This past Friday was the last day of the Sharefest Youth Development Academy, the summer camp I've worked with for the past four weeks. It was a bittersweet day. While I'll enjoy having the extra sleep and time with my family before I head off to school in mid-September, I'll also miss the friendships I've made with my co-counselors, the relationships I built with the kids, and the fulfillment I felt at working so closely with my community. It's been such an absolute joy rediscovering the potential of my community's youth. Talking and interacting with members of this young generation about their hopes, ambitions, and dreams has left me with a powerful impression of what can be of our community's - and nation's - future. After this experience, I feel a personal responsibility to our youth to do as much as I can to remove the obstacles and roadblocks that have plagued their predecessors' paths to success. They have so much to offer us. I refuse to be content with the way things are now. I think we can do better. I think they deserve better.
When I was first hired, I knew the summer camp would be beneficial for the kids, but I never imagined how much I would get from it too. I am left with so much resolve to make my mark in the world by helping others. As this part of my summer ends and the upcoming academic year quickly approaches, I hope that I can focus this energy and passion so I perform well in school this year. I know that the more I learn and the better I do in school, the more tools I will have to help others in the future.

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I don't want the summer to be over... I enjoy being around my little brother and sister and sleeping late and not doing my own laundry!!! But, school awaits. I didn't do any community work this summer (I'm a sophomore now) but I will next year. thanks for sharing how much doing this can help the person who does it.

I know how you feel Ivana, I did some volunteer work at a local nursing home this summer and I know I will miss the elderly people I worked with. I learned so much from them!!!!

Our youth hs lots of potential, sometimes we just don't see it ourselves. And it takes many of us to do the kind of work you did this summer to pull our youth together and to the next level. I haven't yet done as much volunteer work as i want to do but this inspires me to figure out a way to help more. Thanks!

Guillermo Marini was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After graduating from the Universidad Católica Argentina with his BA in Philosophy, he began simultaneously teaching in two high schools, his former college, and working part-time at an NGO (non-governmental organization). For a while, although he was making little money, he felt happy with his work. In time, he realized he wanted to "continue studying the intersection between the arts, philosophy, and education," but felt he couldn't develop those interests in Argentina.

He began to look for graduate options abroad. "I was surprised to discover many different programs geared for people with my interests." Still, the task seemed daunting and he was concerned about "living in a different culture, communicating in a different language, and the program cost." Eventually, he decided to give it a shot. A Master's in Arts in Education degree from Harvard's Graduate School of Education later and currently a Philosophy and Education Ed.D Candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, he can serve as an example for us all.

He was able to fund his Ed.M through a loan from his brother, a small grant from Harvard, extra money received from teaching Spanish as a Second Language, and babysitting. He is currently funding his PhD through several means. Teachers College is paying for most of his tuition. In addition, he is paying for his board and living expenses with a Social Work-Education Fellowship. He also worked as a Teaching Assistant and as a Research Assistant, and was able to find a small part-time administrative job at the College that pays for his health insurance. He says, "I am usually very busy but I've managed to pay my brother back and can move forth with my studies."
Guillermo tells aspiring graduate students to not give up if they feel they cannot afford their education. He says, "There are people looking to give money to students like you. Be aware of it! Sooner or later, if you keep searching, you will find them." He suggests discovering the characteristics that set you apart from other students and using these to search for funding opportunities, "For example, I am a graduate student, Latino, bilingual, have social service experience teaching in poor neighborhoods. Try to be as specific as possible!" Identifying these traits can make it easier for aspiring graduate students to search for related funding opportunities. There are scholarships based on ethnic background, language, area of specialization, family size/income, religion, etc. "The better you know yourself, the easier the search," he says.

He also suggests contacting the University's Offices of Donors, Development, or a fundraising campaign, "Let them know your needs and ask them about theirs. Basically, you need money to fund your education, and they need to raise money for the university to keep their jobs. How can your skills help them? Maybe you can help with their potential Latino donors or some other aspect of their work." He also believes that contacting the Program Coordinator office to ask for resources or to see if there is a work position can often lead to opportunities.

Last but not least, he recommends contacting graduate students who have similar characteristics. Their knowledge can help students get a jumpstart on their search for funding options and on the creation of more efficient funding strategies.

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What's the secret to getting your graduate school paid for? I only see scholarships for undergrads...

Pablo,
Talk to your department and Career Services. They should be able to help you learn about fellowships and other options. You can also use online scholarship search tools like Latino College Dollars (check our resources page) and search for those scholarships to fund graduate studies. Search the internet with terms like "graduate student scholarship fellowship funding" and see what pops up! Read this blog to learn how one student was able to fund his studies. You can do it too!

Impressive! this is very inspiring. Thanks for sharing his story!

It sounds like he works a lot... I'd like to know more about the idea of approaching donors. Do colleges even allow you to approach this people directly?

There's so little info about funding for graduate programs that it would be great if you could dig a little bit more on this. How much is the cost of his doctorate at Teacher's College and how much does he get from the university as scholarship and how much as teaching assistnat, etc. And What is the Social Work fellowship. Could you be more specific? I know it's hard to write everything in a short blog but theres' very little info out there and I'm considering going back to school for my doctorate but think it would be too expensive. Thanks!

Henry,
Thank you so much for reading my blog and contributing your comment! I hope you keep checking back for more :)

Ezequiel,
He was suggesting contacting the University office or program that tries to raise money and attract donors, and basically working for that University office to help get more donors or make a connection with a current donor (so that they keep donating!). You would be, in essence, working for the university.

Ezequiel,
He was suggesting contacting the University office or program that tries to raise money and attract donors, and basically working for that University office to help get more donors or make a connection with a current donor (so that they keep donating!). You would be, in essence, working for the university.

Isabel,
I will let Guillermo know that you have specific questions about the way he is funding his education since I cannot answer those. In the meantime, I would suggest looking at the website or contacting the office of admission of the programs that interest you to get a better idea for the cost of attendance. I'm not entirely sure what you are asking about his fellowship. I'm not sure what fellowship he was awarded, but if you have any questions about what fellowships are and how they are awarded, feel free to ask them in our forum, where experts will answer your specific questions! Thank you for reading the blog and I hope this helps!

Awesome role model for other Latino students!!!! :-)

In May, I constantly dreamed about my triumphant flight home. I was so ready to finish my exams and finally rest. "Summer..." I thought, "Just make it until summer. Then there will be no stress. You can eat your mom's food, watch TV, and hang out with your friends." Hours and hours of studying for exams, writing final papers, and completing projects later, I was done. The storm had passed and now it was time to do absolutely nothing. I had three months of sweet, sweet freedom.
I thoroughly enjoyed this the first month. I caught up with all my favorite television shows. I reorganized my room. I saw friends. I went shopping. I saw all the latest movies. I was so rested it was glorious.
Suddenly, though, I began to get this little feeling. This itch that told me I should be doing something else. This feeling kept growing and growing until I just couldn't stand it anymore. I was bored.
I began to get active. I started to work out to exercise videos at home and go running and hiking. I started working towards my driver's license. I contacted local school districts and asked if I could work as an intern. I was about to secure an unpaid internship when I was offered a paid position as a counselor for a summer day camp for underserved youth. Loving both the organization and the cash, I accepted the position.
Work is really gratifying and fun. I'm having a great time getting to know all the students and trying to inspire them. Still, I'm starting to feel that itch. I miss school!! I miss Princeton!! I miss the stress! I miss my friends!
I am so excited to get back to school in the fall. I know it will be a lot of work and that I will occasionally find myself wishing for summer again, but I am confident that this renewed energy will take me far this year.

