Achieve the College Dream (eBook)

María Carla Chicuén is an education advocate with over ten years of experience at renowned organizations such as ACT, Harvard University, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, Minerva Schools and Miami Dade College. After a challenging high school journey as a recent immigrant from Cuba, María Carla won admission to five Ivy League schools and ultimately decided to attend Harvard after securing over $200,000 in financial aid. These early experiences fueled her deep passion towards higher education access, dedicating special efforts to encourage achievement among minority and low-income youth in the United States and Latin America.

ForewordAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Trust Me: It’s PossibleGlossary: Key Terms to Navigate This Book and the College ApplicationsChapter 1: A College Education: The Path to Prosperity and OpportunityGoing to College vs. Getting a JobThe Importance of College vs. Graduate SchoolChapter 2: Selective Colleges: A Most Affordable Option for Low-Income StudentsThe Policies that Make Top Colleges AffordableWhy Harvard Might Be a Student’s Cheapest OptionChapter 3: The Meaning of High Achievement: What Admission Officers are Looking ForThe “Holistic” Application ReviewAcademic SkillsExtracurricular ParticipationCharacterChapter 4: Meeting the Academic Admission Requirements at No CostChoosing the Best Possible High SchoolPursuing a Rigorous CurriculumPreparing for Standardized TestingThe Role of ParentsChapter 5: How to Succeed in Extracurriculars Without Spending MoneyFind What You LoveExplore Opportunities at SchoolExplore Opportunities Outside of SchoolScaling Your InitiativeChapter 6: Finding Accessible College Counselors: The Expert and the Role ModelFinding a College Counseling ExpertFinding a Role ModelMy Essential College CounselorsChapter 7: How to Choose Target Colleges in Three StepsThe “Right” Number of Target CollegesLikelihood of AdmissionCritical CharacteristicsStrategies to Explore CollegesChapter 8: Applying for College Admission: What it Takes and How to Do It for FreeApplication RequirementsMain Application FormsUniversity SupplementsStandardized Test ScoresWhat Do the ACT and SAT Test?What Are the SAT Subject Tests?When Should Students Take Standardized Exams?How to Report Standardized Test Scores to CollegesEssaysSupplemental MaterialsRecommendation LettersSchool ReportsResume or Curriculum VitaeApplication FeesApplication TimelineChapter 9: Securing Financial Aid to Pay for CollegeFinancial Aid From UniversitiesScholarships From External OrganizationsChapter 10: Accepting an Offer: The Last Step in the College Application ProcessAppendix: Convinced It’s Possible? College Preparation Timelines and ResourcesEpilogue: An Open Letter to the DreamersGlossaryAbout the Author