Each year Charlottesville High School sends students to the top universities in America, spanning across Virginia and further. As any senior knows this is a time of high anxiety, dozens of crammed essays, and lots of decisions to make. But what is the college application process like for students who don’t have the top resources– for those who are first generation, from single parent households, or who struggle financially?
AVID is a national educational program that works in 47 US states to motivate and equip students for success in both high school and life after. Whether it be for trade school, applying to jobs, or into college, AVID prepares students to think critically as they move forward.
In the Charlottesville City Schools, AVID is a course students can take starting in middle school and continue throughout high school. Many CHS students without familial or financial support shared with KTR how AVID helped them immensely during the application process.
Gloria Gaye, current UVA freshman and CHS alum, shared with KTR how AVID was the main space where she learned what colleges, and more importantly, what scholarships, she could apply for to make college accessible. As a first generation student, Gloria expressed how being the first member of her family to pursue higher education in America left her without the resources and understanding many students enter the college application process equipped with.
“My other peers were already ready and knew what colleges to select. As soon as we reached school in August, someone like me, who didn’t have parents who grew up in that environment, was so lost. Even if I had AVID it was still confusing which colleges to choose. That’s why I mostly chose in-state colleges because I wasn’t aware of any colleges [I could go to],” Gloria shared.
Saba Wubet, current VCU freshman and another CHS alum, shared a similar sentiment about AVID, saying: “Definitely the most helpful things for me were Ms. Kayla and AVID. AVID is the college preparedness course, and I’ve been in it since Walker. So I kind of just understood how the college application process works and what I would need to do.”
While AVID does provide long term support for the students enrolled in it, it cannot reach every student. For those kids not in AVID, or who find their needs still unmet by AVID, Ms. Kayla is their top resource. Ms. Kayla Edwards is CHS’s college adviser, a two year position she will be leaving after this year. Ms. Kayla is the most connected staff member to scholarship opportunities, accessible colleges, and to knowledge about federal aid. For any student with unsure financial, familial, or academic situations, and even for those without these hindrances, Ms. Kayla is a vital resource for making college attainable.
Ms. Kayla shared with KTR that because she is such a vital resource for students, and often the only person able to support students, her workload can be ginormous. “I think on my database I’ve met with 61% of the senior population, and probably more than that because some kids are not in the system yet,” Ms. Kayla shared with KTR, “So I’d say like 65% of students I’ve met with at least one on one.”
Ms. Kayla has access to a lot of important resources, which is why she is such an essential tool for students. She’s especially helpful to any student that has something holding them back from a college degree, whether that be their financial status, the home they grew up in, or just a lack of motivation.
But this help is only available to students who ask for it. Ms. Kayla knows that the greatest thing keeping students from college is an inability to voice their needs. “Like even just two days ago I found out about a situation that if I had known about, I could have helped their FAFSA as an independent and they could’ve gotten a full ride. So now we have to wait and backtrack and that’s a whole process.”
Ms. Kayla shared with KTR that the struggles of applying to college are greatest for “anyone that’s outside of the American dream type family. Single parent households, people that immigrated here, whose parents may not have social security numbers…And we can work through it, it just takes a little more dedication, perseverance, and commitment which is challenging. But that’s part of the reason why I’m here, to help them get through those.”
Apart from Ms. Kayla, students can use many independent resources to aid them through the process. Saba Wubet shared that having a sister who applied to college, as well as friends applying with her, was a big help as they all pooled resources and supported one another.
Though these connections were a big help to Saba, she also shared how they caused some division between her friends and the rest of their peers.
“There were definitely some students that you could tell had more support than others. And you can’t do anything about it, but from my perspective last year I was very open to helping everyone out, but there are some people who kind of gate-keep, it was weird,” Saba shared.
Gloria Gaye also shared that although she didn’t feel many issues with her peers during the college process, financial and social divisions have become more clear to her since moving into UVA.
“You can definitely tell at UVA who’s a legacy kid or whose parents paid their entire way to get here, different from kids who are on financial aid or scholarships. It’s so different to come from a semi-diverse high school, and then enter a different world where there’s probably only 2 or 3 black kids or POC kids in your classroom.”
Despite these challenges both in and out of CHS, there are many ways for CHS students facing adversity to attend college. Between AVID, Ms. Kayla, and unexpected mentors, students should utilize every resource they can to push themselves far.
Ms. Kayla’s most important piece of advice to a struggling CHS senior is:
Advocate for yourself. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with certain people. Utilize your resources and tell someone what your needs are so that they can help you. That’s the thing, all these people have resources but we just have to know. I can’t help you if I don’t know. Advocate for yourself, and stay motivated even when it gets hard, those are my biggest pieces of advice.”
