10 High Schoolers travel to Boston for college tour thanks to Breakthrough benefactor
During spring break, a group of Breakthrough 11th graders left for Boston, MA for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Thanks to Breakthrough board trustee Neil Webber and Saturn Aviation who donated a private flight for our students and their advisors, students had the opportunity to spend 4 days visiting 6 colleges (Simmons, Boston U, Emerson, Tufts, Bentley and Merrimack)! For this group of students, taking advantage of their spring break during junior year to plan for their college future was key. This coming summer, they will hit one of the most crucial points of their Breakthrough experience: the college application process.
Four days as a college student
The college tour had something for everyone. Students stepped foot onto 6 college campuses with a focus on Business and Liberal arts – some small, some large, some downtown and some on the outskirts of Boston. Each with their own college feel. Students heard from admission reps, toured resident halls, ate among college students in the dining halls, and spoke about financial aid and how to pay for college. Best part of all, students got a tour from a Breakthrough college student himself. Donavon, a sophomore at Boston College, spoke about his experience as a first-generation, student of color, on a Boston campus. Students got to hear first-hand what the transition from Austin to Boston would look like and how one of the 6 colleges may be a good fit for them.
“Thinking about colleges during their junior year, allows us, as staff, to help students navigate the college process. Do they feel more comfortable in a big city, a small campus, a large campus? Seeing campuses first hand allows students to see what college or university would be the best fit for them, and helps us better guide them during our Summer Institutes as they start the application process.” – Javier Garcia, Breakthrough College Access Coordinator
While learning about what it means to be a college student, Breakthrough advisors and admissions reps spoke in depth about the importance of getting involved on campus, seeking resources to help with their transition to college, and even the importance of finding a mentor who could be their own personal advocate on campus.
Why it matters
Parents and family who went to college have plenty of information about their college experiences to share with their children. For our students and their families, that information is not readily available, at times making the college application process daunting. Without guidance and support, it’s easy to get lost in the maze of the process. Breakthrough’s college visits, with their trusted advisors, help students visualize what it would be like to attend college and all its possibilities, as they begin to embark on their journey to college graduation.
Opportunities like this are not possible for our students without the generous support of donors like Neil and our collective Breakthrough community – thank you for making these experiences possible!