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Giving up on your dreams is the worst thing you can do. Always try to find other options instead of going back to what feels comfortable. If you don't challenge yourself with something like missing your parents, it will be harder for you to challege yourself in other aspects of life.

Great comment, Nestor! Thank you so much for reading my blog!!

I know how you feel! When you're away you want to be home and when you're home you want to be in school!! It's not easy but it's fun having these two families ;-)

When I came back home as a freshman, i was so homesick that I couldn't see myself going back. I hadn't adjusted to campus and made few friedns, i had suffered so much that first year that i decided to transfer to a school closer to home.Maybe schoos need to do more to make students feel welcome. It's a shame that after you get admitted to a top college you have to leave because you don't fit.

Patricia,
The first year of college in a school far from home can be very difficult, especially for students who are very close to their families and are not used to being away from them. College is not only a rough academic transition but a social transition as well (and for many Latinos studying away from home, a huge one). It took me a year to really realize that I was OK and that I could really do this. I've talked to a lot of students about this and I try to tell them that being homesick is natural and that they should try to give themselves enough time to adapt. I also always suggest joining campus organizations because that can be a great way to make new friends to help you feel more at home. Now that I'm going into my junior year I make an extra effort to reach out to freshmen and to make them feel welcome and be a friend to them. I hope that doing this lets them know that I've been through it too and that if I can do it, so could they. I agree that schools should make an effort to help students with this transition.

Ubaldo Escalante, one of Latinos in College's social networking interns and my close friend, has just completed his first year at Princeton University, which is over 2,000 miles away from his home in Phoenix, Arizona.

For Ubaldo, getting in was not the only hurdle to an Ivy League education. Unfamiliar with the school and naturally concerned about the distance, Ubaldo's parents were not sure that he should go to school so far away. He talks to us about understanding cultural differences and how he was able to persuade his parents that it was the right choice for him.

 

 

Ivana - How did your parents support you while you were in high school?
Ubaldo - My parents have always known education is important, so they always supported my academic efforts with their time and encouragement. They know that I worked really hard to get where I am, but I think they sometimes saw my late nights and all-nighters as excessive. They would say that so much studying "me iba a volver loco," that it would drive me crazy.

Ivana - How did you prepare for your college applications?
Ubaldo - My senior class had college application sessions, where we all sat down and filled out applications, filled out sheets of information for our recommenders to use, got our transcripts, etc. In terms of standardized testing, I practiced with books and computer prep programs and for essays, the entire class wrote personal statements to grade in English class. All of this was extremely helpful.

Ivana - What colleges were you choosing between?
Ubaldo - My dad wanted me to stay instate, so I thought I would end up at Arizona State. Because of that, I had only applied to three Ivies: Princeton, Columbia and Yale. Although Princeton was not my top choice at first, a school visit convinced me, and eventually my parents, that it was the best college for me.

Ivana - How did Princeton's financial aid package compare to that of other schools you were accepted to?
Ubaldo - Princeton's financial aid is incomparable. My dad wanted me to go to a public school, but I explained to him that it would actually be cheaper for me to go to a private rather than a public institution. I hope to graduate with no debt.

Ivana - How did your parents initially react to your acceptance to Princeton?
Ubaldo - My parents had a difficult time accepting the concept of going away to school, especially to one they weren't familiar with. My dad wasn't too happy about it and naturally, my mom was sad that I would be moving so far away. I understood their feelings but it was still frustrating because I knew that Princeton could offer me a lot of opportunities. I realized that I needed to help my parents understand for themselves the difference going to Princeton could potentially make in my life. I needed them to see that the sacrifice would be worthwhile.

Ivana - How did you convince them that you should attend Princeton?
Ubaldo - Since my dad needed the most convincing, I persuaded him to accompany me for a school visit. Seeing the school, the town, the people, and the classes helped convince him to allow me to go so far away for college. When I flew back at the beginning of the school year, I brought my mom along with me. I thought that having her see the school would provide a real setting in which she could imagine me, which would allow her to cope with my departure. I helped my parents understand the benefits of going to Princeton and now they are both very proud of my achievements.

Ivana - Has the distance been difficult?
Ubaldo - At first it was. My family is very close-knit so moving away was a bold step. My grandmother passed away during my first month at Princeton, so it was difficult for me to be separated from my family during that time, but since then everything has gone well. I actually think that the physical distance has brought us closer together. We're always calling each other and sometimes we have video chats. I definitely have a newfound respect for my parents for all that they have done, now that I know how difficult it is to be out in the world on your own.

Ivana - What has Princeton given you?
Ubaldo - I sometimes wonder how different I would be now if I had stayed back home. Would I be as passionate about issues that affect our communities? Would I be pursuing a different career? I am happy with who I am and what I am doing now. Princeton has given me innumerable things, but the most important are my many great friends who I call my family, the great connections I've constructed, the many interesting things I've learned, the leadership skills I've acquired, and the many great and amazing social and academic opportunities I've had, including studying abroad in Spain earlier this summer. Moving away, although hard at first, has been totally worth it and I'm happy to say my parents agree.

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I'd liketo hear more about other schools that are not Princeton or Harvard but that are still great schools.Thanks.

How come a friend of mine was accepted at USC and even thought her family isn't rich (they probably make around 100,000 and are 5 in the family) and she has a great GPA (I think 4.0!) she only got 15,000 in scholarships and not even loans for her parents!

I'd like to know more about Ubaldo's background if that's possible. What was his GPA, his extra curricular activities, did he do sports? How did he know to apply to those schools? I wouldn't even think of it because not only they are far from me but they are so exclusive. Thanks!

Edgar,
I will let Ubaldo know about your questions. I know that he decided to apply to Princeton and other selective schools after his IB program director encouraged him and told him that he had a shot at schools like these. Don't let a school's selectivity discourage you from applying!!! You should always have backup choices, but that doesn't mean you can't shoot for your dreams!!! Distance is an issue, but it can be overcome with technology and what you get from your education may be worth the temporary sacrifice.

Jackie,
I cannot comment on your friend's particular financial aid award, but in some cases a university might not fully understand a family's financial responsibilities and therefore might not give as much financial aid as a family would hope. It's important to quickly contact a financial aid office if this is the case and try to negotiate for more aid and discuss any special circumstances. If another school that gives need-based aid has offered a better offer, you can often use this as leverage.

Still, I'm curious enough to ask you to double check the information you've given me. Are you sure that her family wasn't ASKED to pay $15,000 rather than only given $15,000 in aid? It would be really strange is USC really expected her family to pay over a third of their income.

Wow, am I wrong or both you Ivana and Ubaldo are in Princeton? I'm impressed! Never met a Latino who went to that school before and now I meet two of them. Is there some Latino organization on campus?

I can't believe you don't have to pay anything! I'm going to a state school in Texas and I'm paying like 20,000 a year! How come you don't pay in a school like that? I know Princeton is one of the best schools, isn't it?

Ernie,
You're right! Ubaldo and I both go to Princeton. He's a great friend of mine there. We have several Latino organizations at Princeton, from Chicano Caucus, Cuban American Undergraduate Student Association, Colombian Students Association, Ballet Folklorico de Princeton, Accion Latina (pan-Latino), and Latinos Unidos for Networking and Advising (mentoring program). It's a great school and if you have any more questions about it, feel free to post them in our forum and I'll be sure to answer them there!!

