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VietnameseBy Ready WA Storyteller Helen F.
With college application season behind me, I have realized that I could not have completed the process so efficiently and smoothly without the support of my college readiness program. With their help, I was able to confidently submit college applications to 21 schools across the nation, meeting every deadline, and processed all my financial aid files, like FAFSA and the CSS Profile, early.
What Is a College Readiness Program?
You might be wondering, what exactly is a college readiness program? As the name suggests, they are programs designed to fully support high school students preparing for college. These programs provide access to career counselors, college advisors, graduation specialists, and tutors—all dedicated to making sure students are successful and well-equipped in their academic career and higher education. In some cases, they even provide classes and workshops for students to attend.
Types of College Readiness Programs
This is a federally-funded college readiness program that serves low-income and/or first-generation students. The University of Washington (UW) has two Upward Bound programs, the general Upward Bound and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Upward Bound. During the academic year, students have weekly access to advisors to assist them in school work. In the summer, students attend a summer academy at the UW campus, where they participate in college-level studies and field trips.
This is a national nonprofit organization supporting low-income students with the college admissions process and success in higher education. They provide peer coaching, SAT and ACT test preparation, and help with financial aid.
This is a nonprofit organization based in Washington that provides low-income students with an abundance of scholarships and 1:1 mentoring. Their goal is to improve the college completion rate.
Here’s an article that provides more examples of college readiness programs.
My Experience
My sophomore year of high school, my school counselor told me about UW STEMsub (University of Washington Math Science Upward Bound), or as I referenced it earlier, the STEM Upward Bound. I applied and got waitlisted! I had only met one of their criteria which was first-generation (firs-gen), and they wanted to focus on getting students who identified as both first-gen and low-income first. However, I was determined to get in, as I knew how helpful it would be to have as a resource my senior year of high school. I waited patiently, kept in touch with the UW STEMsub advisors, and got off the waitlist late into my junior year! As part of the program, I had full access to quick essay revisions, scholarship notifications, a Common App workshop, and a FAFSA workshop, all of which I needed extra support with.
My advisors had years of experience in the college application process, some of them being past college admissions officers. With their help, I felt confident in my applications and gained the courage to apply to out-of-state schools and reach beyond my comfort zone. In total, I applied to 21 colleges, 5 in-state and 16 out-of-state.
(Caption: My congratulations screen after applying to the University of Washington through the Common App)
By being in UW STEMsub, I was able to have all my college application fees waived and save so much money while applying to so many schools. Each supplement I wrote, I had someone read over and give me quality feedback. They also reminded me about deadlines and helped with applying for scholarships. I don’t think I would have had such a successful college application process without my college readiness program, and I encourage you to take advantage of this resource for yourself too!
As a first step, take a look at this video recorded by my college advisor. In it, she shares everything you need to know about college readiness programs to help you get started!