Malcolm Hill ’08 writes in about a how you can help local students from low-income backgrounds improve their SAT scores and prepare for college:
“As we all know, there is a growing educational achievement gap between low and high income areas of the United States. Low-income high school students typically have a much tougher time getting to college. Students from low-income families lag 254 SAT points behind students from high-income families. Similarly, the average ratio of students to college guidance counselors in America’s urban high schools is 740:1. Harvard’s Dean of Admissions, William Fitzsimmons, calls the college transition support that low-income students receive ‘a national scandal’.
On that note, Wesleyan is proud to be running a FREE college access program serving the urban youth of Meriden and Middletown. The program, Let’s Get Ready, consists of 39 hours of intensive SAT preparation and 15 hours of real college preparation which includes a financial aid information session, college visits, filling out the Common Application, and help with the dreaded college essay among other important steps.
Let’s Get Ready needs student tutors. As a tutor, you’d be given a class of 5 students with whom you’d meet once a week throughout the semester and guide along the path to college. Training, curriculum, and full support is provided by the program – you just need to bring an interest in tutoring and your enthusiasm. If you’re a federal work-study student, you can get PAID for doing this.
If you’re even a little interested, there will be an information session on this Sunday, September 16th at 4:00PM in the MPR, Usdan room B25.
If you’re really interested, go to www.letsgetready.org/Programs/Wesleyan and click on the “apply here” link for college students.”
Date: Sunday, September 16
Time: 4pm
Place: MPR, Usdan room b25