I am a current junior in high school and need to find a class for the second semester. I have a 7-period day and am taking 5 AP/college-level classes (AP Physics, AP Lang, AP Calc, AP Art, college-level Global Studies). I have a strong GPA and have taken a rigorous course load. One of my non-AP classes is only one semester, and I am interested in being a “Social Studies Mentor” for a world history class, which is pass-fail. My other options are doing Web Design or Finance, but I am not interested in either. I am looking to apply to top liberal arts colleges and have relatively strong ECs. From what my counselor has said, being a mentor is a step up from a TA period, but I am still wondering how it will look for colleges and if it will hurt my application.
So sort of like a TA.
If you overall record is strong and sounds like it is, I don’t see it as a problem.
If I understand your question, then you would be mentoring other (probably younger) students. Is this correct?
To me this sounds like a very worthwhile activity. I would expect it to be helpful. Remember that leadership is about helping others and about setting a positive example, it is not about getting your way. Mentoring is a very good example of helping others.
Generally however, I think that you should do what is right for you.
My daughter was a “mentor”/TA during a free period. She was requested by the FL department. She worked with students on their accents and rate of speech. She had a strong “resume” and didn’t need the credits. She checked off homework assignments, helped with conversational speech, ran copies, messages, etc… Grading wasn’t allowed, nor done, by any students.
Go for it.
If anything, that’s “worth writing about”!
It paints the picture of an objectively/measurably high-achieving student, whose excellence is not derived from mere “GPA chasing”.
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