<p>This is interesting. Swarthmore is gearing up a pilot program for trained Swarthmore students to provide telephone-based “telementoring” college counseling services to students at selected high schools:</p>
<p>[Admissions</a> Office to initiate new telementoring program - The Phoenix](<a href=“http://www.swarthmorephoenix.com/2008/11/20/news/admissions-office-to-initiate-new-telementoring-program]Admissions ”>http://www.swarthmorephoenix.com/2008/11/20/news/admissions-office-to-initiate-new-telementoring-program )</p>
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Beginning this spring, Swarthmore will offer college counseling services to low-income and first generation applicants in the form of student telementors. This new program, launched by the admissions office, will pair up trained telementors with second-semester high school juniors. The mentor will guide his or her assigned students through the entire college process, from producing a timeline for creating and submitting admissions material to talking about the distinction between public and private institutions.
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But in addition to providing purely factual information, Peterson hopes that the telementors will be able to provide emotional support. We want students to be that voice of empathy to let them know that you can actually get through this. I know your parents may not understand it. I know these schools are very far from home. But you can actually do it, Peterson said.</p>
<p>In particular, the telementor program is trying to encourage Swatties who didnt have guidance counselors or who are first-generation college students to share their experiences with and mentor underprivileged high school students. Im working on trying to recruit students of color and low-income students [for telementoring]. Since the outreach has begun weve received an influx of applications. Weve seen a wide range of people across class years. Thats really exciting, Marquez said.
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