Lauri,
Many private colleges have a lot of money that they can use to award financial aid. Princeton (along with many other great schools) guarantees that they will meet any accepted student's "demonstrated need." Basically, that means they look at your family's income, taxes, etc and calculate how much they think your family can contribute towards college each year. I know several students who don't pay a cent of tuition and many who pay very little. Public and state colleges also give financial aid but because they are funded by state governments, sometimes give more loans and cannot always cover each student's full need.

When I logged onto my Facebook today, I noticed a girl's status, "College, here I come! So nervous!" It immediately brought back memories from two years ago, when I first began my Princeton experience. Tanned from the Southern California sun, I had just turned 18, and was packing my bags to fly to New Jersey. My parents had saved enough to come with me. We spent a day in New York City being tourists. We spent the next day driving around central New Jersey in our rental car, visiting Target and other stores to buy my dorm room essentials. Then came the Big Day. My parents and I are very close and even though I had known this day would come, saying goodbye was still very difficult. I won't lie. I cried. We hugged for a while, and then it was time, and they left. While I felt excited about this new adventure, I also felt lonely in this castle they call Princeton, surrounded by people that I was sure would be overwhelmingly rich and snobby.
I felt so strange in my dorm. It was new to me, but I kept looking around trying to imagine it as my new home. My three roommates seemed nice, but it felt weird to live so intimately among strangers. The next few weeks seemed to fly by. I got to know my roommates better and felt more comfortable around them. I talked to my mom every day on the phone to help keep homesickness at bay and she encouraged me to be outgoing and friendly. Eventually I discovered several wonderful Latino organizations on campus that helped me find my cultural niche. I immediately bonded with them and felt at total ease around them. With the social confidence I gained from being a part of these groups, I felt much more comfortable approaching people that I didn't immediately think I would have something in common with, people that I normally wouldn't have talked to. I started to meet so many people that it was impossible to remember all of their names. I was surprised by how friendly everybody was. They were all being so nice to me! Everything was coming together. I was meeting new friends, and while my classes were difficult, I was genuinely interested in them, which made the work bearable and often enjoyable!
When I was admitted to Princeton, I was convinced that I was going to feel uncomfortable with the other students. However, I was so happy to be admitted that I didn't let my fears stop me from attending. I thought it was something I had to sacrifice in order to get an incredible education. I was wrong. My rich social life enhances the wonderful education I'm getting at Princeton. I wouldn't trade any of this for the world! I hope this shows you that your education is what you make of it. Don't be afraid to explore the unknown! You might be surprised to find you like it.

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I want to know if you get to choose your roomate? What if you're assigned to someone you don't like? Or you don't get along? I'm considering going away to college but I'm not so thrilled about being thrown into a room with someone I dont know.

Julio,
Different schools have different policies about choosing or being assigned roommates. However, most schools also have some way of talking to housing administration if a rooming situation is not working in order to find other accommodations. Dealing with roommates is a natural thing to worry about but don't fixate on that when deciding if you should go away to college. The majority of rooming situations that I know of are positive and if you do have a bad roommate situation one year you can live with somebody else afterwards so it's not like you're stuck with the same awful roommate all 4 years.

Your priorities when choosing a school should be academics and the opportunities that going there can afford you. Don't let the possibility of a bad roommate stop you from applying to great schools! :)

Isidro,
If you have given a school a fair chance, and it is truly disappointing you, transferring may be a good option. Look for schools that have good programs in the fields that interest you in an urban environment you'll enjoy. If you have any questions about the transfer process, please visit our forum and ask our experts questions. They're here to help you! Good luck with everything and I wish you the best! I hope you eventually find the college experience of your dreams.

Monica,
Thanks for reading my blog! I'm so glad that you're having a great time at school :) Skype has been such a great thing for my family. I hope you keep checking back for more blogs!

Cool pic Ivana! It sounds like you were having the same kind of freshman year than I did! First I was terrified and then I fell in love with the Ithaca College campus in upstate New York. It's just a question of surviving those first months with lots of calls and Skyping!

It sounds like you are having a good experience in Princeton. Me on the other hand, I feel like i really don't fit in this school at all. I'm from the city and this campus is in the suburbs, far away from everything. I'm almost claustrophobic here and tehre's no diversity. Almost no latinos in campus at all. I'm considering transferring to another school that's in an urban area. This was a big mistake.

A week after I arrived home for the summer after my long flight from New Jersey to Los Angeles, I visited a middle school with high Latino population to talk to students about college and my experiences at Princeton. I was excited to speak to 8th graders, poised to go to high school in just a few months. I covered some of the basics: classes they needed to take, GPA, SAT and ACT, extracurricular activities, and financial aid. I made sure to emphasize that you don't need to be rich to go to college, and talked about the many scholarship opportunities available to them. I discussed my own experience at Princeton, talking about the friends I've made and the opportunities it has afforded me.

After the bell rang, and it was time for the students to go to their next class, one boy seemed to stick around, waiting for the others to leave. He approached me cautiously. After telling me his name and saying a few comments about the presentation, he said one of the best things anybody has ever told me, "Ivana, would you mind being my mentor? To help me out with college and stuff." I immediately said yes, and we exchanged contact information. I was thrilled, and even though I didn't know him very well, I was proud of him. I thought back to when I was his age, and I honestly don't think that I would have had the courage to approach anybody like that and ask them the same question.

We can all learn a lesson from this student: Be assertive. If you know somebody who you would like to be your mentor, ask them! Don't be shy. Tell them your goals and let them know why you think they would be a great role model for you. If we all had mentors to guide us through high school, college, graduate school, or a career field, we would all be better off. Mentors can guide us with their experience, letting us know what we need to do and the best ways to do it.

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Juana,
Thank you so much for your contribution. It's a great reminder.

Luciana,
I'm really glad that my blog has been able to inspire you. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy my future blogs as much as you've enjoyed the ones so far!

Loved your story!

Ivana, your blog really inspired me to push my kids to apply themsevles to their school work. Many days I'm exhausted from work and don't feel like fighting with them over homework. But affter I read the interview with that mother I come to understand this is how it's done. I'm so glad you talked to her and shared her story with us! I will read your blogs more often.
Tahnks!
Luciana Maria

To Sophie and Lorenzo,
Most adults appreciate the opportunitity to guide younger people. But the problem is that many times the students feel they don't have a need for help, or they are embarrased to talk to adults, It's a shame as this is the only way to learn what you don't know. Believe me, there are many people out there desperate to help you succeed. You just have to reach out, like that student did after he heard Ivana speak.

Jessica,
Thank you so much for your comment! I agree. I get so much out of mentoring others and their gratitude really reminds me to keep focusing on my community and helping others. I am giving them guidance but in return they give me a renewed sense of appreciation for everything in my life and many other lessons. It's important for me to remain grounded and continually give back to community. I hope these blogs really inspire others to give back and help others the way you and I have been able to do. It's a great experience that I hope others can have as well.

Lorenzo,
You're right! Just let them know why you think they would be a great mentor for you, and ask them if they have the time to be your mentor. If they are too busy to be a mentor for you, they'll let you know. The worst that can happen when you ask somebody to be your mentor is that they say no. If this happens, don't take it personally, and just continue to look for others who might be able to guide you. If you are having trouble finding one yourself, there are a ton of programs that match students with mentors. Check out our Resources tab to find programs that can help you! Eventually, I am sure that you will be able to find a mentor.

