As soon as Missy heard about the opportunity to be a College Possible Chicago coach, she thought to herself, “That’s exactly what I want.” Missy recently graduated from DePaul University with a psychology degree, hoping to one day become a school counselor. But first, she wanted to gain some experience with students, and as a College Access Coach working with juniors at Lake View High School this year, she’s getting just that.
At Lake View, Missy works with a cohort of 41 students who are interested in attending a 4-year college but need another layer of support to help get them there. Junior year, she said, “is about exploration, learning about the many options available and figuring out what you want to do.” In a recent afterschool group session, students competed in an online quiz designed to help them identify target and reach schools. By making the content fun for students, Missy hopes they will better internalize what can be an overwhelming amount of information.
Some students worry they will not be accepted into any college, but Missy reminds them that the work they are doing now will ensure they apply and earn admission into colleges where they will be most successful: those that can meet their needs academically, financially and socially.
Reflecting on how she felt while applying to college and trying to figure out how to pay for it made Missy “want to help others in a similar situation.” Thanks to her and College Possible Chicago, these students will not have to go through that process alone.
Working as a College Possible coach has reinforced Missy’s interest in school counseling. She has applied to graduate school and hopes to continue working in Chicago Public Schools. She’s grateful for the experience and excited to continue supporting students in pursuing their goals. “College Possible believes a student’s future should be determined by their talent, motivation and effort, not income,” she said. “Access to opportunities should never be diminished for reasons outside of your control.”
