This month, we’re spotlighting the core value of Generosity of Spirit - showing compassion, gratitude, and empathy in every interaction. Whether you’re offering words of encouragement, helping a student brainstorm essay ideas, or celebrating their accomplishments, your generosity of spirit strengthens our entire community.

We’d love to feature your perspectives in our Values in Action campaign, especially as we prepare to recruit more coaches for next year's class. Share a photo, video, or short testimonial about how you embody Generosity of Spirit as a coach. Your submissions will inspire students and fellow volunteers while reminding us all of the many ways our community strives to do its best. Submit here!

Monthly Goals

October 1, 2025

Finalize your College List

October 30, 2025

Draft and Revise College Essays

November 30, 2025

Submit Your College Applications

February 1, 2026

Apply for Financial Aid

Request a Teacher Recommendation

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.

Coach Orientation

We're thrilled to have you join our community. To help you get started, we invite you to watch our recorded orientation. During this orientation, you will meet ScholarMatch Staff, connect with fellow coaches, access tools and resources you need to get started, and much more!

Recording
Passcode: ?59V*#pU

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 November & December 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

November & December 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 Major Exploration (with Coach Bill Dingledine)

Tuesday, November 11, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT

Where: Register here

The term “major” is the biggest misnomer in higher education. In reality, it is not the ‘major’ portion of what one studies; it is about 1/3. Most parents and students do not understand this term or how to use the college experience to learn what interests them the most and where their talents lie. This presentation will cover ways to help students understand what is required to graduate from a college and to pursue a certain major. What will be even more important is to help students pursue those things that will lead them to a successful job. There will be a Q&A at the end. We look forward to seeing you there!

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uAspire Q&A - Fall Edition

Wednesday, November 12, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT

Where: Register here

This participant-driven, peer-learning session is designed for practitioners who are supporting students with the FAFSA and are looking for a space to answer questions and work out tricky scenarios. Please bring your questions and tricky scenarios to get on the spot support!

Upcoming External Webinars

From Early Decision to Test Optional: Deciphering Common Terms in the Admissions Process

Wednesday, November 12, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

Where: Register here

Are you confused about all the different types of early application deadlines? Do you know what it means to “superscore?” Does financial aid terminology make your head spin? Join us for a session with a college admissions expert who will review this terminology and much more, so you can tackle the college application process with confidence!

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Supporting Your Student: What Comes Next?

Wednesday, November 12, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Where: Register here

Are you wondering how to support your student after they’ve submitted their college applications? Join admissions counselors from Coalition member colleges as they discuss what families can expect next—from rounding out college lists, understanding financial aid offers, handling waitlists and rejections, and attending admitted student visits. Bring your questions and leave ready to help your student navigate these important next steps.

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College Affordability Summit

Thursday, November 13, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM PT

Where: Register here

Leading with Courage and Optimism: Partnering to Advance Equity. The 6th Annual California College Affordability Summit will be held virtually.

Other Webinars & Training Opportunities

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

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

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!

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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.

Coach Coffee Chat Dates

We’ve change our Office Hours to a more informal “Coffee Chat”.

Join us on Thursday, November 6, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM PT and Tuesday, November 18, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT 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!

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.

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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

Finalize your College List

Draft and Revise College Essays

Submit Your College Applications

Apply for Financial Aid

Request a Teacher Recommendation

PROGRAM CALENDAR

VARSITY COLLEGE COACHES

CONNECT WITH US