Newsletter: July 1, 2021
Mychal Wynn (Northeastern ’79)
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July 1, 2021 College Planning NewsIn our June newsletter, we reported that 16 (42.1%) of our Class of 2021 were offered full scholarships. Well, we can now report that 17 (44.7%) of our Class of 2021 were offered full scholarships! Tyra Grant, from our Atlanta-area Cohort received an email from Georgia Tech congratulating her on being selected as a Clark Scholar (together with a full scholarship). Our program should not be compared to such programs as AVID, which is a college readiness program, or Naviance, which is a high school counselor management tool. Neither program is designed to provide college planning guidance in identifying the ‘right’ colleges, identifying the ‘right’ scholarships, or reducing student loan debt. Neither program can claim to guide students into full college scholarships, assist students in writing essays, preparing students for interviews, nominating students to Fly-in or Diversity Weekend Programs, or meeting one-on-one with students and parents to provide personalized guidance through the college admissions and financial aid processes. The reality is that our program has very little in common with these programs. Many of our students have participated in AVID and attend high schools that subscribe to Naviance. None of our students see any comparison whatsoever between our college planning program and those programs. Based on our data, we are not aware of any college planning program with comparable success in guiding students into full scholarships and avoiding student loan debt. Nationally, less than 2% of students from the 26,727 public, private, and charter high schools in the United States (Source: National Center for Education Statistics) are attending college on full scholarships with some sources suggesting the number is much lower at .2% (Source: Full Ride Scholarships). The estimate for full athletic scholarships is .3% (Source: NCSA). In 2021, 44.7% of seniors in our program will be attending college on full scholarships, and that number is even higher when the students who turned down full scholarships are accounted for. To fully appreciate the extraordinary outcomes of our students, read the Washington Post article, “Your child probably won’t get a full ride to college.” | ||||||||||||||||||||
Program UpdatesAt the end of each year, we evaluate our results, identify student and family needs, assess changes in college admissions and financial aid, and adjust our programming accordingly. Based on this review, we have expanded our programming to offer:
Students interested in serving as a College Planning Cohort Intern for one or more of our summer college planning boot camps should email: cpc@collegeplanningcohort.com | ||||||||||||||||||||
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College Planning Boot CampsWe hosted 2 great college planning boot camps for rising 9th graders in San Antonio, Texas, and will host 2 4-day college planning boot camps in July (for middle school and high school students). Each boot camp will provide grade-level appropriate guidance in developing a comprehensive college-bound plan. Click onto the boot camp for the registration link. July 12 – 15 (9:00 am – 1:00 pm): 4-day all-virtual boot camp for High School Students in Grades 9 – 12. Click here to register… Any high school student may register. The registration fee for students in Florence School District 3 and Pinellas County Schools is waived. July 19 – 22 (9:00 am – 1:00 pm): 4-day all-virtual boot camp for Middle School Students in Grades 7 – 8. Click here to register… Any middle school student may register. The registration fee for students in Florence School District 3 and Pinellas County Schools is waived. 2021-22 High School Senior ClassroomOur 2021-22 High School Senior Classroom opened on June 1. While we will not host our first monthly cohort meeting until the second Saturday in September, we will be reviewing student work, communicating via email, and meeting with students and parents, via virtual sessions, as needed. New students: click here to register…; Returning students: click here to register… (Note: Registration fees for Pinellas County Schools and Florence School District 3 students are paid for by the school district.) Essay Writing Workshop SeriesWith the huge increase in applications to selective colleges, now, more than ever, a student’s essays can be the difference between being offered admission and receiving a rejection letter! We are excited to introduce a 4-part Essay Writing Workshop series, developed and presented by Mychal-David Wynn, a certified college counselor and graduate of Amherst College (BA English). The sessions are not part of our normal program and require a separate registration and are opened to all students. (Note: Registration fees for Pinellas County Schools and Florence School District 3 students are paid for by the school district.) The 4-part series will be presented from 9:00 am – Noon, during each Saturday in July (10, 17, 24, and 31). The goal is for participating students to emerge from the sessions with a fully edited Common Application Essay, supplemental essay, or scholarship essay. Topics will cover:
Students will have their essays fully reviewed and edited. Click here to purchase your registration or Email cpc@collegeplanningcohort.com to reserve your space. Space is Limited. Join a CohortASA Guide Right Kappa League Mentoring Program: Contact Doug Lucas: dlucasjr@aol.com. Atlanta-area and National Cohort: Contact Mychal-David Wynn: mdwynn@accessandequity.org Pinellas County Schools: Contact Dr. Lewis Brinson, Minority Achievement Officer: brinsonle@pcsb.org Florence County School District 3: Contact Ms. Kendra Wilson, Guidance Counselor: kwilson@fsd3.org Click here to learn more about our cohorts and other programs… | ||||||||||||||||||||
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