Essays, SATs, financial aid… with so many pieces to figure out when applying to college, it’s no wonder high school students and their families are often overwhelmed. This is especially true for those who are first in their families to embark on the college application process.
That’s why Peer Leaders in the Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) District collaborated with their College and Career Readiness Center to organize a districtwide College Application Night. Hosted at Largo High School in Upper Marlboro, Md. on Oct 23, 2019, families were invited to attend informative workshops and meet with college representatives at a college fair. Universities represented at the college fair that night included Bowie State University, Harvard University, Prince George’s Community College, and Towson University, among others.
Workshops included presentations by regional educators and college administrators, covering topics like “How to Apply to Highly-Selective Schools,” “College Admissions and Financial Aid for Immigrant Families,” and “Applying to Scholarships.” One of the workshops, “FAFSA: Financing College,” was co-facilitated by our own PeerForward Coach, Cornelius Williams.
As Coach Cornelius assisted families in the school’s media center to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), 24 Peer Leaders from Largo High School, International High School at Largo, and Bowie High School were busy running registration, assisting workshop presenters, and guiding families to and from sessions throughout the night. Their combined efforts went a long way: more than 640 students received on-site admissions to various colleges at the college fair, and students received a cumulative total of approximately $3.83 million in scholarships that night. Steve Somian, Peer Leader at International High School at Largo, said he was inspired to help at the event and guide his peers through the college application process, sharing, “I want the best for my peers no matter what it is they do. I want them to be successful as I am successful, so we can grow together to be better in the world.”
Thank you to all Peer Leaders and the PGCPS College and Career Readiness Center for collaborating on this great event!
