Welcome, coaches! The program year for the Class of 2027 has officially started, and we have enjoyed reading about your meetings with your students. If you haven't been matched yet, don't worry! The majority of matching happens during the late summer and early fall as students return from summer break. We match with intention, with the goal of fostering relationships that are grounded in trust and lasting impact. We appreciate your patience throughout this process as we ensure thoughtful pairings. We encourage you to browse around for the latest updates and ways to familiarize yourself with the program. In the meantime, if any questions arise, please reach out to our team at advising@scholarmatch.org

Monthly Goals

August 31, 2025

Explore College Fit and Match

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Expand your Horizons

Head over to our College-Ready Milestones page to learn more about available resources and deadlines.
*A note on standardized testing: Our general guidance when advising students on standardized test scores, either to take or re-take the tests, is unique to each student and, of course, depends on the colleges they are considering. As a best practice, we recommend that students review the policies at each school and understand the recommendations. See our Standardized Testing guide for further support.

Announcements

ScholarMatch Higher Ed Updates
College Toolkit We have added new resources for undocumented students!
Have suggestions? Fill out the form!

Quick Links

Coach FAQ
Volunteer Handbook
College Coach Onboarding Modules
Student Support Playbook
Multiple Missing Coach Reports FAQ (c/o 2025)
SFFA SCOTUS Decision Document

College Toolkit

Checkout our comprehensive college toolkit filled with resources to help you support your Students.

Have any resources to share that you think other coaches would benefit from? Click here to submit them

College Toolkit

Scholarships

This month, we’re including a list of scholarships with July & August Scholarship Deadlines—however, we always recommend finding local scholarships since students will have higher chances of receiving those awards. Along with this, Immigrants Rising has a scholarship list for undocumented students.

Quick Links

July & August Scholarship Deadlines
Scholarships for Undocumented Students
ACT Academy
College Application Tracker
Khan Academy SAT Prep
List-building resources
Standardized Testing Guide
ScholarMatch Advising Playbook
Monthly Scholarship List
Undocumented student campus resources
Colleges that meet full need
American Talent Initiative Schools (ATI)
Federal Student Aid Estimator
FAFSA Hub
A Focus on Improving the FAFSA® Experience
Common App

ScholarMatch Webinars

College Coach Orientation

Thursday, July 16 | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. (PT)/3:00 - 4:00 p.m. (ET)

Thursday, July 30 | 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. (PT)/6:00 - 7:00 p.m. (ET)

Welcome new and returning coaches! Join our College Coach Orientation to learn more about the Destined for College program, leadership opportunities, upcoming coach programming, the support systems available to you, and to meet ScholarMatch staff. This is a great opportunity to meet other college coaches and ask any questions you may have. We will have multiple sessions throughout the summer, so feel free to register for the session that works best for you. We look forward to meeting you!

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Coach-Led Webinar: Making the Most of Career Interest Assessment Results

Thursday, July 23 | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. (PT)/3:00 - 4:00 p.m. (ET)

This webinar will focus on how to administer and interpret interest assessments that use the Holland typology, such as the freely-available O*NET® Interest Profiler™. While these career assessments are meant to be self-administered and interpreted, knowledgeable coaches can add significant value to the interest assessment process by attending to a few key principals while interpreting the results to help students understand their needs and communicate with family, high school, coaches, and college staff about their future plans. To get the most out of this session, participants should complete the interest assessment here beforehand so you can apply what you have learned during the presentation.

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Coach Coffee Chat: Volunteer Advisory Council Edition

Thursday, July 9 | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. (PT)/7:00 - 8:00 p.m. (ET)

Tuesday, July 21 | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. (PT)/7:00 - 8:00 p.m. (ET)

Coach Coffee Chats offer a relaxed, informal space for ScholarMatch coaches to connect, share experiences, and support one another. This session will be hosted by the Volunteer Advisory Council, featuring a mix of seasoned and newer coaches.

Bring your questions, comments, and suggestions. We want to hear from you! Whether you’re navigating financial aid and scholarships, reflecting on this past season, or looking for practical ways to strengthen connections with your students, coaches will be there to help you problem-solve and share what has worked for them.

Upcoming External Webinars

Telling Your Story Through Your Activities List (Hosted by: Coalition for College)

Wednesday, July 8 | 11:00 - 12:00 p.m. (PT)/2:00 - 3:00 p.m. (ET)

What students do outside the classroom is a vital part of their application. Join admissions officers from Coalition colleges for a Q&A discussion to learn how to list and describe activities, jobs, honors, in ways that truly reflect students’ experiences. Whether your student has school clubs to share, or important responsibilities at home or work, you’ll leave with ideas on how to help your student best present their interests and passions to the admissions committee.

Featuring admissions counselors from: Eastern Connecticut State University, Lawrence University, Syracuse University, and Wake Forest University.

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Ask an Admissions Officer: How Decisions Really Get Made (Hosted by: Coalition for College)

Wednesday, July 22 | 11:00 - 12:00 p.m. (PT)/2:00 - 3:00 p.m. (ET)

Do you ever wonder what happens to college applications after hitting “submit”? Join admissions experts from Coalition colleges for a behind-the-scenes look at how applications are reviewed. They’ll touch on what factors matter most and how committees work together to make final decisions. This is a great opportunity to get advice directly from the people who review applications. Bring along your questions and leave with the confidence you need to help your student put their best foot forward.

Featuring admissions counselors from: Pomona College, University of Rochester, University of Vermont, and Wesleyan University.

