We know students have a myriad of reasons for why they make the post-secondary choices they make, be it choosing to go to a school far from home rather than one close by or choosing an advanced manufacturing program over a plumbing program. Our advisers all made a choice after we graduated from Washington University: we chose to stay in St. Louis to help those very much like ourselves discover and achieve their dreams. It is important to us that you know why each one of us made that decision and why we want to bring you all the resources we can muster!
“I advise because everyone deserves specialized attention and assistance in the college-going process. Unfortunately, it’s so time-consuming and confusing that many students get lost along the way because they don’t realize what deadlines are coming up, what is being asked of them, or how to even move forward. I believe that knowledge is power and there’s a huge knowledge gap in our society when it comes to the college-going process. In fact, when I look at all of the work I’m doing now, I really wish I had someone to support me and tell me how to find scholarships because I would’ve had many more opportunities than I did! I advise because higher education should be accessible to everyone, and in order to do that we need more people to spread knowledge and support current students, and I’m so happy to be one of those people!”
-Ms. Gleason, Maplewood Richmond Heights High School
“I still remember my college application process. Thankfully, I ended up at WashU, but without the support I received from two staff members at my high school, my life trajectory would likely look completely different, even though both of my parents were college graduates. That’s to say, even though I had support at home – people who were reliable sources about the life of a college going student – the college application process was so hard that I wouldn’t be where I am now without extra support. Imagine how much more difficult it can be for students whose parents didn’t go to college, and for students who don’t know their parents, and for students who grew up in impoverished communities. One of my favorite fictional characters–Gandalf from Lord of the Rings– said something I think should apply to most people. He said, “It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so those who live after may have clean earth to till.” Information gaps, among other things, between the disadvantaged and the affluent are deep seated evils of education in America, and as a recent college graduate, I am equipped to help uproot them. That is why I advise.”
-Mr. Jeffrey, Vashon High School
“I chose to become a college adviser because I really wanted to spend my first few years post-grad giving back to the St. Louis community in some way. When I was a senior in High School, I was lucky enough to have a guidance counselor who really helped me through the college admissions process. I had two parents who navigated the process, and an older sister who had gone to college two year before. I couldn’t imagine completing this process without help like that and am grateful to be able to provide this support to my students everyday. This job is so much more than I expected; even now as we end the second semester I am still learning how to do it better. I advise because the pathway to post-secondary education is not very clear, but it’s easy when you have support.”
-Ms. McManus, KIPP High School/University City High School
“After going to college and becoming increasingly aware of my own personal triumphs through the college-going process, I saw the disparity in opportunity and awareness for those who come from similar backgrounds to mine. I knew I wanted to see more people like me on campuses so that students from low socioeconomic status or minority groups did not feel the same way I did at times, times when I was made most aware of those two identity markers. College Advising Corps allows me to accomplish that. I get to lift students higher and help them reach their dreams. I have become the type of resource I sought in high school, and I get to work with students from backgrounds that resonate with me. I can honestly say I love my job—every moment, every challenge, and every kid I help lift to post-secondary success. (I am so proud of you.)”
-Mx. Kirk, Clyde C. Miller Career Academy
“I never imagined a career in education. But near the eve of my graduation from Washington University, I faced a moment when I had to critically examine my life up until that point and allow it to inform where I belonged next. I remembered the hours into the late of night that I spent researching colleges I would never get to visit; the web pages I combed through to figure out the FAFSA; the endless emails I sent to admissions offices with the most basic of questions. But what I remember most was the stress. I was lucky enough to have a school system that set me up for success, but no one to help me figure out how to choose where to be successful. I was surrounded by kind people that told me that I had achieved enough to never have to pay for college, but no one to tell me what scholarship applications looked like or how to complete them. I spent much of my application season confused and concerned about what messing this up could mean for family and myself financially. And in recalling all of this, I looked at how far I had come, how I can narrowly made my way to and through such an amazing school in a historic city that had watered and fertilized me me without reservation. Then I realized I had produced so little fruit for them. And in that moment, the decision was made. I advise because no student should spend their hours and lose sleep when the resources to make this process smooth are available; I advise because even before I met them these students were enriching my life; I advise because it took higher education to teach me that I and communities like the ones I’d been apart of could change the world dramatically and permanently. Being a college adviser, for me, is the beginning of a partnership with these students to lift the community and people we both love to a level of success I never could have imagined those nights I spent searching for guidance.”
-Mr. Scales, Sumner High School
“I advise because I believe all students deserve the same access to higher education, but so many students miss out because they don’t have the resources and support they need to get there. When I was an undergraduate student, I gave campus tours and interviews, but most of the prospective students I met were not representative of the community our campus was a part of. I knew that more students from our community could succeed at our college, but they were not applying because they didn’t have someone helping them through the whole process. Of course, this isn’t a story specific to my university; it’s happening all over the country. In high school, I was lucky to have counselors and family members who had experience with the college process and encouraged me every step of the way. I want to be that person for my students. “
-Ms. Britto, Hazelwood East High School