College Match 2006 Graduation Comments

The second full College Match class graduated in the spring of 2006.  We held a Special Graduation Ceremony at the Stadium Club at Dodger Stadium on May 18, 2006.  175 excited students, parents, siblings and friends attended this ceremony.  Students were presented with laptop computers (courtesy of The Raytheon Company.)  Subsequently, College Match held a College Retention and Success Seminar for the graduates where seasoned professionals and college students discussed a number of important topics including academic, health, financial and social issues.  Students have also been provided with sweaters, jackets, suitcases, linens, comforters, etc.

After the Graduation Ceremony, a number of College Match students made the following comments.  Although a number of these statements are personal in nature, they reflect the students’ views of the College Match program.

“A million times THANK YOU.  College Match gave me so much more than I had hoped for.  I was given a sense of guidance you and the rest of College Match provided.  College applications were more stressful than I thought was possible, but College Match was there for us every step of the way.  I was shown that more opportunities lay before me than what I had realized because I never imagined I’d be able to go on college trips to the East Coast or to be provided with SAT classes.  I became confident in my abilities and in my dreams with your encouragement.

“The memories I have of College Match are unforgettable.  I saw snow for the first time on the East coast trip, and it was beautiful.  I’m happy to say I’ll be seeing it for the next four years!  The trip was so much fun, and everybody from the different schools bonded.  But most importantly, I was able to see for the first time all the incredible schools I’ve heard so much about, including Yale.  After visiting nearly a dozen colleges, most of which I had not even heard of before the trip, I got the chance to figure out what I wanted from my college experience.  That only goes to show how much I gained from the opportunities you provided us.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for College Match.  You truly are an amazing person to dedicate so much of your time and energy to a group of low-income students.  You believed in us and always made the extra effort to give us the best you possible could.  I appreciate all that you do for us, and college Match is something I’ll always be grateful for.”

---This young woman has enrolled in Yale University

“  I know it cannot be said enough, but I want to say once again, thank you!  You have been such a big part of my life these past two years, and I cannot conceive what path my life would have taken without you.  You have kept me on tract; you have given me a glimpse of my potential; you have given me the opportunity to do great things; but most importantly, you have opened my eyes!  Just two years ago, I would never have envisioned myself being enrolled at Harvard University.  So thank you again for showing many College Match kids how bright our futures can be!

---This young man has enrolled in Harvard University

“I would like to thank you for opening my horizons and showing me what is out there.  I am grateful for everything that you have offered from the SAT classes to aiding me with my Personal Statement.  It is because of College Match that I will be at Brandeis/Columbia and not a Cal State….And the new friends that I met from the other schools, along with the joyful memories we made will always stay with me and will never be forgotten.  College Match is also responsible for making some of my friendships with my classmates stronger and some so strong that I know we will be lifelong friends.

“I know that no one else would work this hard to help this many students of our status to get into some of the greatest colleges in the country.  Or give us SAT classes, trips, and help with our applications for free and even take care of us by giving laptops to use when we are in college.  You have shown us that there are people out there who truly care for others and try their best to aid those in need.  And I hope that one day I will be able to be like you and have a great heart like you do.  Thanks for everything.  I am eternally grateful for all the help you have given me.”

 ---This young man has enrolled in a five-year Brandeis/Columbia engineering program

“I cannot thank you enough for helping me and all my fellow College Match students get through the pre-college process.  As you know, I am going to attend Connecticut College in the fall, and I owe that to you.  I didn’t even know about Conn (College) until you told me about it, and I wouldn’t have applied without your encouragement. THANK YOU!”

---This young woman has enrolled at Connecticut College.

“College Match has been a great program for me and everyone who was in it or simply knew someone in it.  We learned valuable information about colleges and the application process and then we had the honor and ability to pass it on to those less fortunate than us.  But the program could not work without people like you. Your ability to help and inform people was priceless to us.  Every time we met with you and Ms. Julie Neilson, we learned so much!  And it wasn’t all information about how (to) apply here and there nor what schools are good choices, but I feel it helped our character and personality.  It taught us how to be better people.  It taught us to give back to the community.  In fact, there is no bigger influence on my belief that giving back to the community is essential to accomplish one’s goal on earth than you and College Match.  Anytime the question ‘why is it important to you to give back to the community?’ is raised, I MUST mention College Match.

Our College Match 2006 Class has so many students has so many students that are going to the most prominent schools in the nation.  I guess all those hours of SAT prep classes, meetings in the College Office, and time spent on college applications really paid off!!!  One other thing that I feel really contributed to this was the trip to the East Coast.  I will be going to Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh.  Without the trip, I would never have applied to CMU, never even given THOUGHT to applying to schools outside of California.  I am very glad to have been given a part of this awesome program and given the chance to have one of the most unbelievable and unique experiences.  Thank you for all your help and for being there every single time we had a very important question or a very insignificant question.  We could always count on you.”

