Impact Stories

Moving Up & Out

“Without the Princeton Children’s Fund – I can’t imagine how the college admissions process would have played out for me,” says PHS alumni, Lisa, “Before Up and Out, I was so overwhelmed and confused. Without their help, it would have been a very difficult journey and I wouldn’t be in the same place today--we would have been on our own.”

In the United States, the college counseling and test prep market is a $12 billion industry. Many PHS students hire private SAT coaches and, because PHS has just one college advisor to serve over 400 students, many engage private independent college advisors as well. One of the ways inequality manifests itself in the Princeton Public School System is through this process. For many first-generation and economically-challenged students whom the Princeton Children’s Fund serves, personal 1-1 guidance is often out of reach.

To combat this inequity, PCF’s Up and Out Program supports rising seniors with all aspects of the college search & applications process-- from filling out the Common Application and Test preparation to helping families with financial aid forms and creating a list of college choices.

Even for parents who have gone through the American educational system, the college admission process can be daunting. For immigrant parents not educated in the US and who may not speak fluent English, the complexity of the process can feel insurmountable. Ms. Smith [Name has been changed for anonymity,] a single mother of two students who participated in “Up and Out” and an immigrant to the US, says that PCF’s support was, “Fantastic. They offered so many valuable insights about where to apply and helped me with the complexity of the financial aid forms. They helped my children be proactive because I didn’t know the ins and outs of college admissions.”

Both of her children are now thriving as college students with sizable scholarships at among the nation’s most selective colleges. “PCF kept us organized and answered all of our questions,” says Ms. Smith. Without the program, these students would be forced to navigate this unknown terrain on their own.

PCF student, Rachel, now a freshman at a very selective college says, “I’m very grateful. I ended up exactly where I was supposed to be. I am so happy in college. Without the “Up & Out” program, it would have been a very difficult journey and I wouldn’t be in the same place.”

Princeton Children’s Fund provides critical support, from SAT preparation books and classes to essay help, school selection, and financial aid application guidance. Click here to learn more about our Up & Out Program