WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT COLLEGE MATCH
At the request of the Los Angeles Unified School Board, Harley Frankel provided the Board with a "Moment of Inspiration" describing the success of College Match and making recommendations to the Board for improving college access for all low-income students in Los Angeles. This presentation took place at the Board's on May 8, 2007 meeting. After the presentation, the LAUSD Board gave Awards to five College Match students from Jordan High School in Watts and then gave Mr. Frankel a Resolution of Appreciation to College Match expressing "their sincere appreciation to College Match for our commitment to academic excellence and our dedication to the students and families of LAUSD."
“Exceptionally Impressive”
-Former United States
Congressman Mel Levine made this comment in reference
to the success of the program in helping our students get into top-ranked
colleges.
“I want to commend you on the work you are doing with students in the Los Angeles area. It is work that is definitely needed.”
-Mike Krzyzewski, Head Basketball Coach at Duke University and U. S. Olympic Coach
"College Match is doing the work that is so essential to youngsters with talent who need a staircase more than a step to reach their educational goals."
-Shirley M. Hufstedler, Former U. S. Secretary of Education
"College Match is discovering accomplished high school students from some of Los Angeles' lowest-income neighborhoods and helping to open doors for them at the best colleges in the country. I am pleased and proud to be a partner with College Match by providing a copy of the Fiske Guide to Colleges to each student in this valuable program."
-Edward B. Fiske
The Los Angeles Times ran a front page story about College Match, August 6,
2006.
Read the story here.
In August, 2006, College Match was the focus of a KPPC radio feature,
broadcast on National Public Radio.
Listen to it here.
The Associated Press/CNN featured College Match in March 2006
Read the article here.
Privilege Magazine has a four-page article about College Match in its
Holiday 2005 issue.
Read the article here.
College Match was recently featured in National CrossTalk, a
publication of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
Read the article here.
What some of our students have said about previous East Coast College Tours:
Read their responses to the trip.
People have a lot to say about College Match! Read comments from students and others about the organization.
College Match Student Comments after 2005 East Coast Trip
In March 2005, College Match took 37 high achieving low-income and minority students from East Los Angeles and Watts to visit eleven outstanding colleges on the East Coast. At the end of the trip, these students wrote their feelings about the College Match program on several “thank you” cards. A sampling of these unsolicited views is presented below:
“First of all, thank you so much for making all of this possible. It is truly a blessing to
have someone…to guide us, help us and encourage us to become all that we can
be. Thank you for enabling me to
receive the opportunities that I would probably not (have) had without the
College Match program. Second, thank
you for this sensational trip to the East Coast….I have been introduced to a
whole new world and know that I will be ready to spread my wings and fly when
the time comes. There are not enough words
to explain my gratitude for…the SAT classes (and)…this trip. So once again, THANK YOU!
I know you have helped me grow as an
individual and to become more independent.”
"When this trip started I was
unsure of what I looked for in a college. I knew what my parents wanted and expected but was still in doubt about
what I wanted. This trip has allowed me
to experience so much and learn so much about myself. Leaving my family for the first time, I realized that I can be away
from home (without missing them too much). After visiting so many colleges, I know I want to attend a small school
rather than a big one and have the confidence to believe that I can get into a
college that I once thought was out of reach. Thank you so much for all the work and effort you put into this trip and
for helping us on the road to college and for opening many doors of
opportunities. I am truly grateful.”
"...I just want you to know that I really appreciate what you have done for me. Without you I would never have heard of these schools.
I also would never have thought of applying to places like Harvard. You've opened up my eyes to a bigger and better world...Thank you so
much for offering me the key that will open up doors of success later on in my life."
“First off, thank you so so much. There are not enough words for me to explain the tremendous gratitude I feel for you…I (feel)…grateful that you would choose to help low-income kids. I have heard of no other man who has done anything close to you. I, along with everyone one in College Match will remember you forever. You have been and will be the most influential person in my life. This trip has been great. I have learned a plethora of information. I have completely changed the way I (feel) about some schools. For example, I loved Brandeis and Trinity which were not on my list of schools before the trip, but now they have joined Brown. I now believe I have a decent chance of getting into some of these schools. I am excited about applying to these colleges…”
"Thank you so much! This trip to the East Coast has been the finest and biggest eye opener of my life. This trip will, I’m sure, make a huge impact on my life in terms of which college I choose and how I choose it."
