Peer Mentors Can Improve Academic Performance

The present study examined the relationship between peer mentoring and academic performance. Students from two introductory psychology classes either received ( n = 37) or did not receive ( n = 36) peer mentoring. The data indicated a consistent improvement in the performance (i.e., grades on scheduled exams) of the mentored group. A similar pattern of improvement was observed in the performance of students who scored below the class average on the first scheduled exam in the mentored group. Furthermore, the average score on Exam 4 as well as the final course grade was significantly higher for the mentored compared with the nonmentored group, indicating the potential benefits of prolonged exposure to a peer mentor. We also report students’ personal impressions of the peer mentoring experience.