College Summit went well, I think. The kids were better this year than last, even if the campus was abysmal. I learned that 1) modeling is a competitive sport in PG County public schools, 2) the current hip life aspiration of the ambitious is to own a hair salon (last year, it was music production), and 3) being a straight-A student does not preclude totally stupid conclusions, like "Maybe I'll just have a baby instead of going to college because that's what my sisters did." Reinforced from last year was the fact that apparently only rich people want to study liberal arts.
The program has a pretty fool-proof curriculum not unlike the Henry Ford model of production--it breaks down the personal statement into discrete parts so that anyone, no matter how plainly illiterate, can produce something resembling an essay (and, on the other hand, anyone can teach it) in three days. I've discovered that the seeming success of the workshop can create a false sense of optimism. One thinks, "Oh, my students have a finished essay, they filled out a sample application, they met with a college counselor--they are well on their way to college!" But actually, no. Between now and the application deadline this December, they will forget to sign up for the SAT, or to upload the essay they wrote, or to ask for recommendations, or maybe the economy will collapse, or any number of things that will result in only one out of my four students going somewhere other than community college. At least, that's how it turned out with last year's crop. This year's at least had better grades to start from. But I am not getting my hopes up.
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I mean, CS follows up with them. They may enroll in Community College, but it's won't be because there was no contact with them between now and December.
Yeah, but CS can't sign them up for the SAT and sit next to them while they take the test to make sure they actually do so and those kinds of things. It also can't make them go to class or study. Or give them money. For whatever combination of reasons, my group from last year seems to have failed to live up to post-workshop expectations.
Don't bash teh CC's. There are a very rational investment en route to a four year degree for most students (even more so if one fails to advance).
Not hating, but don't see the purpose of the program if all it's going to do is push people into CC's. You don't need a weekend-long essay writing and college counseling workshop to enroll.
As Chris Rock opined, "You know why they call it community college? Because everyone in the community can go there."
Kudos for helping the kids craft their essays. It's a thankless gig for you, but it is one that will benefit them, no matter how much they processed.
It's not thankless; I enjoy it. Besides, they do "thank" me on slips of paper in Crayola marker.
It might be the first time that they have written an essay, so even if they don't use it to apply to UoC, the experience probably counts for something.
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