Sophie,

Great question! When you meet somebody like that, you can say "I really admire you/I liked what you had to say/etc and would love to stay in touch with you. What would be the best way to reach out to you after this?" This is how you can make the initial contact. From there on, you should try to maintain this connection by keeping in touch so that as you have questions for them you feel comfortable asking them and they are familiar with who you are.

Mauel,
I am so glad that you have chosen to mentor your cousins over getting in trouble. You are setting a great example for them and are helping to guide them down the right path. You are doing the best thing for yourself and for your family, which is much more important than succumbing to peer pressure. Stay strong and keep in mind that you are doing what is right for you :)

I know what you mean! I had the chance to volunteer with younger students at my old middle school when I was a freshman and it was awesooooome!! The kids are so grateful that students in college come to talk to them. I think that it is our responsibility to give back to our schools. If we don't do it ourselves, who will?

It's funny to see that all it takes is to ask someone to be a mentor? He just asked and you said yes? I thought it was more complicated than that because adults don't have too much free time. I'm going to try it myself.

Sometimes I like someone and i don't really know how to best approach them. I'm not sure what I need their help for. I only like the person or admire them and would like to stay in touch. Maybe in the future they could help me with my college applications. Should I ust do the same thing as this kid did with you?

I mentor my little cousins. They look up to me because I'm a senior in high school and they are 7th and 8th graders. It helps me stay out of trouble knowing that they look up to me. So when some of the kids in my class invite me to join them after school to hang out in areas that I knwo are filled with bad seeds, I turn them down. This is hard to do because they mock me and tell me I think I'm cooler than them...like the song, you know?

Parents have a critical role in helping students achieve educational success. Renee Valdovino talks to us about her experiences with her son, Ray, who will begin his senior year at Swarthmore College this fall. She shares how she helped her son throughout high school and with the college application process, as well as what it's been like to send her son over 1000 miles away.




Ivana - When did you start talking to your son about college?
Renee - Since he was a young child. It was discussed like everything else that would happen as he grew older- going to high school, getting a job, getting a car, etc.

Ivana - How did you help your son prepare for college during high school?
Renee - I knew Ray needed more than just good grades to be competitive in his college applications. I tried to guide him in the right direction, and once I gave him the push he needed, he excelled.
Beginning his freshman year in high school I wanted him to participate in extracurricular activities. I pushed him to try new things outside of school, and with this push he became involved with cross-country, swimming, track, debate, student council, etc. Although he began each one hesitantly, he came to enjoy everything he did. His school counselor joked that she could hear him coming down the hall from the clinking sounds of the medals on his jacket.
Because I wanted him to focus on his schoolwork and extracurricular activities, I didn't let Ray have a job during the school year. However, I did encourage him to volunteer or work during the summers. His sophomore year he began working with a community agency, Harmony, that focused on promoting diversity awareness, acceptance and appreciation among youth. He ended up volunteering over 350 hours with them by his senior year!
I also attended his meetings with his school counselor every semester when it was time to pick classes. He didn't think it was cool, but it wasn't a choice. I was there when she told him that several teachers had recommended him for their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. It is a two-year comprehensive and rigorous pre-university curriculum leading to an IB diploma. She told us that successful IB candidates are typically granted advanced placement credit at universities and colleges. Ray graduated with the IB Program Diploma with a 3.96 GPA.

Ivana - How were you able to help Ray during the college application process?
Renee - Every night after he finished homework I had something ready for him to complete: a college essay, a scholarship application, a reference request letter, something to mail, etc. I know it was with my help that his applications were completed on time and he received over $15,000 in community scholarships.

Ivana - How did you and your son first learn about Swarthmore College?
Renee - Ray was getting so much material from colleges that he would pile it up without even opening it. I would go through it afterwards and one day I noticed a postcard from Swarthmore College that briefly described "Discovery Weekend"- a recruiting event that exposed talented students of diverse ethnic backgrounds to Swarthmore's campus. All he needed to do was answer a question and have his counselor verify his GPA. If selected, Swarthmore would host him for the weekend, including paying for roundtrip airfare. I had never heard of Swarthmore so I did research and learned that it was a private, liberal arts college in Pennsylvania that was consistently ranked as one of the best colleges in the U.S. Ray wasn't very interested but I pushed him to apply- bugging him daily until his counselor completed her portion. It was only when he received the letter letting him know he was accepted that he began to show mild interest. He had a good experience and from that point on the college actively recruited him.

Ivana - Did your son enjoy his campus visits to Swarthmore College?
Renee - He had a very good time and learned a lot about the school. At the Discovery weekend, he attended events sponsored by cultural groups that made him feel very welcome on campus. He visited again after he was accepted and had a great time. He had already talked to some of Swarthmore's 2011 class via Facebook so he saw familiar faces when he arrived on campus. He let me know he was excited to attend.

Ivana - Were you concerned about the college's distance from your home?
Renee - I knew I would miss him, but I was excited about him experiencing new things. Going away for college allowed Ray to have the genuine college experience. He's lived in Kansas City, Missouri his entire life and hasn't traveled much. I realized that living on the east coast was an amazing opportunity, and I knew that this sacrifice would be well worth it for my son.
He also flies home for every school break. We're able to do this by earning tickets through airline rewards programs, purchasing airline vouchers from eBay and Amazon, and booking tickets early and on low demand days. These tricks save us hundreds and make it possible for him to come home this often. His first year he left in August but came home in October for fall break, November for Thanksgiving, December - January for Christmas, and then again in March for spring break. We often joked that we didn't have time to miss him!

Ivana - How did Swarthmore's financial aid package compare to the other schools that accepted him?
Renee - Swarthmore's endowment is the 14th-largest per student among U.S. colleges and universities. This enables them to admit U.S. citizens and permanent residents without regard to their ability to pay for a Swarthmore education and to fully meet the demonstrated financial need of all admitted students. They look at all of your information and decide what they think is a fair and reasonable amount for each family to pay. Tuition/ room & board/meals/ fees were about $47,000 that first year. We paid $3,550. This was by far the best financial aid package, even compared to the state schools he applied to. In 2008 Swarthmore went "LOAN FREE," meaning that they don't ask parents or students to take out loans. Instead they increased their scholarship awards. Ray doesn't have to maintain a certain GPA either, this isn't an academic award.
He will graduate debt free in May 2011.

Ivana - What colleges was your son choosing between and how did he make his final decision?
Renee - American University, Swarthmore College, University of Missouri, University of Kansas, Truman State University and University of Central Missouri. His first choice was American University and although they gave a generous financial aid award, we would've had to borrow about $20,000 every year so that wasn't an option. Swarthmore was his second choice and their financial aid package was the deciding factor.

Ivana - Have you ever been to campus?
Renee - Yes, three times. I accompanied him on move-in day his first year and also attended "Parents Weekend" his freshman and sophomore years. I was surprised by the campus' beauty. I felt like he was safer there than at home in Kansas City, Missouri. I also saw many Latino & African American students, which pleased me.

Ivana - What has Swarthmore given your son?
Renee - He has been given so many opportunities. He is receiving an excellent education, and the university has been able to help him study all the things he is interested in. He spent a semester abroad in Barcelona, Spain last year. Swarthmore covered full tuition, meals, lodging, and travel expenses of his semester abroad. This is something we never could have afforded on our own, and I'm grateful Ray had the opportunity to travel to places such as Morocco, Paris, Rome, the Canary Islands, etc.