“My words are nothing but those of complete gratitude. This experience has been the greatest experience of my life. I believe that now that I have ventured outside of California, my parents will understand the importance of my college education. Also how it will benefit me to explore beyond the front door. A million thank you’s are not enough.”
“Thank you sooooo…much for being such a great person. Thanks to you I have a chance to succeed in life. You are a very unique, caring person. I will always remember you as a mentor and as the best example to follow.”
“I want to thank you for giving me such an amazing opportunity to visit such colleges that I had no idea even existed….now I have Wheaton as my top choice and Wellesley after that. All of this was possible because of your passion to help others. Thank you so much.”
"First and foremost, I want to thank you for this great trip. All the great colleges you have taken the whole group and me (to) have opened my eyes. I’ve realized that before this trip, I had many misconceptions of what college life is like. I used to think that it would only be 4 years of studying, hours of boring lectures, and deep down, a waste of time. I’ve come to realize that college isn’t a waste of time, and although college involves a lot of studying, it also provides young adults with choices and a sense of independence that will help us grow up and be able to handle life’s twists and turns. With your guidance and support, I now feel confident that I can receive a great education from great colleges, and that I will be able to…(meet) the challenges that I will face. I want to once again sincerely thank you for everything you have done, not just for me, but for the hundreds of College Match kids of the present, past and future, whom with your help, will also see the great possibilities in life.”
“I really appreciate what you have done for us ever since we were invited to join College Match. I know that without your help I would never have come to visit so many wonderful colleges on the East Coast. I have become more independent and learned so much about so many schools. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart! You have changed my life!”
"This program along with the people in charge (has) brought me nothing but happiness and gratitude. I feel so lucky for having the opportunity to participate in College Match. I’m so glad that we still have people who really truly care for our futures. Honestly, I don’t think anything can replace the experience I’ve had….”
“This trip is probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had….When I win the Nobel Prize for Journalism, you will be someone I will thank. You are truly an inspiration.”
“I want to thank you so much for being a mentor, counselor and father to me. No matter how late I was or irresponsible I had been, you still kept me on your program. You have opened my mind to a world outside of Los Angeles. I would never have had this experience (were it) not for you. You have opened my wings and now I must fly. No one has ever been so kind and caring to me. I THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.”
“Thank you so much for everything! I appreciate everything you have done for College Match, for Animo, for me. I hope you’ll continue to support us and the people who come after us. You’ve opened my eyes to so many things that I never considered. Thank you so much.”
“I want to thank you for a time of greatness and marvelous fun. I will never forget these few days at a place that I would have never gone (but)…for your kindness and...willingness to help us all. In other words, you have been like a dad to me and to all of us in many different ways.”
“First and foremost, I want to thank you so much for allowing me to partake in the College Match program! Thank you! You don’t know how much I appreciate your generosity with all of us highly motivated students! You opened up a window for us all. You taught us and provided us with confidence to apply to great schools!...you honestly don’t know how much this program and this trip has…improved me! It’s nice to know we have a chance and that we have someone supporting us and guiding us through it! Thank you for believing in us and for motivating us to do good and be the best we can be!”
“Thank you for everything you have done. You are truly an inspiration to all of us. Without your generosity I wouldn’t have been able to experience these wonderful experiences. I can’t explain how this program has opened my eyes to a whole new world. Thank you again for showing us that there still are wonderful people in this tough place we call home.”
“You have really…(given) us the greatest opportunity of our lives. I’ll always remember who helped me reach success, because I know that with your help I will. With you I feel protected and taken care of; it takes away some (of the) nervousness of this process of growing up.”
"I just want to let you know how thankful I am. Words can't explain how I feel about the greatest opportunity given to me. Thanks to...(College Match) I see a very bright future for me....I appreciate this whole week you set up for us and I won't disappoint you. I've grown to explore new places. I wasn't sure about going away from my family, because I thought I wouldn't be able to make it on my own. I was fine throughout the whole trip, and I have more confidence now to do what I want to do. The colleges we visited were fascinating and beautiful. I really didn't have (the) motivation in my life to go to college, but then you came to our school and there was my motivation....I am ready to brighten my future. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the hard work you've done for us."
