Say Yes to Education

While BetterGrads is currently building its network in California, we are constantly looking for successful models of college preparation and peer advising across the country: Say Yes to Education is one of those models. Say Yes is a “national, non-profit education foundation committed to dramatically increasing high school and college graduation rates for our nation’s inner-city youth”. This great project focuses on connecting to urban schools at the earliest ages—kindergarten on up—and offering holistic support to students throughout primary and secondary school in order to prepare them for college success! I first came across the organization through a news release from my alma mater, Rochester Institute of Technology. The release is about RIT President Bill Destler‘s participation in a panel alongside Vice President Joe Biden, discussing the college access initiatives of The White House Task Force on Middle Income Families. RIT’s connection to Say Yes is through their latest, and [...]

Alternative Weekend Activities

In the spirit of Friday, I believe that it is only appropriate to discuss other fun things you can do during the weekend instead of partying like a rock-star :) 1). Get to know your local community: There is always something fun and exciting happening on a Friday night within your college’s local community. In Eagle Rock, CA, there was a fantastic farmer’s market with delicious fruits and vegetables, and some of the best floral arrangements I had ever seen. There were plenty of times where I purchased the raw ingredients that were soon to become part of scrumptious dinner dishes later that night. Research whatever it is that your future school’s community specializes in, and take advantage of the opportunity. On a similar note, take advantage of the your community’s cultural offerings. Perhaps there is a huge Lebanese population and there are a plethora of delectable Mediterranean restaurants surrounding [...]

Learn to Intern

Internships can be some of the hardest and most challenging things that you can do while you are a college student. They are also the most important. Look at any listing for a non-retail job (i.e. real job) and what do you see? Months or years of experience required. So, how can you get experience if no one will hire you in the first place? Well, they will hire you, but they just won’t pay you. They call this arrangement “internship,” or “slave labor,” or, “indentured servitude. Okay, they will call it the former; you will call it the latter two. But, if you want to increase your chances of getting a career in your desired field, I strongly recommend that you pursue an internship opportunity. The best place to start is to talk to your major department’s advisor. These people want to help you, and they are paid to [...]

Inspiration: San Lorenzo High School College Going Culture Site Visit

Part 1/3: Overview of San Lorenzo High School College Going Culture Site Visit