In my 17+ years as an independent college consultant, I’ve always made sure to assign proper credit for college admissions and scholarship success. Of course, we’ve helped numerous young men and women achieve their academic dreams, but you’ll never hear us say, ‘we get kids into college.’ Our students do that themselves, as the result of their own hard work and accomplishment.
We’re the guide, the navigator, the cheerleader and the occasional kick in the, ahem, arse. Our students…they captain this crazy expedition.
And so today I have the great privilege of calling attention to their success, as well as so many others, starting with my esteemed colleague and College Access Manager, Carla Holness. Last week Carla was named Mentor of the Year by Broward County Public Schools, the 6th largest school district in the nation, in the College Readiness and Resilience Category. Congratulations, Carla!
Carla has been working alongside me since 2018, actively supporting my effort in guiding students through the college application experience, helping them with essay expression, choosing schools to apply to, serving as a calming voice to stressed out teens, and acting as good cop to my bad cop (I’m not really a bad cop – but everyone who has met Carla knows she is a true sweetheart, so this designation is clearly relative).
Carla was honored for her outstanding commitment as a mentor with Take Stock in Children of Broward County, an organization that matches mentors with students who are at risk, supporting them with guidance, helping them make good choices, and motivating them to stay focused on academic success, with an end goal to graduate high school and attend college – often the first in their families to do so. Each Take Stock student earns a FL Prepaid 2-year college scholarship. This great organization’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty through education, one student at a time. Carla has embraced this mission with same vigor, enthusiasm and incredible knowledge that she bestows upon each and every one of our students. Every one of our families immediately understands why it’s both an honor and privilege to call Carla my colleague and friend.
More good news… as we get ready to begin our College Application Summer Program on June 5, Carla will be right alongside me as usual, helping students in the Class of 2025 with their college application and essays. If you have a rising 12th grader, or you know someone who does, this program is a great way to complete the application and essay during the summer months, when the stress level is reduced. Our students walk into the first day of 12th grade confident, relaxed, and excited to tackle the challenges before them, relieved that their college essay is not only finished but is also a great expression of their story in their own unique voice.
Finally, even as we look ahead to the Class of 2025 I’d like to give full credit to our Class of 2024, those hard-working and resilient students who began high school in the midst of a global pandemic, who struggled through hybrid learning, and who persevered to find success in their college admissions experience. Below is a list of schools where our kids will be headed to this Fall. Many will also enjoy fantastic, massive five-figure scholarships or need-based grants that will help make college way more affordable.
All credit goes to them for their achievement. Congratulations!
Our Class of 2024 gained admission to the following colleges and universities:
American University, Arizona State University, Babson College, Bard College, Bard-Berlin, Bennington College, Cal Poly, Case Western Reserve University, Drew University, Eckerd College, Elon University, Emory University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Institute of Technology, Florida International University, Florida Southern, Florida State University, Fordham University, George Mason University, George Washington University, Harvard University, Indiana University, Kenyon College, Louisiana State University, Loyola Chicago, Michigan State University, Middlebury College, Muhlenberg College, New York University, North Park University, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, Nova Southeastern University, The Ohio State University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Ole Miss, Penn State University, Princeton University, Rollins College, Sarah Lawrence College, Savannah College of Art & Design, Southern Methodist University, Stetson University, Tufts University, Tulane University, Union College, University of Alabama, University of Arizona, UCLA, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of Central Florida, University of Colorado, University of Denver, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of Maryland, UMass-Amherst, University of Miami, University of Michigan, University of Missouri, UNC-Chapel Hill, University of North Florida, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, University of Richmond, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, University of Virginia, University of Washington, Ursinus College, Villanova University, Wake Forest University
