Mailing Address Minds Matter Cleveland PO Box 14219 Cleveland, OH 44114
Office Address 2515 Jay Avenue # 101 Cleveland, OH 44113
Contact Us
FAQS
Student FAQs
Fill out and submit your application online, then we will contact you for an interview. Be sure to review our application tips and requirements first!
We generally look for students with a 3.0 GPA or higher, but we assess student applications holistically. If you are a motivated student and aren’t quite at that GPA level, apply anyway and tell us more about yourself.
Minds Matter is 100% free for students!
We request that students prioritize attending Minds Matter sessions on Saturdays over other commitments. We can work with you to help you adjust your schedule—reach out!
You do not need to live in Cleveland to participate. You do need to be able to join us on Saturdays in downtown Cleveland. (We provide two-way RTA passes to students for travel.)
Possibly! Apply and tell us more about your other participation or reach out to us to talk more before you apply.
Minds Matter will help you become a strong candidate for scholarships and support you in your scholarship application process.
Parent & Caregiver FAQs
Your child needs to apply, but will need your permission via an online form once they complete their application.
Minds Matter Cleveland has an income eligibility threshold. Generally, students from families with a household income 2x that of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for their household size are financially eligible to participate. We are willing to consider special circumstances in very limited cases.
We meet with students in downtown Cleveland on Saturdays during the school year. We provide two-way RTA passes to students for travel.
No! Minds Matter covers the cost of all program requirements and activities, including school supplies, public transport to and from Saturday sessions, ACT prep, academic tutoring, college applications, and summer programs at college campuses.
Minds Matter will help your child become a strong candidate for scholarships and support them in the scholarship application process.
Volunteer FAQs
Our volunteers are college graduates at varying stages of their careers looking to make a difference in their community by directly impacting a high school student's chance at a college education.
The time commitment varies depending on the role.
- Mentor: 2 hours per week, 80% attendance of ~20 weeks per year
- Tutor: 1-3 hours per week, minimum 5 weeks per year
- Writing Council: varies
- Executive Team: 2-6 hours per week, year-round
Submit your volunteer application online here, then participate in a 30-minute phone conversation and interview. You will receive a decision within one week of your interview.
Volunteers meet with students in downtown Cleveland on Saturdays during the school year.
Depending on the volunteer role, you could possibly continue volunteering with Minds Matter Cleveland. However, there are Minds Matter chapters located across the country and we encourage you to apply for volunteer opportunities at a chapter near your new location.
Yes! We will provide the training and support you need to work with our amazing students.
Minds Matter Cleveland organizes volunteer-only activities, such as happy hours, day trips, and attending events in the city together throughout the year.
While the majority of Minds Matter volunteer opportunities are long-term commitments of at least one school year (about nine months), some short-term volunteer opportunities do exist. Reach out to contact@mindsmattercleveland.org if this might be a better fit for you!
Our volunteer community can have a powerful role in sharing our work. We ask volunteers to share our December fundraiser with their networks and to help source a gala sponsorship from their company, but this engagement is entirely optional. There are no penalties for not participating.
Educator FAQs
We’d love to discuss setting up time with your students! Email us at admissions@mindsmattercleveland.org
Email us with the student’s name and contact information at newstudents@mindsmattercleveland.org or direct the student to the application link.
We know educators are extremely busy supporting students! We only ask recommenders to complete a short form with targeted questions rather than writing a full recommendation letter.
Your input as a recommender helps us get to know a student beyond what they’re able to share in their application. This input is incredibly important to us as we make admissions decisions and will help us best support students. Please consider writing at least 1-2 short paragraphs in your recommender form reflecting on the student’s strengths, interests, areas of potential growth, and anything else specific to the student that would be helpful in either our admission decision or in our support of the student if admitted. Specific anecdotes about your experience working with the student are always welcome.