Stories
Stories
Real Stories
At-risk students are being given opportunities to attend colleges and trade schools post high school graduation. With advanced education these students will be enabled to break the poverty cycle in which they grew up. Below are some stories of students we have helped.
Ranai - Rider University
As a high school student, Ranai didn’t know what was possible for her future. She came to the United States as a child from Jamaica with her father and sister. They established a home for themselves in Trenton, NJ and Ranai eventually graduated from Trenton Central High School. She had hopes of going to college but had no idea if it would ever happen. She comes from a low-income, single parent household - was a college education a reality for her? The answer is “YES!” because of WISE UP’s generous supporters. Being a first-generation college student, there was no one in Ranai’s family to give her advice and counsel about the college process. But WISE UP was there to help. We gave Ranai the guidance and encouragement she needed to select and apply to colleges that were best suited to her and offered her a good financial aid package. Ultimately Ranai chose to attend Rider University. Ranai has kept her GPA high while being involved in many activities and clubs on campus. She has pursued jobs and scholarship opportunities to help with the costs not covered by financial aid. Her WISE UP mentor continues to be there for her to provide support and encouragement as needed. On more than one occasion Ranai has expressed her heartfelt thanks for the help WISE UP was able to give her and for all the donors who made that possible.
OMAR - Rochester Institute of Technology
To WISE UP supporters Omar would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU! “I always knew that money was going to be a huge issue going to college. My parents didn’t go to college so they had no idea what was happening. WISE UP made it so easy to understand what was going on so that I wasn’t stressed; you took that burden and I say thank you because it helped so much.”
Omar grew up in Trenton with his parents and three younger sisters. Both his parents graduated from high school but neither went to college. Unlike some other high school students who are unsure of what they want to do, Omar developed his passion early on: video game design and development. In high school he took computer science classes and even took some courses in programming at the local community college.
When it came time to think about college, he wanted to find a school that would give him the education he needs to get a job doing what he loves. Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, NY, has a major that was well aligned with Omar’s interest so that was his first choice. After being accepted, Omar was saddened to find that their initial financial aid offer was not high enough for him to be able to attend the school. WISE UP was there to work with RIT and advise Omar so that in the end he was able to get the financing he needed to attend the school. Transitioning to college life was a challenge, but Omar overcame the obstacles and even made the Dean’s List as a freshman! Along the way Omar’s mentor, Ken, who lives in the Rochester area, will be there for Omar to help however he needs.
Leigha - Monmouth University
We met Leigha when she was a high school senior through our partnership with Millhill Child and Family Development which works with teens from Trenton. Leigha comes from a low-income family with very little parental support. “I didn’t have anyone at home telling me to do my homework,” recalls Leigha, “I had to motivate myself to get it done. I wanted to go to college and knew I had to work hard in high school in order to go to a good school.”
Leigh applied to several colleges including Monmouth University in New Jersey. Along with general admission to Monmouth, Leigha applied for the State of New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF). EOF is a NJ state program implemented by individual colleges aimed at assisting students who are motivated and capable but disadvantaged economically
and educationally. The EOF program at any school is tremendously competitive since being accepted is such a huge benefit for the student. In 2019 at Monmouth University 800 students applied for only 40 spots.
Knowing that being accepted into the EOF program at Monmouth was an incredible opportunity for Leigha, we worked hard to make that become a reality. We aided Leigha with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the FAFSA verification form, communication with the EOF department at Monmouth, and we took her to Monmouth and spent the day with her there as part of the EOF interview process. All our efforts paid off when Leigha received notification that she was accepted into the EOF program. This means Leigha is able to attend Monmouth University with no out-of-pocket cost for 4 years and will graduate with only federal student loans totaling $27,000 plus accrued interest.
In the summer of 2019 Leigha attended Monmouth’s 5-week EOF summer program which introduces students to college life on a smaller scale in order to help them transition into a full-time college schedule in the fall. Although hesitant at first, Leigha completed the program with a glowing review. “I learned a lot about myself and made some really good connections,” said Leigha. “The work was hard and they kept us very busy but it was worth it.” Speaking about the EOF program in general, Leigha said, “I am so glad I am taking advantage of this opportunity I have been given.”
We are thrilled to have assisted Leigha in getting into the EOF program and enabling her to attend a 4-year university with no out-of-pocket cost. To encourage and support her while in school, Leigha has an adult WISE UP mentor who will be with her throughout her entire college journey.
History of Helping
Prior to starting WISE UP, Kevin, who has been in the business of helping high school students with the college admission and financial aid process for over 24 years, provided the same services for free for at-risk youth. Below is a sample of the work Kevin has done over the years to help students who needed someone to represent them.
Carlton
Today, Carlton is a practicing physician, but that hasn’t come without challenges. Years ago, when he was much younger, his parents died within months of each other and he and his sister were taken in by a local family. The balance remaining after the family home and assets were sold and the funerals paid for was put into annuities for the children. When it came time for college, Carlton's guardians correctly completed and submitted the necessary financial aid forms. The college that Carlton ultimately chose awarded him substantial financial aid with federal, state and school grants supplemented by a typical student loan. The college then rescinded its award based on what appeared to be invalid reasons. Kevin Simme became involved and after reviewing the documentation, determined that the college financial aid office was mistaken in its decision to withdraw Carlton's award. The college disagreed so Kevin intensified his efforts on Carlton's behalf and escalated the problem to the US Department of Education (DOE) for review. After Kevin and the college’s Financial Aid Director were interviewed by DOE, it was found that the college was indeed incorrect in its decision and Carlton's financial aid was reinstated.
Felicia
Despite the challenges of being independent at a young age and sometimes homeless, Felicia was accepted to college and needed financial aid. She and Kevin completed all financial aid requirements and submitted them to the college. Although the paperwork had been on file for several months, the college wrongfully claimed that the paperwork had not been submitted and advised Felicia to quit the current semester then begin anew with the next semester several months away. Although the college had a first come first served policy about meetings, Kevin managed to schedule a meeting with the financial aid representatives to advocate for Felicia and at that meeting found that the college had indeed made an error. The mistake was corrected and Felicia’s financial aid was released for the semester. Because the semester had begun, the bookstore would not accept financial aid for Felicia's books or accept a credit card provided over the phone. Kevin brought the situation to the college President’s Office after which Felicia was able to get the needed books and supplies and attend her classes. Felicia did not have a laptop so Kevin gifted her with one.
