By Gene A. Lambey
Special to the AFRO
The college application process is an important time for students figuring out their future. While many students and their families think of college as the next step, others consider different pathways such as joining the work force, the military, law enforcement or taking a gap year.
Hamzat Saba, director of College Alumni Programs at Thurgood Marshall Academy (TMA) Public Charter High School in Southeast D.C. and Dr. Joel Siepierski, director of College Counseling at Sidwell Friends Private School (Sidwell Friends) in Northwest D.C., recently spoke with the AFRO about assisting students in their college and career decision-making process.
“My job is just to make sure our team with the seniors. We have a space dedicated to just the college-going process,” said Saba.
For TMA, there are weekly sessions that include group meetings and one-on-one time with counselors where they discuss college goals, the financial aid process or any other tasks related to their college search.
Sierpierski says thinking about college is not a task exclusive to high school seniors at Sidwell Friends.
“We start at the beginning of their junior year, maybe earlier especially if they have certain circumstances,” said Siepierski, who is one of four full time counselors. “Our primary goal is to work with students and families through the process of finding a good fit. Our one-on-one process begins during the junior year. Although we do have group meetings, we meet primarily one-on-one with our students.”
At TMA, both juniors and seniors have access to preparation for their SAT and ACT exams.
“We offer senior or junior boot camp where students come over the summer. There’s a SAT prep portion for our boot camp an hour a day, Monday through Thursday,” said Saba.
In the fall, seniors have preparations included in their core classes as well as online sessions through resources like Khan Academy twice a week.
Sidwell Friends does not offer “in-house” SAT preparation, however the school does offer the SAT exam for their students and assists with fees and testing plans.
“What I’ve found here at Sidwell is that a lot of our kids have already started their testing plan by the time we’re even encountering them. We have a lot of end of the year sophomores and early juniors already prepared to take the test,” said Siepierski.
The DC Policy Center’s most recent study put four-year graduation rates at 72 percent for Black students during the 2023-2024 school year, compared to 76 percent overall during that same time frame.
Postsecondary acceptance rates in D.C. are rising, with 56 percent of all graduating high school seniors enrolling into universities and colleges. For Black or African-American students, that number sits at 53 percent.
For many, the decision to go to college or into the workforce is purely financial.
TMA’s grant program is called the Alumni Mercy Fund, where a sum of money is set aside yearly. The sum of money, up to $500, can be used towards books, tuition or other resources to support the students in their college or university.
TMA recommends other programs outside of the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area that give funding as well, such as the North Carolina Promise which gives $500 per semester to students attending Western Carolina University (WCU), Fayetteville State University (FSU), University of North Carolina at Pembroke and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU).
Though many think they will go to college, others know that another path is a better fit. TMA assists students towards alternate paths outside of college in resources such as local trade school programs with Union 5 and United Planning Organization, a local institution that offers workforce development training and economic support. Programs for TMA seniors interested in the D.C. police department or the fire department are also available. For students interested in military service, TMA offers resources in preparing for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).
Siepierski concluded that seniors at Sidwell Friends who are interested in other paths outside of college and universities, such as ROTC or trade school, are encouraged to move towards that route.
For more information on how to successfully attend college, click here.
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