---This young man has enrolled in Carnegie Mellon University

 I’d really like to say a warm and hearty THANK YOU for everything you’ve done….I’m sure I speak for everyone upon saying that.  You’ve done an incredible as our advisor, and we wouldn’t be going to these amazing colleges if (it were) not for you and Ms. Neilson.  Thank you so much for your constant support and encouragement…and that counts for both academic and athletic endeavors.  Thank you for giving us opportunities that most students from low-income backgrounds could only hope for.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Your work is absolutely inspiring and will always be remembered by grateful hearts.”

--This young woman has enrolled in Pomona College

“These three years have gone by quickly, haven’t they?  But I must say they have granted me opportunities I never even dreamed of.  And it is all thanks to your efforts.  The way my mom puts it, you have been like a fairy-godfather.  You have granted all of our wishes without dissolving the magic at a specific time.  On the other hand, your magic expands and allows all of us to enjoy ourselves and make fabulous futures. 

“From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank you for everything you’ve shown me.  Because of you and College Match, I know my future will be much more prosperous and successful.  I know those three years of waking up early Saturday morning helped to develop many skills I would have never attained with a normal public school education.  I thank God that you and College Match came into my life.  My gratitude is so grand that there really are no words to express how thankful I am.  I hope that the students after the College Match Class of 2006 appreciate the things you do as much as I’m sure we all do.  Again, thank you for being an inspiration and the best fairy-godfather anyone could possibly ask for.”

---This young woman has enrolled in Trinity College (CT)

“Where would I be without the wonders of College Match?  I have been extremely fortunate and am forever grateful to have been part of this unbelievably amazing program.  College Match has impacted my life in so many ways.  It has

--broadened my perceptions on colleges, many outside of California

--introduced me to various wonderful colleges, which I would have otherwise never known existed

--instilled in me the self-confidence I need to venture to the East Coast on my own, away from the familiar faces of my family and friends

---and helped me achieve the academic dream of attending Harvard.

“I think it’s safe to say that everybody loves College Match!  And College Match would not be the same if it weren’t for the marvelous people who put in the time and effort to make high school students’ dreams come true….Your altruism is truly inspiring.  I know you will continue to touch many people’s hearts and better people’s lives.  I love what you do and hope I can help people the way you do every day.”

---This young woman designed the College Match logo and has enrolled in Harvard University

“Thank you all for all that you have done.

Hard times are now turned into times of pride.

All this we managed with you at our side.

Nor could we otherwise this course have run.

Kindness isn’t tendered on demand

You gave with love, not merely out of duty.

Our days are daily burnished by that beauty.

Upon your love we all now proudly stand.”

This young woman has enrolled at Pomona College

“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart because you gave me the confidence that I needed to look out of the tiny box I was living in and made me believe I had the potential to grasp opportunities that seemed impossible to achieve, but are attainable.  With your information about colleges and opportunities that are available to low-income students such as me, you opened my eyes and made me see myself further down the road of life than I Previously saw myself in my dreams.

“Before I met you, my college list was limited to certain public colleges that were around my local area.

Whenever I was asked the famous question of where I wanted to go to college, I would respond with the name of the public college that was most prestigious around my area.  With no previous ‘real’ knowledge about private colleges, I never considered them.  The few facts that I did know about them always ended up being about their high cost, and therefore I always eliminated them right away…There was no way.

Then you came along, and your words made me think you believed in me.  You believed that even though I did not have the money to pay my way to college, I had the most important things:  I had the potential and the intelligence to do so.  And that alone would be enough.  You talked about the many scholarships, grants and loans that were available to students in need of them, and this encouraged me to apply to private colleges and have confidence that I could be accepted.  You even provided us with SAT and ACT prep courses that really helped my scores and would have otherwise been hard to pay for.  You took a group of students, including me, to tour various private colleges to see how we liked them, and the experience was incredible and unforgettable….

“You gave me the inspiration and motivation that I needed to believe in myself and to set my limits really, really far in the horizon.  You made me believe that…colleges that wanted students like me would help me financially….I never thought that an underprivileged someone like me would have such a great opportunity at being accepted at colleges that I would once have thought impossible to attend because of the cost.  But now I know it is possible because I was determined to apply and be accepted into CMC, the school of my choice.”

---This young woman has enrolled in Claremont McKenna College 

“Thank you so much for all that you have done to help me get into a good college.  I remember the first day I met you during the interview process; I was so scared.  Now I’m very comfortable, and I’m lucky to have you as a mentor, because if it weren’t for…College Match, I don’t think I would be going to UC Santa Barbara.  I appreciate all the SAT/ACT classes you provided us as well as all the field trips to colleges.  I had a great time looking at so many colleges.  I even have memories…getting lost at Brown…thank you for finding me.  I was introduced to many smart students within College Match and have made some great friends.  If you hadn’t made all the meetings mandatory, I would have missed out on applying to a lot of colleges, because I probably would have missed the deadlines.

