The Tufts chapter of Let's Get Ready (LGR) last night held a "graduation" ceremony at Somerville High School to celebrate a successful semester of college prep.
LGR is a national nonprofit organization that provides free SAT and college counseling classes to underprivileged high school students. At last night's ceremony, Tufts students and LGR Co-Site Directors Nisha Mohamed and Evie Copeland presented awards to Somerville High School students enrolled in the program.
In turn, some of the high school students presented videos to their favorite Tufts ‘coaches' who had helped them prepare for Saturday's SAT.
The newly Tufts Community Union-recognized LGR chapter has for five consecutive semesters sent Tufts students to Somerville High School to teach two three-hour classes each week, geared toward helping students with the logistics of the college application process.
Topics covered include the Common Application, the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), recommendations, application essays and the SAT, according to Copeland, a senior.
"Tufts is really lucky to have a huge high school nearby, so we are able to provide students with this service," Mohamed, a junior, said. "The issue is that there are so many students and not enough resources. A lot get left behind. This program shows how far these students will go if they're given a little attention."
At the beginning of each semester, LGR offers high school students a diagnostic SAT test, followed eight weeks later by a follow-up test to track their progress. This semester, students improved their average score by 129 points, the largest increase in the history of the Tufts program, Copeland said.
Mohamed added that the students' actual SAT scores would most likely be much higher than their practice exam scores.
LGR Assistant Director of Programs Matthew Boyce, who attended the event, praised Somerville High School's support of the program and the "community feel" that Tufts students in the program create.
"You can't get a program this successful without a community like this one," Boyce told the Daily. "Many students are the first ones to go to college in their families and need a little guidance on how the application process works so they can achieve their goals. LGR provides the framework to make that happen."
Class sizes typically range from four to six students, allowing students to get one-on-one attention, a key factor in keeping them motivated, according to Copeland.
Somerville High School junior Douglas Funes, who took part in the program, at the end of the ceremony described his experience with LGR.
"I got to know both my teachers really well and wasn't dreading coming to class," Funes told the Daily. "If you ever came in feeling nervous or pessimistic about college, the coaches found the best things to say to lift your spirits so that you don't lose sight of your goals. I feel really confident for Saturday."
Somerville High School senior Jermaine Carty, who is in his second year of the program, felt LGR aided him greatly in the college application process.
"LGR is great if you really want to get into a good college," Carty told the Daily. "It gave me an opportunity to increase my SAT scores by a lot."
In remarks during the ceremony, Boyce highlighted the importance of a strong work ethic and said that the SAT is not a perfect measure of intellectual aptitude.
"The SAT is only one step in the process and is not a test of intelligence," he said. "No matter how well you do, you can go to college as long as you work for it."
Colleges look beyond a student's SAT scores or GPA, Mohamed told the audience.
"Everyone here comes from such different backgrounds and have had such different experiences, but you all have something to offer, no matter what your GPA or SAT scores say," she said. "You all have something different to add to a college."
Mohamed added that students were at a "breaking point" in the college application process and encouraged them to persevere through the final month of applications and tests.
"Our students are faced with so many challenges," Mohamed said, prior to the event's start. "Some work two jobs or act as a caretaker for their family, and they still find time to come to SAT class six hours a week. They could make so many excuses but shouldn't use them as a reason not to follow through on the application process."
Mohamed reiterated that it was crucial for students to put in their best effort.
"They are all capable. It's just a question of what they put into the process," she said.