Ivana - What advice would you give to other parents trying to help their children apply to college?
Renee - Start building that resume early! Most parents and students I talk to think they will "get serious" their senior year. I tell them that it is too late by then to build up an impressive resume if they want to get into a selective college or receive competitive scholarships.

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Maria Marta,
Thank you so much for reading my blog and commenting! I'm so happy that you've enjoyed the interviews. I'm always looking to find people to interview, so there is always the possibility of interviewing a father.

Antonio,
Congratulations on being accepted to Davidson! What a great accomplishment! Latinos in College hopes to help raise awareness about all of these opportunities so that more students can access them and go to college. If you know anybody who would benefit from our website, let them know so that they can become more informed and we can help them. Congratulations again on Davidson and good luck starting in a few weeks! I know you must be excited :)

Jessica,
Your son is very lucky to have such a caring and involved mother. I'm so glad that my blog has helped you. Thank you so much for reading :)

Reading this blog, has made me realize even more, that my roll as a parents is the key of success and keep me focus that all the work and constant push to my son to excel in everything he does (in school and outside), is not in vain. Thanks so much for all this information.
Keep up the good work!

This is great information and very true, I am actually about to start college in a few weeks and during the application process i found out a great amount of information on colleges that eliminated loans for grants which don't have to be paid back. Actually my school Davidson College was one of the first one's who did this, and I am happy to say I won't have to pay one cent for school even when the tuition is more than $40,000 a year. There is so many opportunities but its really unfortunate that many students don't know that about them. By the way one of my classmates is going to Swarthmore this upcoming fall.

Your interviews are very inspirational. I like the fact that you're finding regular people and allowing them to show the rest of us how they've reached their dreams. How about interviewing a father some time? It may be interesting to hear the point of view of a father and his expectations of his children, both daughters and sons. I'm just saying because I see it all the time. Fathers who raise their daughters to be strong but then guide them towards getting married and supporting the family. How are girls supposed to get ahead after that? Just a thought...
Keep it up!
Maria Marta

Sometimes the problem is getting the motivation to do all the things we need to do to stay on top and be good candidates. I find it hard to balance my academics with the extracurriuclars and helping my parents with their laundry business on weekends and some evenings.

Julian,
I know that balancing everything in your life can be really hard. Try to use this website to constantly refresh your memory and remind yourself of the big picture. All of your hard work is worth it. Everything you are doing right now will pay off because going through higher education will allow you so many new opportunities and resources. Don't give up. All you can do is work hard and do your best. Try to keep everything in perspective and I wish you luck with everything!! Don't hesitate to ask any questions in our online forums. We are here to help.

This mother is an example for us all. If more Hispanic mothers were as active as Renee, the dropout rate would go down substantially. Congratulations to her, and to her son!

I always wondered if you could get help to visit a campus that was faraway from home and wow, he will have no debt and is going to such a great school. I'm a junior in Benito Juarez in Chicago and I'm looking to get out of the city. I have an awesome GPA but not much money to travel around visiting campuses. This will help me find out more about how to do it. Thanks Ivana for bringing this up.

How come the mom say he'd have paid more at a staet school tahn at this private school? Isn't that just a mistake?

You go Ivana! Great story and great inspiration! I noticed you're at Princeton. Care to share how you got there from California?! What's it like for you to live so far away? And is the environment in Princeton cool for Latinos? Are they all snobs?

I appreciate this mother's push but what did the guy do? There's not much about what his efforts were. Thanks!

@ Brian Lescano

A lot of state schools give financial aid packages that include loans and often, even with loans, don't meet the monetary need of each family.

On the other hand, some small liberal arts colleges have no-loan need-based financial aid programs. This means that the need of each family is calculated and the college gives the student financial aid in the form of grants and work-study. Not every small liberal arts college has this no-loan program, but a lot of them are starting to pick-up on this trend. My school, Colby College, has this program, so I don't have to pay anything for my tuition and room and board. My grants and work study award amounted to $52,000 this year! Since these are grants, I DO NOT have to EVER pay the back. Liberal arts colleges cost a lot of money, but a lot of them have HUGE endowments that fund their financial aid programs, which allow students, like myself, to attend at little to no cost.

@ Brian, Ismael

Ismael, that was a great answer! I just wanted to add that the same holds true for lots of private universities (not just liberal arts). Princeton, for example, also has no-loans need-based financial aid. In my case, it would have been more expensive to go to UCLA than Princeton, because while UCLA did give me a good financial aid offer, much of it was in loans that I would have to pay back. At Princeton, none of my financial aid ever needs to get paid back and I am getting a wonderful education for only a fraction of the $50,000 of the estimated total cost.

Etelvina,

I'm sure you could research schools and contact them to see if they have a program like Swarthmore's "Discovery Weekend." Also, many schools (particularly well-endowed private schools), will also pay or provide financial assistance for accepted students to visit schools. I didn't visit many of the schools I applied to, but after all of my decisions came out, I contacted the schools that I was accepted to and was interested in visiting before making my final college decision. I explained that while I was very interested in their school and would love to come visit, I didn't have much money to travel. Many of the schools offered to fully or partially pay for my trip to their Admit Weekends. Visit the schools you can, and if you are really interested in a school, apply to it even if you haven't visited. If you're accepted it's possible they could help you visit, or at the very least the admissions decisions would help you narrow down which schools you would want to visit.

Patricio,

Great questions! I think I will make a blog about my experiences going to Princeton from California, so keep checking back here!! Thank you so much for visiting my blog :)

Jill,

The interview is not meant to overshadow Ray's achievements but to highlight the ways in which his mother helped him to succeed. Ray is the one who worked hard at school, getting great grades. Ray is the one who became a leader at his high school and in his community. He's the one who filled out the applications and wrote college and scholarship essays. However, he was enabled to do all of that, to meet his potential, because his mother encouraged him and was a very involved parent. She created a college-going culture in her home by talking to her son early about college. Later on, she guided him by encouraging him to be active and involved at his high school and community. She was aware of Ray's doubts when it came to the IB Diploma Program and encouraged him to try it out. She recognized Swarthmore's "Discovery Weekend" as a great opportunity and pushed Ray to apply for it. She empowered Ray. This is not to say that students with less involved parents cannot achieve the way Ray has, but to notice that it would be easier for them to, and that perhaps many more students would achieve more if they had this kind of support.

Yes, I agree with Ivana that it's obvious that this post was more aimed at showing parents how much they can do to help their kids and maybe less towards the studnets who may be the more frequent readers/users of this site. Still, it would be great to share it with adults in our lives and it doesn't take away at all Ray's accomplishments. You ahve to assume that if he got to Swarthmore it means he was a great student! Keep it up Ivana!

When Jonathan Perez was in high school, he spent much of his time drinking, doing drugs, and skipping school. He eventually decided to drop out. Today, however, he works with at-risk youth as a Behavioral Interventionist and will receive his Bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas this upcoming fall.

Let his story inspire you.

