College Match 2009 Comments

The fifth full College Match class graduated in June 2009.  We held a Special Graduation Ceremony at the Stadium Club at Dodger Stadium on May 28, 2009.  200 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 immunization shots, jackets, linens, comforters, etc.

“I want to thank you for the wonderful opportunity you have provided me with College Match.  The first time I learned about the College Match program, I knew I wanted to be part of such a program that would enable me to fulfill my dream of obtaining a college education.  The College Match program drove me to be the best I could be, and  (enabled me to) challenge myself academically and personally to reach the expectations provided by you.  Without your help and encouragement, I doubt I would have made it to Georgetown and where I am today.  The opportunity you give to low income talented students like me is something I will always treasure.  I hope you keep College Match at Jordan for years to come and keep giving teens like me the opportunity to attend one of the best colleges in the country.  I am grateful to be one of the 62 graduating College Match seniors and hope to make you proud by my future endeavors and efforts to make the world a better place.  I hope to see you next year at Georgetown with the class of 2011, and I will try to persuade some of them to apply to Georgetown.”

This young woman has enrolled in Georgetown University

“When I first started College Match I wasn't confident about my capabilities. I didn't feel as though I was one that would be able to succeed in college. After meeting a few of the other College Match students I realized that these were the kinds of students I was going to be with in college. I feared what college would be like, that I wouldn't be able to match up against them, and I feared having to take the SAT's. Thanks to College Match I let go of all my fears, and was able to feel confident, comfortable, and excited to go to college. The SAT classes were really helpful.  I don't know what kind of grade I would have gotten if I had not have been offered that experience. College Match also helped me realize my full potential, and made me want the best education for myself.  Without College Match I would probably be attending a Cal State this fall. All the time and effort you put into my essays was really appreciated. You offered constructive criticism, and a wonderful helper….I don't know how I would have survived through the college application process if it weren't for all the help. You work so hard to make sure we have the best, and you offer us so many wonderful, unique and educational activities. I will never forget our trip to the East Coast, going to such wonderful colleges, visiting Historical landmarks, and all the wonderful people I met.  Thank you very much. I appreciate it all.”

This young woman will be attending UCLA

“My dreams and goals have been transformed because of you and College Match.  If I would have known that I would be going to an out of state private college, I would have laughed, thinking it was impossible.  But due to your faith, I cannot see myself going to any other college but Wellesley.  Thank you.”

This young woman has enrolled in Wellesley College

“I am more than grateful to have met such a fantastic set of angels.  With your counseling and support I was able not only to get into the college I could only dream about, but also to survive through the last two years of high school….I am pretty sure that the challenges you faced were…daunting.  Nevertheless, you were deeply convinced that I could still make it, and I did.  The experiences I had in College Match will be indelible.  You have made a dream come true, not only for me, but for a great lot of other kids.  The SAT classes, combined with the East Coast trip opened the world for me.  The friends I made, the obstacles and challenges I faced made me a more resilient person, as well as a human being.  As such, I realize how necessary your job is for kids from homes like mine.  The amount of energy you put into making college a reality has never stopped to impress me and make me think that there are people out there willing to care about us.  I can only say thanks a few times, but you should know that I will never stop thanking you for all you did for me.

“I also wish to thank you for your counseling and continuous support through what I call, the sourest moments of my life.  You kept the dream of going to college alive at times when I felt hopeless.  You pushed my limits and made me a stronger individual by challenging me academically.  My Application Season would not have been as successful as it was if you hadn’t been standing by my side to pinch me when I was going the wrong way, and to applaud when I was going great.

“In the same way, I also want to insist that you keep this program running as long as you can for I know that like me, there are many, many kids out there that need a helping hand to jump aboard what I call College Boat.  You should feel awfully proud of those hearts you two have!  God bless you!”

This young man has enrolled in Dartmouth College

“Please enjoy these cookies as a sign of our gratitude for everything you have done for Grecia and your commitment to College Match.”

The parents of a young woman who has enrolled in Princeton University

“Thank God for people like you.  Words cannot express our thanks to you.  May God continue to bless you and keep you.  You are the answer to our prayers of 18 years ago.”

The parents of a young woman who has enrolled in Santa Clara University—The student’s comments are below.