I hope the future set of kids will appreciate you as much as I have.  Nobody could have taught me what college is about as much as you have.  My parents don’t really know how to be proud of me for getting accepted to colleges and all the hard work I had to go through to get there, because they don’t know anything about it and so just hearing you tell me, ‘great job Jessica, I’m proud of you” makes me feel very good.  Thank you again for everything, and I’m going to miss seeing you.  I will keep in touch with you and let you know everything that’s going on with me…I hope you will do the same…I know you will.”

---This young woman has enrolled at UC Santa Barbara

“Being the first member of my family to go straight into a four-year university, I must say I couldn’t have done it without you and the College Match program.  You helped me see the importance of college.  Although I always dreamt of attending college, you helped me transform my dream into reality.  Thank you for all of your time, effort and support.  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to visit numerous colleges such as Stanford, Harvard, and Brown.  The college Match program broadened my eyes to see that there is more out there than USC, UCLA and Oxy.  It has given me the motivation to continue my education and achieve my dreams.  This has been one of the most life changing experiences I have had.  I am proud to say I will now attend UC San Diego in the fall, but without the support from you, all members of College Match and my family, I would not be where I am now.”

---This young woman has enrolled at UC San Diego

“My senior year would have never been the same without you.  Your help has not only changed my next four years in college, but it has truly also helped me grow…it is because of you that I feel more prepared for college than the other students.  In fact, College Match has (provided) many experiences for me that I would never trade for anything in the world.  I might have missed a few classes or something but you still managed to help me stay on tract for college stuff.  I also believe that your hard work in getting classes for us and trips has strongly influenced my SAT scores in a positive way.  There is so much I can say when it comes to College Match….THANK YOU SO MUCH.

---This young woman has enrolled at USC

 “Thank you for your support and dedication.  I can’t thank you enough for opening my eyes to a new world of opportunities.”

---This young woman has enrolled in UCSB

“I just wanted to say THANK YOU!!!  I greatly appreciate all your support and help throughout my college search.  I also appreciate your motivation and confidence in me to be accepted into Rice.  I can never forget all the opportunities and the experiences you provided to me.”

---This young man has enrolled in Rice University

“I’m sure you already know that we are grateful for the great experiences you have allowed us to enjoy, but I wanted to remind you I’ll never forget about all the ways you helped me and thank you for opening my eyes to such a great school.”

---This young woman has enrolled in Rice University

“Not to get religious on you, but I truly do thank God for putting you in my path.  The support and encouragement I received from you made such an impact in my life.  I sometimes got the encouragement I did not get at home and needed from you.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for everything.  I am sure I will be able to develop into that woman you always told me I could be….”

---This young woman has enrolled in St. Benedict’s College

“Thank you.  College Match is a great program because of you and all the effort you put into making everything work out.”

---This young woman has enrolled in UCLA

“No matter how many times I say thank you it will never suffice.  What you have done for us College Match students is incredible.  I know that when I get older and look back to these years, you will definitely be present in my memory.”

---This young woman has enrolled in Mount Holyoke College

“Thank you for all the support and effort you kindly gave the College Match group.  You gave me the confidence I didn’t have myself.  You are in my list of people who have changed my life for the better.”

---This young man has enrolled in UC-Davis

“I want to thank you for everything you have done for me.  I am a better person because of you and College Match.  You taught me to look outside my comfort zone and strive to be better than I already am.

“I could never thank you for accepting me into College Match, the SAT prep, the college tours, or the help with my applications.  I am most grateful for your help with Brown.  You held onto my dream when I almost lost all hope.  Without your determination, I don’t know where I would be.  Now, I can’t imagine myself attending another school.  You have changed my perspective on life and my outlook for the future.”

---This young woman has enrolled in Brown University

“I want to thank you for all you have done for us.  Thank you.”

---This young woman has enrolled in Wellesley College

“Thank you so much for always supporting me in all of my decisions.  Never did I feel pressured to make a decision I was not comfortable with.  You’ve given me so much that I will take with me for the rest of my life.  I hope that as a journalist, I can bring and give of myself as you have.  You’ve taken your passion, and you’ve run with it—I hope I can do the same as a writer.  You’re amazing—the world would be better with more like you.”

---This young woman has enrolled in St. Benedict’s College

“I have lived (long) enough now to understand that there is not a (single) person who (hasn’t had to overcome) some sort of obstacle.  And I (have) learned that even though some of us have some tougher barriers to cross than others, we are all given what we need to become the person we wish to become.  I have lived through my experiences and come out on the other side and people still like me, and I am still pretty happy.  I might not have a normal family that I can come home to at the end of the day and see, (but) I am surrounded by the most amazing people, and I am grateful for that.

“You are one of them…you changed my life in a way I will never be able to thank you for.  You not only made my mom’s dreams come true but mine as well….(You provided) the kind of happiness I am not able to describe.  People like you (make it) worthwhile to live in this world.  Thank you for being such a great mentor, counselor, friend, man with a great heart, and a role model for all of us.  Thank you very much for not only helping us with college but for being there in every single way we needed you.  You are amazing.”

---This young woman has overcome more obstacles than anyone I’ve ever met and has enrolled in Bryn Mawr College.