College Program: Where we fit into the big picture.

Some of you may have read about the College Program and wondered if Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the school district that serves all of our students, offers college counseling and if so, how the College Program fits into their structure. The College Program operates independently of CPS, which provides college prep programming under its Department of College and Career Preparation (DCCP). The DCCP’s website (http://www.postsecondary.cps.k12.il.us/) provides details on college prep services available through CPS and links to other resources available to parents and students.

The College Program at Cabrini Connections offers its students another layer of support and guidance in addition to the DCCP or any college counseling services offered by individual schools, particularly charter schools. The College Program mentors are on-site reservoirs of college prep information ready to address any college prep needs students may not have addressed at school and above all, make college prep a priority for the students and their mentors. Our tutor/mentors have built trust with their mentees and we at the College Program believe that their relationships and the organization create an additional support system for our student’s college prep experience.

If you are a tutor or mentor, consider your place in the network of support your student has in their college prep journey. Your role in your student’s life may shift between tutor, friend, confidante, cheerleader and math guru. Build a college prep focus in to all your roles, so your student feels supported throughout the process. Become a tutor who edits their college and scholarship essays, a friend who shares their experiences with higher education, a confidante to who listens to their student’s academic and financial concerns about college, a cheerleader who encourages their student to finish their college applications and of course, a math guru who knows how algebra and geometry apply to the ACT or SAT.