Our Programs
Get Ready! volunteers work with families, local schools, businesses, and religious and community groups to provide three quality programs.
SAT Prep
College student volunteers who scored well on their SATs tutor high school
students in small group classes (no more than five students per volunteer) in
preparation for the exam. Volunteers prepare lessons together in consultation
with local educators.
Why? The SAT is the most important exam of a student's high school career. It
is a critical criterion for admission at nearly every major U.S. college and
university. Additionally, over $23 million in scholarships is awarded to
students annually based upon PSAT and SAT scores. Low-income students are
forced to compete with the over 100,000 students the College Board estimates
enroll annually in commercial SAT coaching programs. Given the costs of such
programs, which typically charge hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars,
affluent students easily dominate the competition for limited spots at select
institutions and for the scholarship money that low-income students need most.
College Choice
Volunteers work with students in groups and arrange panel discussions of
experts to help with the process of selecting and applying to colleges and
finding access to financial aid and scholarships.
Why? High School guidance counselors, particularly in urban public schools,
typically have case-loads of several hundred students. We work with local high
schools to supplement their work by offering students individual attention and
assistance they may not otherwise receive.
Community Involvement
Through community involvement we hope both to inspire a sense of empowerment
about a process that can often feel disenfranchising to the inexperienced, and
to show students that those around them care about their education and success.
In both Boston and Mount Vernon, Get Ready! has functioned in cooperation with
local schools which assist with publicity and advice and training for
volunteers. The religious community and groups such as the Urban League and
Boys and Girls Clubs have provided space and support for the program in
innumerable forms. Nearly all our teaching materials and additional supplies
have been provided free of charge or at great discounts by local businesses.
Parents play perhaps the most important role of encouraging their students
along.
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