The Mentoring Effect survey found that students who were at-risk for not graduating but who had a mentor were 36% more likely to aspire to enroll in and graduate from college than those who did not have a mentor, and 55% more likely to be enrolled in college/university. For example, one survey responded said, “My mentor attended the college I’m at now, and she took me out and informed me of how to get into college. She was always there to support me.”

Schools and school boroughs across the country are tapping into the mentoring effect by partnering with local nonprofit experts to systematically match students to mentors to provide extra adult support and guidance to keep them on the path to graduation. Having provides a holistic approach to all other academic interventions aimed helping a student achieve.

The Mentoring Effect survey found that young people who were at-risk for not graduating secondary school but who had a mentor were 81% more likely to participate regularly in sports or extracurricular activities and 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities. Not only do the youth who are involved in extracurricular activities and volunteer work benefit, but so do their families, friends, and neighbors. Their involvement in positive activities helps them cultivate skills, values and meaningful relationships that promote healthy development.

At the same time, youth with mentors are more likely to resist negative influences. Mentoring is fifth in a list of 31 strategies for its rate of success in preventing criminal violent behavior. The young adults surveyed for The Mentoring Effect articulate the impact of mentoring relationships best in their own words:

“ [My mentor] gave [me] the skills necessary to diffuse conflicts between individuals."