“When I first started College Match, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I really want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience traveling around on college tours and learning to become an excellent scholar. I thank you for providing the SAT classes that helped me to get a decent score. I also want to thank you for extending my knowledge of colleges and letting me know that a college does not have to be an Ivy League school in order to be categorized as a prestigious one. Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to prove to myself that I can become a well-mannered, intellectual scholar that works hard.  Had it not been for you letting me be a part of College Match, part of me wouldn't be the mature young adult I am today.  I also want to thank you for constructively critiquing my personal statements and making them into great papers. I also want to thank you for believing in me and giving me numerous chances to turn in new drafts for you to check. Thanks so much!!!!!!! I promise as I enter college, I will not let you down.  I will work as diligently as I am capable of doing.  I hope as a College Match student I have made you both proud.  Thanks so much; I really appreciate it.”

This young woman has enrolled in Santa Clara University

"I cannot thank you enough. You have done so much for us Jordan students, and you have incredibly impacted my life in so many ways. Beyond the College Match meetings, you have taught me how to lead a life with responsibility and awareness. You are truly an extraordinary man and without you many of us would not be in the place we are now. You have opened a small window of opportunity that has transformed into so much more and bigger than that. So I thank you for that and for the time you have invested in my personal and academic growth."

This student will be attending Brown University

“I don’t have the words to express to you how I feel.  I know I put you through some rough times but the good ones saw through.  I’m so happy you were my knight in shining armor; I don’t know what I would have done without you.  You helped me get into Bryn Mawt and several other excellent colleges.”

This young woman has enrolled in Bryn Mawr College

“Being part of College Match has been a privilege that I have enjoyed…I don’t believe I could have succeeded this far were it not for the preparation I received at the Saturday morning SAT classes.  I would like to thank you and Julie for working ever so diligently to help me realize that I had  college options. I had always thought that I would go to college locally.  However, when I was taken on the East Coast trip I fell in love with a real school, a school I will now be attending in the fall. I am always going to remember the day I received your call on my cellphone minutes after I had emailed you for help about Questbridge. Thank you so much for helping me make a decision I am proud of. The only form that I have of repaying you is staying in college, graduating, and making an impact in the world. This of course will not be a problem because Vassar is going to provide me with the resources I need to make this happen. Once again, thank you.”

This young woman has enrolled in Vassar College

“If it wasn’t for you guys and the whole College Match program, I know I would not be going to the college I will attend in the fall. Being a part of this program made me see and experience things outside of my bubble and made me (understand) all the different aspects that are needed to be in college. It allowed me to see colleges around the nation and be there first hand to see how it would feel and sense the kind of environment....It also provided me with the tools to score well on the SATs which are an aspect of college admittance in most schools. Essays were another part that I got help in. College Match pushed us to work on our supplemental essays for each college that we applied to and (advised) throughout the writing process. You helped me with the whole financial aid process…and gave us advice on everything we did concerning colleges.  Without…this program, I don’t know where I would have ended up going to school, and for that I am grateful. Everyone that is part of the program are all great people and always lent a hand… no matter how big or small the problem was.

“Being a part of College Match helped me analyze myself as a person and let me reflect on what I have done so far. It made me realize that even though I am a great student, I can still push myself more because in college its going to be a whole different ball game.  I know that I will have to push myself in order to keep things rolling in the right direction and help maintain that.

I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart to those who helped me throughout my college admissions process and I just want to say that I owe everything to you guys because without this program I would be heading in a whole different direction.”

This young man will be attending Santa Clara University

“It was my great pleasure to have taken part in such a wonderful and incredible program.  With all sincerity, I greatly appreciate the privilege and honor of having been a College Match student.  My favorite part of the program was meeting and building lasting relationships with other well-rounded and young individuals.  Before College Match, my ideal school was any state college in California, but after College Match, my top choice was Mount Holyoke College.  Without the help of this program, I would never have learned about all the small liberal arts colleges on the East Coat.  Thanks to College Match, I am ready to embark on my transition from high school to Smith College.

“I would personally like to thank both of you for always making sure I had my common application and personal statements completed.  More importantly, I would like to thank you for speaking to my mother about allowing me to attend Smith College.  Without you, I do not know what I would be doing.  Again, thanks.”

This young woman will be attending Smith College

“I just want to thank you for all of your help and every effort you’ve made to help us keep going.  Thank you for all the opportunities you’ve given to all of us.  I don’t know what I would’ve done without College Match.  Thank you so much.”

