounded by the challenges of the pandemic.
“I could tell that Neah was really exhausted and tired,” Amber recalled. She applied to 13 colleges while maintaining great grades, staying on honor roll, battling senioritis, and managing virtual learning.”
Knowing Amber was there to both celebrate her accomplishments and share tracked changes on her essays made a big difference, said Neah.
All the hard work is paying off. Neah has committed to Baltimore-based Towson University, which has a strong nursing program and offered her a financial aid package that will enable her to live on campus. “I give Neah all the credit,” Amber says. “She went to town.”
Read more stories about mentors and mentees and see if you possess the 5 Key Qualities of Great Mentors. Watch our video “A Big Decision Day” to see Mentor seniors learn if they’ve been accepted to their top choice college for this fall—and to see students share their college commitments!
