Applying to college can be overwhelming. That’s where the Student Success Center (S.S.C.) in Elizabeth, New Jersey, comes in. There, high school students (known as college ambassadors) help fellow classmates plan for college. After launching last school year, the S.S.C. made a big impact, helping a quarter of the seniors in the school district’s seven schools complete financial aid applications. Laura Saavedra, 18, explains why she’s an ambassador.
Q: Why’s the S.S.C. important?
A: Many people don’t know that there’s a way for them to apply for financial aid. We don’t just do it for them but we also teach them how to do it every step of the way.
Q: How does your age help?
A: I’m able to give more recent tips than adult counselors and I can share experiences that I just went through.
Q: What about bilingual students?
A: I used to be an ESL [English as a Second Language] student, so I know what it’s like. People come to this country for the freedom and because it’s easier to go to college. We can find programs that help them learn English and earn their degree.
Q: What if others want to start their own S.S.C.?
A: Definitely reach out to us. We could show them everything that we learned. With just one year of experience, we learned so much.
(This interview was edited and condensed for length and clarity.)