What was high school like for you?
Up until about 8th grade, I considered myself a nerd. I used to love to make straight A's. This changed for me in December of 1996. My grandmother, whom I loved very much, passed away. She had been the only one who told me, "Mijo, school is important." I feel that is the reason why I strived so much to make good grades. After she passed I felt lost, I felt like I didn't know who I was anymore. I thought to myself, what was the purpose of getting good grades?
In the summer after 8th grade, I began to hang out with these guys who I thought were cool and that some considered thugs. I thought we were all cool, and this was when I experimented with marijuana. I had never tried drugs until that summer. My friend Ralph and I became really close. We would walk to school together and sometimes would get high as we walked. We would sit on my front porch with not a care in the world to drink and listen to rap music.
You may ask, where were my parents? Well my dad was a drug addict and I would sometimes steal from his stash. After work, he would drink and do drugs either out with friends or at home in his room. I continued to get in trouble, getting many fights, writing graffiti, and skipping school. I got suspended so much my mom claims that she had to go to my school at least once a week. I would often get sent to detention. I loved it, I felt it was a place where I could sleep all day and get away with it.
My junior year, I was concerned with chasing girls and partying. I also began to use drugs other than marijuana. We would go to the lake, a friend's house or sometimes my house to party. My mom never seemed to mind when a group of my friends were over drinking during school hours. I felt like she didn't care. All she would say is, "The cops better not come here." Not once did anyone ever tell me, "You're missing too much school," or ask why I hadn't been going to school. I don't remember any teachers working with me or giving me any words of encouragement.

Why did you decide to drop out of high school?
I skipped school so much my grades fell behind and I had been absent too many times. When I was told I was going to have to repeat the 11th grade, I was mad. I tried to figure out what I could do, so I went to the front office and asked someone if they could help me. I was told my best chance to graduate was to go to an alternative school. I was never told, "We can get you caught up," or, "Keep trying." I felt like I was seen as a lost cause.
The following week I asked my mom to enroll me at an alternative school. She never got mad about me skipping, failing, or anything. When I started my first day at this new school I was a little scared. When they gave me a handout and told me to finish at my own pace I thought it was a joke. I said to myself I'm not doing this and left. The next day I went to exit the program. I told them that I was dropping out and their response was, "OK." My parents would tell me that I was a loser and my dad was betting that I wasn't going to finish school. I felt that they were right. After that day I assumed that education was not that important. No one other than my grandma had told me it was.

What did you do once you dropped out of high school?
Once I dropped out of school I stayed home for a few weeks. I was 17 and could not find a full time job. Once I turned 18, I started working at a warehouse making $9 an hour. At the time I thought I was making a lot of money, I went and got a car. My dad then told me I needed to start paying rent and insurance for my car. My money seemed to have vanished. I felt I needed to make more money so I went looking for a new job. I began to work at a distribution center and drove trucks delivering beer. I worked there until August of 2009.

When did you decide to get your GED? Why?
In 2005, when I was 22, my other grandmother suffered a stroke and aneurism. She was admitted into a nursing home, and during the time, we would talk about school. She told me that she was proud of me and that she wanted me to get my education. I promised her that I would get my GED, and in March of 2005 I went to the community college and enrolled myself for the test. I took it a week later without studying. A few weeks later, I surprisingly received my GED. The next day I went to visit my grandma. She was lying in bed and looking worse. I showed her my certificate. She had tubes in her mouth and nose and could not speak, but I saw tears coming down her eyes. That April she passed away and I knew I had to finish what I started.

What was it like to work full time while you were going to school?
It was and still is hard. I remember waking up at 5am, getting to the distribution center at 5:30am and working in the heat, rain and cold until 4:30pm. After work I would drive to school and sit in class from 5:30pm to 9:00pm. I did this Monday - Thursday. Every night I would get home and do homework or study and get ready for the next day. There were many times I wanted to quit school because I couldn't quit my job. I lived on my own and took care of myself. I remember nights not having electricity or heat in the winter because I couldn't work my full hours since I had to miss work due to an exam.

How was the transfer process from community college to a four-year institution?
Although the transfer was really nice, an obstacle I faced was the new commute. I drove 45 minutes to school and 45 minutes back. I would get home sometimes around midnight and had to be up the next morning at 5:00am for work. The classes were much bigger than in community college and I must admit the homework never-ending.

What hardships did you endure while finishing your education?
When I started community college, I didn't know how to study and hadn't read a book in years. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to complete assignments. The toll of a full time job, bills, social life and full time classes made me feel tired everyday like I never slept. Sometimes it was hard staying awake in class. I remember my family and friends would ask if I was ok because they rarely saw me. Once I transferred it got even harder. The commute was horrible. I often felt like quitting. I cried many times and even asked myself, "What am I doing this for?" Sometimes I felt like giving up, but I continued to find ways to motivate myself. I thank the LORD for lifting me up through all this. I continue to struggle, but I know that I am almost at the end and when I walk that stage, it'll be worth the fight.

Tell me about what you do now.
I am a Behavioral Interventionist for a nonprofit organization. We work with at-risk youth that the system has given up on. We encourage these youth to grow strong, finish school and succeed in life. The kids that I work with feel hopeless, and they do not believe in themselves. I do it for them, to show them that all things are possible if you work hard and never give up.

What would you say to those who say that school is just "not for them"?
I can understand why many students feel that school is not for them, but I can also say that if you find what you love to do, chances are that higher education can help you pursue it. I too once said college wasn't for me, but to those who may still think this, how do you know if you have never tried it?

What has your education given you?
Without an education you cannot get very far. You may get a promotion at McDonalds or at the tire shop, but can you honestly say that you want to do that for the rest of your life? My education has provided me with many new experiences and has opened up many doors for me. It has giving me the opportunity to pursue greater things.

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Jonathan Perez is a prime example of what rediscovered talent put to work looks like. Jonathan is sincere, caring, academically gifted and a very powerful role model and leader. He never stopped being the outstanding individual he is and was... He simply didn't have the opportunities and encouragement to succeed. I've seen first hand the power of this individual expressed in extracurricular and academic activities at the University of North Texas. Imagine if he had let the negativity and racial stereotyping drag him down? I wouldn't know the brother I have come to love as one of my own blood. We must all emulate Jonathan's work with kids' lent less fortunate circumstances. The wasted opportunity is a burden we all share as a society when we fail to reach these kids.

Alpha Tau
Xi Line #4
John Stewart

I like it that he's so open with what he did as a teenager. I see many kids in my school go down that road and you're kind of waiting for them to dropout because they are not interested in education at all. And it may just be that in their hone they are not supporting them.

Is it just me or was Jonathan discriminated against in school because he was Hispanic? The school counselor didn't show him any options? Just told him to go to an alternative school? That sucks!

Lucia M.,
It's impossible to know why Jonathan was treated that way by his school. It's possible that the counselor was overwhelmed by his workload, didn't believe Jonathan could achieve due to his behavior, sincerely thought that alternative school was the best option for Jonathan given the circumstances, or thought that Jonathan didn't care about any options at all. The interview does shed light on the need for good counselors that can advise students about their options.

Alejo,
Thank you for reading the blog! You bring up a lot of good points. Keep checking back for more interviews and blogs :)

Carlos,
Jonathan works for Lena Pope Home in Fort Worth, TX. www.lenapopehome.org

Jessica, thank you so much for reading my blog! I was so grateful that he was willing to share his story, and I'm really happy with the interview.

Carlos,
I'm not sure which organization he works for, but I've emailed him and let him know that there was a question about it on the blog. Thank you so much for reading my blog and even more thanks for helping youth in need. I think your work is so important, so I hope you continue to make a difference in young lives.

Lidia,
Thank you so much for reading the blog! I loved this interview and am hoping to do more like it, so keep checking back!!

