Calvin was a good student in a very bad situation. His father died when Calvin was just 15. Fortunately, the private school where his mother worked as a custodian made Calvin a tremendous offer: a full scholarship to their hallowed halls. Calvin and his mother graciously accepted this tremendous opportunity.

 

As expected, Calvin continued to do well in school, and his mother and he set out to make college plans. Then they got more bad news. The school’s guidance counselor, knowing that they were a family of limited means, suggested Calvin go to a community college or trade school; something that wouldn’t cost too much but could still give him a decent education.

 

It wasn’t what Calvin wanted to hear. Calvin had bigger dreams. That’s when they turned to the RSC program.

 

 

Calvin’s counselor misunderstood how the financial aid system in college works, and it’s not entirely his fault. Of all the universities that offer master’s degrees to guidance counselors, less than two dozen offer a single course in college prep and financial aid. Guidance counselors are largely expected to focus on social counseling and problems, not college prep. Then, when they get a position in a high school, they find themselves stretched thin by a system that offers very little support.

 

 

Given their workloads, it’s no surprise that guidance counselors can’t spend enough time getting to know the educational goals of their students. In fact, the average guidance counselor only spends 38 minutes per year per student on college prep. That’s why guidance counselors rely on certain tricks, like providing a standard list of colleges that don’t really meet a student’s needs academically or financially.

Calvin didn’t want to be one of them.

 

 

Guidance counselors and students agree that traditional college prep is not preparing students for college. Two-thirds of counselors and 33% of college freshmen say high school does not get students ready for higher education. In one astounding survey, 92% of teachers said they aren’t sure what their students need in order to prepare them for college.

 

It’s no wonder that:

 

·        42% of college freshmen need remedial (or developmental) classes

·        28% of college sophomores need remedial classes

·        75% of students who take the ACT don’t meet the benchmarks needed for college success.

 

Calvin used the RSC program to pick the courses that would help him succeed and then studied hard to make sure he aced his college entrance exam. Following the RSC College Prep Checklist and 4-Year Planner, he developed a full college plan that made sure he didn’t have to fall back on a “community college or trade school.”

 

Calvin built an impressive college resumé filled with academic achievements and community service. Before he finished high school, Portico magazine picked him as one of the 21 people who will change the world. He entered Marquette University as a highly prized freshman. He’s appeared in their brochures as a big success story, and this summer, as he prepares for his junior year of college, he gave a philosophy presentation at UC-Berkeley.

 

To say we’re proud of Calvin is an understatement; to say his mother is bursting with pride and joy doesn’t scratch the surface of her emotions.

 

From the tragedy of his father’s death when Calvin was just 15, he’s making a bright future for himself. Calvin isn’t the type to pass up a good opportunity when he sees it, and he knew that the RSC program was a great opportunity for him. He did the hard work, but we gave him the guidance his guidance counselor couldn’t.

 

Next week: A New Way to Bring Down the High Cost of College

 

Part One: What Families Face: The Staggering Cost of College

 

Part Two: The Promise of Financial Aid and Scholarships: Working With a Broken System

 

Part Three: The Impact of Student Loans and High Tuition on Families Today

 

Part Four: Going to the Moon: Why College Prep Requires a Long-Range Plan