This young woman will be attending Dartmouth College

“College Match has not only inspired me to pursue a college education, it has also inspired me to be someone I can be proud of in my future life.  Now I know that one person can make a difference, one act of random kindness at a time.  I just wanted to thank the people of College Match for their random act of kindness.”

This young man has enrolled in Bates College

“Thanks to College Match I was able to travel out of state for the first time and visit schools that I did not know existed.  The rigorous SAT Prep definitely helped me improve my scores and get accepted to excellent schools.  Without College Match, I do not think I would have found my perfect fit.”

This young woman has enrolled in Occidental College

“I just want to say thank you.  Thank you for everything you have done.  Thank you.”

This young man will be attending Franklin & Marshall College

“Thank you for everything.  I don’t think that I would have gotten to where I am going without the College Match trips.  They really opened up my eyes to a new world.  Thank you Again.”

This young woman has enrolled in Connecticut College

“I would like to thank you for this program, because it has helped me greatly.  For the rest of my life I will be grateful to all of you in College Match.  If it were not for you guys, I would have never been exposed to great colleges, and I would never have become the great person I am now.  Being a member of this program has been a great experience, and I believe I was very fortunate to participate in College Match.  All of the College Match staff have been extremely helpful, and I’m certain that if I ever need help I can count on you guys.  Thank you for helping me every step of the way, and thank you for making me realize that I can reach greatness.”

This young woman will be attending Occidental College

“Well graduation day is coming soon, and I cannot wait.  I must say I am really looking forward to college, and College Match has helped me understand the importance of attaining a college education.  Thank you so much for the amazing experience and for helping my so much with the college application process.  Thank you for supporting me in everything and for dedicating yourselves to improving the lives of young human beings who possess great potential but lack the resources.  I also wish to thank you for taking the time to work with each and every student individually and for helping us get into the college or university of our dreams.

“Thanks to the College Match program I am headed to an amazing Ivy league college where I will pursue a career in medicine and grow to become an independent and knowledgeable human being.  Thanks again to all of you for taking the time to get to know me and for helping me achieve my goals and for helping me discover my true potential.”

This young woman will be attending Dartmouth College

“I am writing this letter to thank you for all you have done to help me in my pursuit of higher education. Thank you for providing us with SAT classes on weekends, writing workshops and tons of other things that aided us in our college application process, and eventually our enrollment decisions. When I first joined College Match I know that you guys were taking a risk by accepting me because my grades weren’t as high as the other applicants, but I worked hard to show you that I was worth the risk. With your help I earned the second highest SAT score in the school, and the highest ACT score. Thank you for paying for my third SAT test and helping edit and re-edit my college application essays.

 “The SAT classes were very educational and surprisingly fun. I don’t think that I would have done so well on the test if it were not for those long classes on Saturday mornings. Also thank you for sitting down with us and realistically helping us choose which schools to apply to and celebrating with us when we succeeded and comforting us when we failed (got rejected).

Going on the college tour to the East Coast really opened my eyes to what the world had to offer outside of California schools. Without College Match I wouldn’t have known about or applied to most of the schools I was accepted to. Thanks for all the help and support you gave my fellow College Match students and me.  I couldn’t have done it without you.”

This young man has enrolled in Santa Clara University

“I am amazed at the work and overall effort that you and Julie provide for our students in the LAUSD district. I have gained new insight to the college process, especially the private schools. …. Please pass my sentiments to Julie.

Once again, You and Julie are AWESOME!! God shall truly bless you.”

The 2009 College Counselor at Jordan High School

“Thanks to the College Match program, I became a competitive applicant for prestigious colleges.  I earned many offers of admission from institutions such as Vassar and Dartmouth College.  College Match has opened new windows of opportunities that I believed were unattainable for minority students.  I now know that with hard work and motivation that we can gain admission to superb colleges.”

This young man has enrolled in Vassar College and intends to be part of a five-year two-degree program with Dartmouth College also

“College Match is a great program that allows students to explore outside their boundaries.  If it were not for College Match, I would have stayed on the West Coast for college, but now I will be attending Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania.  I will always be grateful for the opportunities and experiences College Match has allowed me to have.”

This young man has enrolled in Franklin & Marshall College

“Being part of College Match has been an awesome experience.  It opened up my mind to different colleges that I didn’t know about.  Thanks to College Match, I found the perfect school where I can be successful for the next four years.  College Match has provided me with the support and resources that I needed to fill out my college applications and receive a good financial aid package.  Thanks to College Match I am about to embark on a journey to Wheaton College.”