I know that it can be extremely hard to watch family or friends struggle. I hope they know that they are very lucky to have a cousin who cares so much about them. Many are afraid of going for their GED because they're concerned about the workload or they have insecurities about their own abilities to achieve. Many also have trouble seeing beyond the temporary difficulty to seeing how attaining their GED is a great investment for their future lives and family. Keep encouraging them and let them know about the many resources available to them (like this website!).

Yours is a inspirational story share it with Do Something.org to inspire at risk youth!

Woooooow! What an inspiration! We need more people like Jonathan. Congratulations!

Nothing like having expiernced something yourself to be the perfect role model. I also help teenagers overcome problems like drug addiction and it's my passion because I wen through it when I was a teen myself. Can you tell us what organization he works for?

A heart breaking story. Good job Ivana! I hope you continue featuring people like this. I have several cousins who didn't want to finish school and started working after 10th or 11th grade and now they are 22-23 and realize they can't advance in their jobs. Any suggestions on how to advice them to take a GED course? They seem to be too lazy to study even when they know they can't move up in their jobs unless they get more educaiton.

Everybody talks about the SAT, but what do you know about the PSAT?

Offered each October, the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT. It measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills, and writing skills. This test can help you prepare for the SAT because you will become more familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions that you will later see on the all-important SAT. It can also help you identify your own strengths and areas of improvement, so that you can focus on studying in those areas that you didn't do so well on.

If you take the PSAT, you can also have access to awesome online tools, like My College QuickStart, a college and career planning kit. It is great because it personalizes advice and tips based on your own test performance and also includes an enhanced score report with the test questions and answers, a personalized study plan for the SAT, a list of colleges you might be interested in, and information about different majors and careers based on what you wrote as your interests.

Even though the PSAT is not a requirement for college, you should consider taking it because it can be a great asset to your study plan for the SAT and there are also several awards you could win if you perform well.

Juniors who take the PSAT and do very well can qualify for a number of awards, programs, and recognitions.

National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP): Each year the NHRP identifies nearly 5,000 of the highest-scoring Hispanic/Latino students. If you are one of these identified students, the program will share your information with interested colleges and universities. To qualify, you must be at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino as defined by the NHRP, meet the minimum PSAT cutoff score for your state of residence, and achieve a minimum GPA. Even though this program does not directly provide a financial award, being named is an important recognition in college applications, and some colleges provide special scholarships for these students.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC): You can enter NMSC competitions by taking the PSAT/NMSQT, which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry and/or participation requirements. NMSC uses the Selection Index score (the sum of the critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills scores) on the PSAT/NMSQT as an initial screen of program entrants and to designate groups of students to be honored in the competitions it conducts.


National Scholarship Service (NSSFNS): The NSSFNS offers a free college advisory and referral service for students who plan to attend two-year or four-year colleges. Scores are sent for students in eleventh grade who indicate that they are African American.

The Telluride Association: This organization identifies gifted juniors through the PSAT and invites them to apply for summer seminars in the humanities and social sciences. Any junior can apply to these seminars, even if they were not invited through the PSAT.

Be Smart: Take the PSAT!

Your scores and performance can tell you a lot about what you need to do to prepare for the SAT. You should even consider taking the test before the 11th grade so you can study for it before taking it again your junior year, when you can compete for these awards and recognitions.



Information found at:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3184/is_200701/ai_n32183852/?tag=content;col1

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I have a suggestion: why don't you do a couple of videos instaed of blogs? We're so used to watching YouTube videos that sometimes reading becomes a little too time consuming. Just a thought!

Can you get these scholarships if you're undocumented? I was born in Oaxaca and came here when i was 5. I don't speak much Spanish but I don't have papers because my parents came illegally. Can I apply to these?

I heard you can take the SAT more than once. Is that true? And how do colleges know which score you want them to use when considering my application?

Sergio, from what I can tell, the National Hispanic Recognition Program does not ask for proof of citizenship and does not list being a citizen or legal resident as an eligibility requirement. To make sure I will send them an email to confirm this. I will post here when they email me back.

However, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation clearly states that being a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful legal resident (with intention to become a citizen at the earliest opportunity), or have applied for permanent residence for which the application has not been denied.

To apply to the Telluride Association programs, their website indicates that you do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply.

The National Scholarship Service also makes no mention of legal residence of citizenship as part of eligibility for the service.

Uli,
Yes, you can take the SAT multiple times. You can either send all your scores to a school (most consider a student's best score) or you can use Score Choice, and send them only the ones you want them to see (by date or by subject, according to the university's stated score-use practice).

Be sure to check with the colleges you intend to apply to and see which scores they look at (whether they used the highest-scoring test from one date, or "superscore" using the highest of each of the 3 subject sections) before you decide how to send your scores if you are using Score Choice. This information is usually readily available on their website.

Thanks for the advice. Never knew it was important to take the PSAT for scholarhsips.

Hi Ivanna,
What about the ACT? My school doesn't offer preparation for the SAT, the only do the ACT. Is it the same? How is it going to affect me if i don't take the SAT?

A lot of my friends don't even think of preparing for these tests and they either don't take them orthey just show up to take them the day of the exam without preparation. Those who do that, usually get low scores and get disappointed about going to college. I would be good for them to read your blog and understand how important it is to prepare and take the tests.

Yiyi,
Thank you so much for visiting my blog! Tell your friends to visit LatinosInCollege.com so they can read this blog and many more, scholarship opportunities, and a lot of other resources :)

Carmen,
It depends on where you are thinking of applying to school. Research the colleges you're interested in applying to and check to see if they prefer one test over the other.

If the colleges accept both tests, decide which is better suited for you. Look at practice tests, and see which one you think you'll do better on. There are differences in the style of asking questions, and the ACT also includes a science section.

Good luck!

This summer, I didn't get the internship of my dreams.

After applying to more than ten internships, varying from public policy to arts management, I was left empty-handed. I wasn't completely surprised (I didn't have much professional experience and my GPA had suffered greatly due to health problems during my freshman year), but I was still disappointed. While many of my friends were finding themselves with great opportunities and even several options for summer plans, I felt embarrassed about my inability to secure an internship. I have always considered myself an over-achiever, and not getting the result I wanted felt unacceptable.

In my own way, I still haven't accepted it. I didn't give up, and I refused to believe that I was incapable of doing something this summer that could help me reach my professional and academic goals.

I started to think: Who do I know?
In the professional world, connections are extremely important. That's why it's so important to build relationships with professors, and network with individuals in the fields that interest you.

This summer I was able to come across an opportunity through a very surprising connection - my own mom! My mom is a teacher in an urban school district, and I asked her if she knew of any jobs or opportunities in that district over the summer. Unfortunately, state budget cuts in education have drastically reduced summer programs and I was unable to get a job there, but she did put me in contact with an old student of hers, who is now a professor and is conducting research in the area over the summer. He needed somebody to help him transcribe the interviews he was conducting, and since I work with the Princeton University Language Program, a student organization that translates documents for non-profit organizations, through which I had performed some Spanish transcription, I will now be working with him throughout the summer.

The next thing I thought to myself: What field would I like to explore?
I decided to start getting proactive in my search for an internship. A couple classes had exposed me to issues of Latino public health, and I decided that I was very interested in pursuing this. I contacted a number of public health organizations and departments although they had not advertised a formal internship program. Most of the replies I received told me that they had nothing available, but one organization responded that although they had no funding to pay me, they could certainly use my help with Special Events throughout the summer.

Just like that, I had created summer plans. Sometimes you have to be proactive and show your interest and excitement for a field, or use your connections to help get your foot in the door.

