At two College Launch Day events this October, high school students from Let’s Get Ready‘s College Access Program met with volunteers to work on their college essays, Common Applications, financial aid forms (the FAFSA), and the college application process in general. For New England participants, the event took place on October 14th at Boston’s Nonprofit Center. Its Mid-Atlantic equivalent was at the Ogilvy & Mather offices in New York City on October 21st.
Falianne, a student who attends a Let’s Get Ready program in Boston, worked with an English/ESL teacher named Sabrina at New England’s College Launch Day. “I hit a roadblock in my essay where it was 70% complete, but not quite there yet,” she says. “I knew which area needed improvement, but didn’t know how to improve it. She gave me options on how to spin that part, which was really helpful.”
Aside from workshops that focused on essays and forms, each College Launch Day included an alumni panel featuring Let’s Get Ready‘s Transition Coaches, college student mentors, giving their perspectives on the application process that they had recently conquered. “I found it helpful to pick their brains about their current experiences at school,” says Falianne. “I’m applying to all three schools they currently attend so speaking to them before and after helped me with some uncertainties.”
Fanta Traore, who works at a nonprofit called Echoing Green that supports social impact leaders, volunteered at the New York event. Like many of the College Launch Day volunteers, she is an alum of Let’s Get Ready’s College Access Program. “I loved having the chance to guide two young women through their college essay writing process,” she says. “Giving back is always a full circle experience.” She adds that she hopes to volunteer with Let’s Get Ready again in the near future.
Photos from College Launch Day 10/14/2018 at The NonProfit Center
Photos from College Launch Day 10/21/2018 at Ogilvy & Mather