This young woman has enrolled in Wheaton College (MA)

“I really appreciate College Match because the program gave me the opportunity to explore around and visit colleges that I had never heard of.  College Match opened up new doors to my future right after some had been closed.  I will now be attending a private all-girls school in Massachusetts.  It had never crossed my mind previously to attend an all-girls school.”

This young woman has enrolled in Mount Holyoke College

“I would like to thank you both for giving me this opportunity. It has helped me grow as a student, preparing me to be successful in college. With your help I was able to be more knowledgeable about college choices and learn that there were actually choices that I could make that would suit my own needs. The New England tour, Northern California tour, and the Claremont College tour helped me a lot. I am thankful for being able to go on these trips for free because if I had had to pay I probably wouldn’t have gone. It opened my eyes to new experiences and introduced me to colleges that I have never heard of before. Also, I was able to meet a group of whole new people through College Match who have become friends. 

I would also like to thank you for the SAT prep classes. These classes really prepared me to take my SAT and get a good score on it. With this I was able to raise my potential of getting into a good college. I even had a cool teacher and the class was fun! Without these classes I don’t know what I would have done in order to get a good score on the tests.

Even though the college application process was difficult and strenuous, you guys stuck behind in order to make sure I had good essays. My essays would have been close to mediocre if I did not get help with them. I also wouldn’t have had anyone else look over them. I wouldn’t even have known what to do in order to make sure all of my stuff was in order. I would have been lost and disqualified out of even applying to college without your help. I would even like to thank you guys for leading me through the financial aid process because you got me deals that I otherwise wouldn’t have gotten. You made sure I had everything I needed in order to make sure I had the right amount of financial aid so I wouldn’t have to worry about the financial factor of college. My family is greatly relieved because of this.  I am greatly appreciative for this experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I am so excited about going to Santa Clara University and knowing that I had help doing it just makes me even happier.”

Thanks for Everything!

This young man has enrolled in Santa Clara University

“Thank you!... My parents are extremely grateful. My mom still can’t believe what has happened over the last couple of years but she is very happy.

 Again THANK YOU!”

This young man has enrolled at Vassar College

"Hi there,       

"I know that you have been asking for pictures of the trips since we got back and I finally have enough time to sort through them and send you some. Some of the pictures are of the wonderful colleges we visited and some of them are of the group. However, I warn you that there might be more pictures of Connecticut that any other school because I absolutely fell in love with that school. Anyways, I really want to thank you and Julie for making us split up and share rooms with people that weren't from our schools. I know that I personally had some reservations about sharing rooms when you guys made the announcement before the trip, but after the first night I got over it. When you said that people from the program are people that we would probably find more things in common with than people from our schools you were so right. Almost every one got along and bonded real well.         

"I probably have an endless amount of stories to tell about our crazy shenanigans on the trip. I mean its been a few weeks since the trip and things are still fresh on my mind. For example, most of us remember singing on the bus like a bunch of idiots.... I still remember running to the bus every morning! Then there's the snowball fight at Dartmouth where we got in trouble...because we were fighting near a pile of rocks which was apparently a piece of art. Then the day we met Elmer from Bowdoin was also pretty memorable. .. And then there's the group rubbing of the lucky foot at Yale.         

"Many things happened on that trip that I will never forget and there were also many things I learned and gained from it. I mean everyone we talked to was talking about the freedom of college but I never really grasped the concept of it. I think I finally understood when we went to Middlebury and we saw a guy on a broom wearing a cape chasing another guy dressed from head to toe in gold. That is definitely unlimited freedom. I think the trip was also a learning experience for my parents. They now know they can trust me to take care of myself and that if I don't live at home then the world won't fall apart.         "

I still can't find the words to fully express my gratitude to you and Julie and the whole College Match program. Before I always knew that I wanted to leave California to go to college but I never thought I could ever get there. I never felt that anyone would want me to attend their school because I thought I had nothing to offer, except the talent of never knowing when to shut up. The trip just opened my eyes to a whole new world of opportunity. I'm more excited than ever to be part of this program. Thank you so much for choosing me to participate in the College Match experience and hopefully I will do this program justice and get into a really great school. Once again thank you so much and I hope I didn't bore you with my ramblings. "