CollegeTracks

OUR MISSION

The mission of CollegeTracks is to empower first-generation-to-college students and students from low-income and immigrant households in Montgomery County, Maryland by helping them bridge systemic opportunity gaps with enough support to get to and through postsecondary education and onto a career pathway.

OUR VISION

A future in which every student who graduates from high school in Montgomery County, Maryland has equitable access to their chosen career pathway.

WHY

Because we believe that everyone deserves a pathway to prosperity, regardless of who they are, how much they have, or where they come from, and we know that not every student in Montgomery County is now getting that opportunity.  Equitable access to higher education will help us build a stronger, healthier, and more just future for Montgomery County.

High School ACCESS Program
Our Access Program helps junior and senior high school students understand their postsecondary education and career options, identify those institutions that fit each student, and complete the critical milestones of the admissions process. CollegeTracks also engages parents, advises on the selections and decisions, and provides hands-on help with financial aid and scholarship applications to help students avoid onerous debt.

College SUCCESS Program
Our Success Program supports students once they begin their postsecondary education. Students learn critical success skills and develop a detailed degree plan. The coaches help students manage academic, financial, personal and social challenges they may face, and secure ongoing financial aid so they can thrive and graduate.

Volunteer Opportunities

CollegeTracks offers our volunteers the unique opportunity to be part of our critical work to help students through the college admission and financial aid processes. CollegeTracks volunteers are critical to our work and they assume various roles within our organization. Being a volunteer is rewarding and requires commitment to students' success and enthusiasm for equity. All volunteers are required to participate in a role-specific training program to ensure they have the tools and resources required to support students.

Volunteer Roles

You may choose to be a College Access Volunteer, a Test Prep Volunteer or an MC Tutor Volunteer. Each requires a weekly commitment of 2-6 hours on a specified school day for the duration of the academic year. All volunteers are required to participate in a role-specific training program to ensure they have the best tools and resources to support their work with students.

College Access on-site volunteers support students with their college admission and financial aid process during lunch and after-school appointments. On-site volunteers help students create college and financial aid portals, research colleges and scholarships, review college applications and essays, and much more! On-site volunteers must be available at least one day a week Monday- Thursday during lunch (approx. one hour between 11 am- 1 pm depending on school) or after school (2:30 pm- 4:30 pm).  Access Volunteers work closely with the Access Program Staff.

College Access virtual volunteers support students with their college admissions by providing feedback and editing students’ college admission documents. Each week virtual volunteers may receive 3-5 student documents, resumes, Common App activity descriptions, or essays, via Google Docs (a Gmail is required). Editing 3-5 documents can take anywhere from 1.5 hrs- 4 hours and virtual volunteers are expected to return the edited documents to Access staff within a week. Virtual volunteers are most needed from October- January (October being the busiest month). Other virtual/remote projects may include calling families or researching and updating scholarship lists, college spreadsheets, etc. Access Volunteers work closely with the Access Program Staff.

ACT Test Prep Volunteers help students prepare for the ACT college admissions test by tutoring a small group of students once a week for 8 to 12 weeks each semester. Test Prep Volunteers prepare 45-60 minute lessons in a range of subject areas (English, Math, Reading, and Science) to help students understand subject material, provide test-taking strategies, and support students through practice tests.

MC Tutoring Program Volunteers tutor CollegeTracks students attending Montgomery College in subjects ranging from Developmental Math to Calculus, ESL to English 101 and Biology to Physics. Working one on one or in small groups, tutors help students achieve academic success in their courses.

Student Volunteers may be offered SSL hours for support tasks. Examples include but are not limited to workshop room setup and breakdown, copying, and other office tasks. 

Prospective volunteers are selected as space becomes available.