Happy New Year! We hope you had some time to unwind and spend time with family and friends. As many of you know, we are now in the thick of a period commonly referred to as the “winter lull.” This time, right after applications are submitted and before decision letters begin to arrive, often impacts student engagement. Students are less likely to respond to messages, more likely to miss meetings, and generally engage much less in the college application process. We encourage you to review the resources in our College Toolkit, including our Student Engagement Guide, for some strategies on how to communicate with students effectively during this period.

Monthly Goals

November 30, 2025

Submit Your College Applications

February 1, 2026

Submit Financial Aid Applications

February 1, 2026

Apply for Scholarships

Prepare for Admission to UCs and CSUs

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 January & February 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

January & February 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

Coach-Led Panel: Winter Lull: Tips & Tricks to Keep the Fire Going

Thursday, January 22, 5 - 6 p.m. (PST)

This program year, many coaches have reported increased unresponsiveness from their students. With the winter lull traditionally affecting student response rates, we will have ScholarMatch coaches share tips and strategies to keep students engaged and communicative.

Upcoming External Webinars

Stay tuned for more webinars coming in 2026.

Relevant Recordings & Training Opportunities

uAspire CSS Profile Completion | Webinar (Part 1, Part 2) | Materials

FAFSA Completion | Webinar (Part 1, Part 2) | Materials

ScholarMatch & uAspire: FAFSA Q&A | Watch: Recording (available through 6/30/2026)

ScholarMatch & uAspire: FAFSA Completion Part 1 | Watch: Recording (available through 6/30/2026)

ScholarMatch & uAspire: FAFSA Completion Part 2 | Watch: Recording (available through 6/30/2026)

ScholarMatch & uAspire: CSS Profile Completion Part 1 | Watch: Recording (available through 6/30/2026)

ScholarMatch & uAspire: CSS Profile Completion Part 2 | Watch: Recording (available through 6/30/2026)

Would You like to Lead a Webinar?

We are excited to announce the launch of our 2025-26 Coach-led Webinars series! If you are interested in leading a webinar, please apply here.

Quick Links

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!

‍

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.

‍

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.

‍

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.

Coach Coffee Chat Dates

Join our Coach Coffee Chats in 2026! These sessions are ScholarMatch’s version of office hours, so please pop in and chat with us.

Join us on Tuesday, January 13, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. (PST) to chat with ScholarMatch staff and other coaches regarding any questions you may have about advising, finding resources, or just for a quick pulse check. Coffee is not required, but we hope you’ll drop in!

‍

Upcoming dates:

Tuesday, January 13, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. (PST)

Thursday, January 29, 3 - 4 p.m. (PST)

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 (c/o 2025)

Unresponsive Student Form (c/o 2025)

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.

‍

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).

‍

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.

‍

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.

‍

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

Submit Your College Applications

Submit Financial Aid Applications

Apply for Scholarships

Prepare for Admission to UCs and CSUs

PROGRAM CALENDAR

VARSITY COLLEGE COACHES

CONNECT WITH US