College Match Student Comments after 2004 East Coast Trip
Read comments from students who took the 2004 East Coast Trip, here.
Comments from College Match Students
Dear Mr. Frankel,
I just received my SAT II score online. I did pretty well, actually, I
did extremely well- I scored a 750 on the writing. I'm sure that my score is
a result of the prep class we took with Tim at Jordan; I don't think I
would have done as well without the class. Anyway, I just wanted to thank
you for the class you provided. THANK YOU!
It's at times like this that I'm most grateful for all your concern and
kindness towards us students in College-Match. I'm glad you're here to help
us through the whole getting-into-college process. See you at the SAT I
prep class!"
"I am moving to CMC tomorrow morning and I am very excited ! I know that school is going to be quite difficult but I have been feeling better about it since you and Steve Singer spoke to me about not being scared. Thank you so much for everything Mr. Frankel! The day has come and I still remember when you interviewed me for College Match and I had no idea who you really were or if I could really trust you. Now look where I'm at thanks to your unparalleled altruism. You have been so understanding and so caring. It is difficult to grow up in a home where your parents don't know the first thing about college [only that it is very expensive]. However, having you Mr. Frankel there by my side throughout my whole college application experience has been a blessing. It was really nice to have someone who understands that what I do means something. Often times my mother would be angry or simply bothered by the fact that I was never home and always at school because of my activities. She didn't understand that I did it because that's who I am , it's a part of me that I love. I enjoy helping others and making a difference and at times my mother only thought that I was involved in so many activities because I wanted to stay out of the house, and that was not the case. Sometimes it was just little achievements that I'd have, and it was easier to tell you about it than to tell my mother. It just doesn't reach her the way it reaches you because you understand it. For example, getting a 680 on the writing SAT II was huge for me and you understood that and you were proud of me, and that made me really happy because when I told mom about it, she didn't understand much of what the SAT was. You have been there when I've needed you most. You've helped me grow a lot as person. In my community we don't have the luxury of having people like you to set an example and to make kids feel inspired. Before meeting you I was determined to go to college somehow and that's how I met Mrs. Conway. I felt that I had to figure out a way to do it. Well, Mrs. Conway has to deal with 500 kids every year and she can't help each and every one of us, and then you came along. Your program gave me the tools I sought for to accomplish my goal of getting into college. I'm so happy to say, WE MADE IT MR. FRANKEL !!! IT'S REALLY HAPPENING! Thank you ! I could go on and on, but I have to continue packing. =) Please tell Steve Singer that I received Crime and Punishment this morning and that I am very grateful! Also tell him that I am spreading the advice he gave me to those who also need it. You are both doing wonderful things with College Match and I thank you for it!"
"I know I still cannot believe that I got a 1240. I got like a 10 something
on my first SAT test. All the classes paid off."
"I wanted to take this time to thank you for all the wonderful stuff you have done for us. I would like to thank you for opening my eyes and showing me a complete new world (not just college wise but for knowing my own potential and what I can be). Because of you I know that there are many options out there. Because of you I have learned to serve and reach out to the community."
"It sounds like it was a great trip for the kids. College Match is really doing the Lord's work!"
"Of all the great things you have accomplished, this one may be the most important. College Match has directly changed lives."
"I just wanted you to know how impressed I am with...College Match and the caliber of the young people in the program. It was a delight to meet them during the dinner at the Fleet Center....their politeness, gratitude and intelligence were all extremely impressive.
College Match should be in every city in the nation."
"When I first heard about the (College Match) program several months ago, I jumped at the chance to have our school participate. We are an extremely large, overcrowded school with many, many student needs to address. What we, or any school for that matter, can never do enough of is (to) provide students with special opportunities that inspire higher academic achievement....the College Match program does this and much more....The Director of College Match is a committed professional who is genuinely interested in helping our students attend outstanding colleges.
College Match has been working very hard these last few months to help some of our most deserving students acquire the college education that many of them believed was not possible for them. I am grateful that such organizations exist..."
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