Mentor notes that actually change pull requests

We ask mentors to anchor comments in repository reality: link to tests, suggest a commit-sized next step, and separate style nits from structural risks. Students practice responding with clarifying questions instead of silent fixes that hide confusion.

The cadence mirrors distributed teams. Reviews arrive asynchronously with a forty-eight hour expectation, then a short live huddle resolves disagreements. That rhythm respects working adults across time zones.

We also model refusal: mentors decline scope creep in capstones when it would dilute learning goals. Watching someone say no politely is its own lesson.

Graduates report that the template we provide for self-review before requesting mentor time cuts iteration counts sharply. The template is intentionally short so it stays used.