Free Online Training

The Partnership for Student Success now offers free online training modules for postsecondary transition coaches, mentors, and people who supervise college students in these roles. Designed by MENTOR and the University of San Diego Early Academic Outreach Program for the Partnership for Student Success, these modules offer training for college students and others supporting K-12 students.

Sign up for our next free training cohort! Signing up includes access to the online training modules for you or your team, as well as access to free Partnership for Student Success Higher Education Coalition resources, including technical assistance and peer support for higher education institutions through learning communities and working groups.

Engaging and Supporting College Students as Mentors for Youth

Designed in partnership with MENTOR, these modules are designed to support college students serving as mentors for K-12 students, and to support supervisors of college student mentors in implementing effective mentoring and ensuring that mentors gain career-connected experiences while providing crucial support to youth. 

Topics include:

• Advising College Mentors: Higher education and nonprofit professionals will learn about key strategies to support college students who are serving as mentors for K-12 students.
• Best Practices for University and Community-Based Organization Collaboration: Professionals from higher education, nonprofits, and community-based organizations will learn about best practices for effective collaboration as well as building and strengthening partnerships across sectors.
• How College Students Can Be Better Mentors: College students supporting or preparing to support K-12 students will learn about strategies for effective mentoring.

Postsecondary Transition Coaching 101

Designed in partnership with the University of California San Diego Early Academic Outreach Program, these training modules are designed to support novice postsecondary transition coaches as they prepare to provide college and career exploration and transition support to K-12 students. 

Topics include:

• Preparing to Work with Youth in a School Environment: People serving in postsecondary transition coaching or college and career advising roles will learn the basics of working in a K-12 school environment and considerations for supporting youth of various grade levels to prepare for college- and career decisions.
• College Fit/Match Exploration & Decision Making: People serving in postsecondary transition coaching or college and career advising roles will learn how to discuss pathways to college with youth, including types of degrees, types of institutions, and how to explore various campuses and academic programs.
• Financial Aid and Paying for College: People serving in postsecondary transition coaching or college and career advising roles will learn how to support their students to research the cost of college and cover financial topics including net cost, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and state-level financial aid applications.

Supporting and Empowering High School Students to Support Their Peers With Postsecondary Transitions

Designed in partnership with the City University of New York K-16 Initiatives, the Peer Power Foundation, and PeerForward, this training is designed to support practitioners and leaders in the field of postsecondary transition coaching, to design and implement effective programs that engage high school students in peer-support roles. 

Topics include:

• Recruiting high school student peer mentors
• Training high school student peer mentors
• Defining and measuring success for programs engaging high school students in peer mentoring roles

Through this training, participants will understand basic strategies for implementing a structured peer mentoring system that effectively supports high school student through postsecondary transitions, demonstrating proficiency in both technical knowledge and interpersonal skills required for successful peer advising. Participants will also develop their ability to train, manage, and support peer mentors.

Paying for College: Next Steps After Completing the FAFSA 

Designed in partnership with the City University of New York, Coalition for College, and Lewis Clark State College, this training is designed to support postsecondary transition coaches, counselors, or other people supporting prospective or current college students as they make decisions about college and related costs. 

Topics include:

• Post-FAFSA Submission: Including understanding financial aid types, what to expect after completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and follow-ups to finalize aid.
• Understanding College Offer Letters and College Decisionmaking: Including what to expect from college offer letters, how they differ from financial aid offer letters, and making informed decisions about college and related costs.
• Maintaining Funding Throughout College: Including processes for submitting financial aid forms annually, how to handle changes in personal or financial situations, satisfactory academic progress and aid eligibility, and maintaining and receiving additional funding.

Every Student, A Plan: Supporting Uncertain Seniors Through Postsecondary Pathways 

Designed in partnership with Inspire Success, OneGoal, and PrepKC, this training is designed to support postsecondary transition coaches, counselors, educators, and other people helping high school seniors to make informed decisions about post-secondary options. 

Topics include:

• Career-Centered Pathways
• Identifying and Initiating Conversations with Employer Partners
• Empowering the Journey: Guiding Students Toward Postsecondary Purpose

Through this training, participants will learn about career-specific postsecondary pathways, how to connect students to local opportunities through partnerships with employers, how to recognize and validate non-traditional postsecondary pathways as viable options for students who are uncertain, and identify tools to help students and families find opportunities.

Student Success Coaching Nanocourses from the Arizona State University Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation

These nanocourses are designed to prepare caring adults and teens to support K-12 students as student success coaches and gain practical strategies to increase engagement, motivation, attendance, and academic success. 

Topics include:

• Supporting academic success

• Strategies to support student social-emotional well-being
• Improving student attendance

These nanocourses are available to individuals or organizations with Student Success Coaches who are providing, or planning to provide, support to K-12 students. Scholarships are available.

Sign up through ASU’s page to create an account and start accessing the resources today. Organizations interested in registering their team can request access using the Sign-up Form.

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As of January 19, 2025, this website no longer represents the National Partnership for Student Success public-private partnership.