I vividly remember the moment when I learned that I had been accepted by one of my top choice colleges.
I could not allow myself to celebrate. I was thrilled, but also dispirited.
Here was this amazing opportunity, yet I didn’t yet know if I would be able to afford it. I’m the daughter of working-class Dominican immigrants who would never be able to spend $65,000 annually to send me to college.
And I was almost entirely on my own in figuring this all out.
My sense of bewilderment back then reflects the broader challenges facing millions of teenagers who attend public high schools with few, if any, resources to help them navigate the path to college.
There’s been so much attention lately about the college admission scandal — rich parents trying to buy their undeserving children into prestigious colleges. But there’s a far bigger scandal that our leaders have long ignored: many high school seniors who deserve to attend college don’t have the advice and support that they need to get there.
Students who are trying to become the first in their family to attend college often don’t have anyone at home who can help. So it is especially critical for them to get the help they need at school.
