Spring can be a whirlwind for high school seniors. From planning for graduation to searching for prom outfits and preparing for life after high school, our KIPP DC College Preparatory seniors have been hard at work making sure they finish the year strong. To date, the class of 2019 has submitted more than 1,400 applications to colleges and universities across the country. 25 of those applications are from Jayln and Lawrence, who shed light on their college search experience as their senior year winds down.
Jayln will be attending North Carolina Wesleyan University in the fall and pursuing her bachelor’s in elementary education. Lawrence, while undecided, is currently deciding between Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), the University of Georgia, and the University of North Carolina in hopes of pursuing a degree in marketing.
“For me, finding a school with a great education program was key. I also wanted to go somewhere that was far, but not too far that I can’t get in a car and come home for a weekend,” said Jayln. While the process of applying for college is challenging, with unique deadlines and requirements for each school, both agreed that the most challenging aspect thus far is staying on top of an ever-constant stream of communication.
“When you’re applying to as many schools as we are, you always have to be checking your email and communicating back and forth with the schools and your advisor,” said Lawrence. “It can be stressful at times keeping everyone on the same page.”
Part of preparing KCP students for success in college is offering seniors the opportunity to dual-enroll in a college class at Trinity University, an experience that Jayln says has been invaluable. “Taking classes at Trinity has put a lot of things in perspective. You have to make sure you’re showing up; you have to make sure you’re on top of your grades,” she said. “Things we already do, but doing it in a college setting gives us confidence, for sure.”
The KIPP Through College & Career and KCP college counseling teams supports all seniors in navigating the college search and charting a course for success post-high school. As Lawrence describes, their support has made the climb to college less daunting.
“They’ve always been supportive. I know they have a stressful job with so many students to manage, yet they always remain calm and helpful whenever I need anything. They are always sending us information about scholarships, or helping track down information we need for applications. There are even times where I come to them with something I think I need to do for a particular school, and it’s already been done! I can’t say enough about their support.”
As the school year winds down, we’re excited to see our seniors off to colleges and careers across the country. Most importantly, we’re excited to see how they impact the world around them as the next generation of leaders. “We see our neighborhoods and communities going through things, and we want to get better and do something with our lives, but also we want to give back,” said Jayln.
“For the students coming after me, I want to show that you can be successful. I’m the same color as you. I’m from the same community as you. If I can do it, you can to; and you can even do it better,” remarked Lawrence.
