Mentor System Gives Students, Parents, and Counselors a Single Source for Access to Virginia's Colleges and Universities
VirginiaMentor makes it easy and convenient to research, plan, and apply online to a network of more than 60 colleges within the state.
Culver City, CA – December 3, 2003 – The Council of Independent Colleges of Virginia (CICV), the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), and Xap Corporation have partnered together to launch VirginiaMentor - an Internet-based resource and guide that lets prospective students research and compare the 60-plus colleges and universities that make up the CICV and SCHEV to find the school that best meets their needs and interests.
Launched in September 2003, the new website at www.virginiamentor.org offers extensive information about each member school and is free to all users.
Among the site's many features, students can take a multimedia tour of any campus for an in-depth evaluation, communicate directly with school representatives via the free e-mail accounts provided by VirginiaMentor, explore career options and requirements, or even take an assessment survey and match their interests, skills, and personality to an occupation.
"Virginia's private colleges were pleased to partner with SCHEV and XAP to provide students, parents, and guidance counselors in the Commonwealth with such a valuable online resource," said Robert Lambeth, President of the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia.
"With its focus on planning early, understanding the financial-aid process, and comparing colleges, VirginiaMentor will help students choose a college that is the perfect fit."
The site offers comprehensive information and assistance with locating financial-aid opportunities and understanding the eligibility requirements.
Students and their families can use the built-in calculators and worksheets to help determine the estimated costs (e.g., tuition, books, etc.), affordability, and more for their selected college.
Students can also research grants and scholarships.
When students apply to a participating school, they can submit their admissions and financial-aid applications through VirginiaMentor securely, quickly, and easily.
"VirginiaMentor has been an exciting public-private education partnership project for our agency and the Council of Independent Colleges of Virginia," said Nancy J. Cooley, acting executive director for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
"It provides 'one-stop' information and services for students seeking an education at one of Virginia's outstanding colleges or universities, and response to this resource from students, K-12 guidance counselors, and higher-education personnel has been very positive."
Students can utilize VirginiaMentor services as early as their freshman year of high school. The Student Planner tool keeps track of the courses taken, the grades earned, and the test scores received (SAT, ACT, and Advanced Placement).
The Planner can provide a customized summary that identifies whether or not the necessary requirements are being met for a student's college interest.
High school counselors too can benefit from VirginiaMentor's many resources to guide their college-bound students.
"Of the 35 Mentor systems operating across the United States, VirginiaMentor has the largest 'stickiness' with student visits averaging over 22 minutes per visit," said Allen Firstenberg, President and CEO of Xap Corporation.
"Since its release in September 2003, student usage is rising exponentially and points to a first year usage of over 250,000 students."
Mentor® systems are developed exclusively by Xap Corporation, and are in operation in 31 states.
About CICV
The Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV) is an association of 25 Virginia independent colleges and universities.
Founded in 1971, CICV works to promote the interests of non-profit, independent higher education in Virginia.
Additional information can be found at www.cicv.org.
About SCHEV
The mission of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is to promote the development and operation of an educationally and economically sound, vigorous, progressive, and coordinated system of higher education.
Additional information can be found at www.schev.edu.
About Xap
Headquartered in the Los Angeles area, Xap Corporation focuses on the creation of comprehensive Internet-based information management systems relating to secondary and post-secondary education.
Founded in 1990, Xap is the leading developer of online student services systems for associations and statewide groups of colleges and universities across the United States.
Xap's national website at www.xap.com and all Mentor® websites provide the necessary tools for students to select and prepare for college, apply online, learn about financial-aid opportunities, and explore career options.