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Preparing for Your Cornell Application ( Hosted by: Cornell College)

Tuesday, July 28 | 5:00 - 5:45 p.m. (PT)/8:00 - 8:45 p.m. (ET)

Join Jonathan Augustyn, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, and Adrián Gutiérrez, Assistant Director of Admissions for a conversation on how to help prepare for Cornell application and navigate the process with confidence.

Would You like to Lead a Webinar?

We are excited to continue our 2026-27 Coach-led Webinars series! If you are interested in leading a webinar, please apply here.

Quick Links

Support our Coach Recruitment Efforts

One of the most effective ways for us to recruit more amazing volunteers like you is through word of mouth. As a member of the ScholarMatch community, you experience firsthand our impact and how transformative our program can be for first-generation students.

Spreading the word takes less than 5 minutes!

Share this opportunity with your LinkedIn network by clicking on the links below. We encourage you to add your own language when sharing these posts. Your experience (your “why”) can resonate with other individuals more than you think.

ScholarMatch Recruitment Post - Linkedin

ScholarMatch Volunteer Nation Podcast - Linkedin

Prefer to share on Instagram instead? Repost one of our reels below:

Reel #1

Reel #2

Want to be a Varsity Coach?

A varsity college coach is a coach who has expertise in one or more of the following:

Personal Statement best practices
Financial aid: FAFSA - particularly in demand!
Financial aid: CSS profile - particularly in demand!
Building a balanced college list - particularly in demand!
Supporting undocumented students
Supporting STEM students

And is willing to share that expertise with other coaches via the communication method of their choice (email, text, phone calls, video calls, etc.) Does this sound like a good fit for you? Then submit an application below!

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Varsity Coach Interest Form

Want to Lead a Webinar?

We are excited to announce the launch of our Coach-led Webinar series. If you are interested in leading a webinar, hosting a Q&A, or participating in a panel discussion, we are currently accepting webinar interest forms for the fall. We are looking forward to working more closely with our coach community to offer students the holistic support that meets their diverse needs. If you are interested in leading a webinar, please apply below and we will be in touch.

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Share Student Stories!

Have a student story you want to share! Please click below and share with us.

ScholarMatch Story & Spotlight

Support Our New STEM Transfer Program

We are inviting experienced ScholarMatch coaches to support transfer students in the Bay Area as they pursue their STEM degrees. Navigating the transfer process, especially into STEM majors at UCs, CSUs, private, and out-of-state schools, can be overwhelming. That is where you come in!

Join us at one of our STEM Transfer Coach Info Sessions to learn more about this program:

Support Our New STEM Transfer Program Recording

For more information about our new program, visit our STEM Transfer Program page.

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Quick Links

Connect with Other Coaches via Community Platforms

Join our Community Platforms!‍

Connect with fellow coaches in our vibrant community. Join our LinkedIn group to share tips and suggestions and build community with other passionate individuals dedicated to mentoring students. We also recommend posting your questions (and celebrations) on our Coach Listserv.

Student Communication and Engagement

Have you been matched with a student who isn’t responding? Has your scholar gone radio silent after you began working together? Is your student rescheduling all your meetings? We know from precedent that this unfortunately happens with a small number of our students each year, so we’ve created a few guides to help you out and clarify our expectations.

Student Engagement and Communication Norms

Unresponsive Student Protocol

Unresponsive Student Form

Quick Links

Forum Email Listserv
Coach LinkedIn Group
Coach Varsity Gallery

Training and Onboarding Timeline

PROCESS

DEADLINE

Training and Onboarding Period

March - May

Final day to submit all onboarding materials

May 31

Coach Orientation Session on Zoom*

June

Match with a student and begin coaching until June 2026

July - August

* = will be recorded and posted to the coach resource page

Volunteer Handbook

We’re so happy you’ve decided to join us in the fight for educational equity! With your help, we are making college possible for students in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the country. As a ScholarMatch volunteer, you are joining a community of dedicated professionals committed to supporting students to and through college.

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Collectively, our volunteer community has an incredible wealth of experience and expertise in all college-related topics. Whether you’re a seasoned professional in college access or coming to this work from another field, we’re excited to have you join us!

Review the Handbook

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find my Coach ID?

You can find your Coach ID in the emails you received from ScholarMatch (advising@scholarmatch.org).

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I need more time to complete my training modules, who do I contact?

If you need more time to complete the training modules, please email volunteer@scholarmatch.org.

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Do I have to complete the training if I am an independent education consultant (IEC) or work in a field related to college access and admissions?

If you have previous experience in college access and admissions and would like to waive the training modules, please complete our Training Module Waiver Form. Please note that completing this form does not automatically waive the training modules. Our team will review your submission and be in touch to let you know if we can advance you directly to our onboarding module.

Please review our Pre-Training College Coach FAQs for additional information. If you have any other questions or would like to speak with a member of the ScholarMatch staff, please email volunteer@scholarmatch.org.

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Quick Links

Coach Training Modules
Volunteer Handbook

PROGRAM CALENDAR

View upcoming events below.

MEET OUR COMMUNITY

VARSITY COLLEGE COACHES

Join a network of passionate individuals dedicated to guiding students through their educational journeys. Share experiences, exchange insights, and collaborate with like-minded changemakers to empower students towards academic success and beyond. Together, we make a difference!

The view below is password protected, please reach out to advising@scholarmatch.org for the password.

Subscribe to our Coach Email List

Join our Coach Linkedin Group

COLLEGE COACHES

Program Report Form

Calendar

Varsity Coaches

Updates, Opportunities, and the Latest on our Volunteer Community

Explore College Fit and Match

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Expand your Horizons

PROGRAM CALENDAR

VARSITY COLLEGE COACHES

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