Build relationships

You get a huge boost if there’s an adult you can count on for help in making it to college. Way too many of the students we surveyed—28 percent—said they completed their college application on their own. It’s hard to get the attention of overloaded counselors and teachers, they said. And even supportive families may not be able to offer concrete help, especially if no one in the family has been to college.

The value of these relationships cannot be overstated:

My health science teacher, she’s down to earth. She connects with you—outside of school, inside of school, she's there. She's a great influence on what you would like to be when you grow up, cool and relaxed but still professional.

 

I’m a participant in [our local university’s] “Dream Project” that comes here on Thursdays. It’s a really great resource in that they assign you a student who’s in college, so they know what it’s all about. They come here and guide students through every step. I am lucky to be able to participate in something like that.

 

My coaches have made the difference. My parents want me to go to college bad, but they can’t really help. But if you're a high school athlete like me, you're used to being pushed. Your coaches push you hard on the field, and they push you to college, especially when they have ties at a lot of places. They push you, and it’s a good thing.

 I usually don’t like asking for help, but when someone comes up to you, even just a counselor, and says, “Hey, check this out, I don’t know if you’ll like it, but you should look at it anyway,” that goes pretty far. Having someone working with you without you asking for it, that means a whole lot.

Sadly, there aren’t enough adults who think of reaching out to help young people make it to college. So it’s up to you to make the connections and build the relationships. When you ask, most adults will probably say “yes.”