Our hometown of Jamaica, Queens is a community of immigrants and minorities, including Bangladeshis, West Indians, African Americans, and Hispanics. Family-owned grocery stores, restaurants, and other small businesses on Hillside Avenue and Jamaica Avenue contribute to a growing local economy. Thankfully, students in Jamaica, Queens have a positive atmosphere to balance their schoolwork with sports such as basketball, soccer, and handball.
However, students in Jamaica have fewer resources than those in the rest of Queens. To help get more students into college, community leaders began tutorials focused on standardized exams. As a result, we have seen some local improvement in college admissions.
What's Missing
Students in our community need more guidance throughout high school and college admissions. Parents struggle with language barriers and work multiple jobs to support their families. They may not be informed about the expectations of high school or the college admissions process in America. Parents often wrongly believe that standardized tests are the most important part of admissions.
High school guidance counselors can effectively bridge this gap. However, in high schools with low resources, there are too few guidance counselors, and students lack the tools to do their best. They begin thinking about college when it's too late and struggle to manage their time while keeping up with academics, extracurriculars, and internships. Some students perform poorly in their junior and senior years as a result, which lowers their chances of admission to their target colleges. We see this in underserved communities all over NYC.
This is where we come in. We provide 1-on-1 assistance and a customized approach to guide students smoothly through the college application process. We fill in the gaps, and teach students how best to use their limited time effectively.