I'm still applying to a few internships, hoping to find something that makes some money and keeps me even busier over the summer. However, even if I am not able to do anything else, I am proud that I was able to push for myself and that I did not give up when things seemed dark.

Hopefully next year, as I apply for internships again, these upcoming summer experiences will help land my dream internship.

Moral of the Story: Belief in yourself and your ability to succeed is one of the most important things necessary to achieve any goal. Had I not persevered past my initial disappointments I would have never been exposed to the great opportunities that I now have.

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Liliana:
Thank you so much for visiting the page! Tell your brother about it and keep coming back because we always update it. There's also a forum where you can ask your individual questions and you can get answers. I gave you my info and you can always ask my mom for it, I'm really glad I met you guys and make sure to keep in touch! Thanks again for visiting :)

Hi,Ivana im the girl that went to vist your mom when you were there.Well I've been looking at the web site and i LOVE IT theres like so much insperation mostly to Latinos I ill be visting more often.Well hopefully Ill see you around pritty soon, and ill be telling my high school friends to check it out. Well Thanks Once again and hope to hear from you. =)

I've been trying to volunteer at a local community clinic becasue I'm interested in health. It's been hard and I was wondering if I should approach it differently. How have you approached the organizations you called on for internship opportunities?

I had a great internship my first year in college. I worked with two programmers and learned a lot. I think sometimes it's good to think about interships with small businesses and not only with large companies because these people can give you their attention and you get to have a close relationship with the owners of the business that enables you to ask questions and learn more. I highly recommend it.

I had a great internship my first year in college. I worked with two programmers and learned a lot. I think sometimes it's good to think about interships with small businesses and not only with large companies because these people can give you their attention and you get to have a close relationship with the owners of the business that enables you to ask questions and learn more. I highly recommend it.

Ignacio: Yes, I think small businesses or offices can very often provide great internship experiences. It may be easier to get to know your coworkers and really become immersed and do something integral to their functions. Sometimes these internships can be a great stepping stone to get the experience that can help to land an internship with a better known company if that is something you're interested in.

Soledad, I have been contacting organizations and offices mostly through email. The subject line is usually "Internship/Volunteer Opportunity" and the body of the email is a short cover letter that explains why I would like to work with them and my qualifications or what I think I could bring to the job. I also make it clear that I do not require payment and want to participate for the learning experience, since many organizations at this point have no funding for paid interns (if you think there might be a possibility for payment I would leave this part out). I then attach my resume for their convenience.

If your emails are going unanswered, try going in person to leave a letter and resume for the director or giving them a phone call.

Try contacting multiple clinics in your area, and don't give up! If you can't find any work at a clinic, try local health groups or any other organizations related to health.

Good luck!

Karla, thank you for your kind words. That quote perfectly articulates the main point of this blog. Our success is totally dependent on us. It's important to never give up, and always keep trying. You may not reach success the first time, but if you believe in yourself and have faith, you can achieve what you want. Having confidence in your own abilities is the first step to having others believe in them too. I am so happy that you found this blog helpful and inspirational. I hope you keep reading and checking the website.

Walter: There are several things you can do. It is always a good idea to talk to your school's Career Services. There may still be some internships they may be aware of, and can probably give you advice on how to boost your resume and application for next year. You should also continue to check this website, especially the "Opportunities" tab, for internships. I think you might be interested in some of the Proctor & Gamble Student Programs, which offer all-expense workshops and seminars for students interested in accounting, business, and many other fields (find the link for information on the home page). You should also look into Inroads internships, which provide mentoring and guidance as well as networking, internship, and job opportunities in business, industry, and the corporate world. You could also try contacting businesses directly with your resume, or doing other things to help your ultimate career goals, like taking summer classes and improving your GPA.

Leti, an internship should include some kind of training, or mentorship, and the purpose is to expose an intern to that career field. Internships should be designed to provide an educational experience, while in jobs, you are paid for completing specific tasks. A common misconception is that internships are never paid. In reality, there are many paid internships available to students. Some advantages of internships include: mentorship, exploration of a career field, networking, and work experience.

Hi Ivana, funny you should mention your mom. I always tell me two daughters that they should take advantage of me. I work at a bank as an assistant manager and through my work I have met lots of people in the industry that could offer them opportunities. Sometimes, teenagers don't want their parents help and they miss out in a great source of connections. In many cases, Hispanic kids don't even have that opportunity (when their parents don't have professional jobs) and so they must rely on other adults who could function as mentors. Thanks for your insights. I'll make sure my girls read your blog.

I had a similar situation where I've been sick most of this year. My GPA is pretty low right now. Did you manage to get yours up? Any recommendations on how to improve it quickly? I'm afraid I'll be dropped from some of my scholarships if i don't get it back up again.

I like that you were so honeest on this blog

Denise: Yes, sometimes teenagers can be reluctant to ask their parents for help. However, students shouldn't be shy about using their personal networks. They can lead to great introductions and opportunities that can be invaluable to their career later on. Make sure your daughters know that using these networks can open many doors. They may as if you are "doing the work for them," but would merely be allowing them the opportunity to show others what intelligent, capable young women they are. You'll provide the introduction but it is up to them to make an impression. Many students may not have these opportunities and it would be silly to let them go to waste because of personal pride. Do they think Ivanka Trump didn't let her father, Donald Trump, introduce her to corporate business leaders who could help her advance her own career?

Yanira, don't be ashamed of your GPA, and understand that it is not a reflection of your potential, but of an unfortunate circumstance. You now have the opportunity to really prove yourself, and you should be confident that you'll do well this year. If you are thinking of applying to graduate or professional school, a marked improvement in your transcript will speak well of you, and you can explain your unfortunate circumstance. Remember that you have two GPAs, overall and by department. If you haven't taken many classes in your chosen department, you can still have a great departmental GPA. Set reachable goals for yourself for the next upcoming year. Figure out what grades you need in order to achieve x GPA, and focus on that. Make yourself attend every lecture and go to office hours if you have any questions. Do your homework in quiet spaces, without checking Facebook, Myspace, your email, and without the TV on. Reduce distractions so that you can get the most out of your studying. In study groups, you can use the teacher-student model to study. You can take turns teaching the material, since teaching is known to be the best way learning device. You could also take a summer class or two in order to improve your GPA, focusing on those (make sure to know your school's policy on summer classes). Good luck with your schoolwork. Know that it is possible, and be confident. I'm rooting for you and I'm sure your friends, family, and loved ones are also behind you. Don't be discouraged. Have faith that you can do it. I do.

Ernie, thank you for your comment. I think it's important for me to be honest about my own experiences so that others can learn from both my triumphs and my disappointments. Perfection is not a requirement for college, but faith in yourself is. If we cannot motivate ourselves to jump, how can we expect to make it over the hurdles?

This is an awesome post Ivana! It just shows how powerful the mind is. It reminded me of this quote: "When the mind is great, then the soul create." Seeing that Latinos can make it really inspires me to do the same for myself and our latin community. I know that you're going to get your dream internship pretty soon, just have faith and believe... and everything will come your way! Keep up with the great work!

I tried to get interships this summer as well. I'm finishing my sophomore year at Florida State and I was looking for something in accounting but I couldnt' find anything. Any suggestions on what could be a good way to make some inroads into getting an internship either for the summer or for during the year?
Thanks!

What's the difference between getting an internship and getting a paid job? I rather have a job where I get paid than work for free. What's the advantage of doing that?

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