College Possible program prepares Como Park students for college

By JAN WILLMS

Chelsey Tulgren is only in her early 20s, but she is already experiencing the pangs of what it feels like to be an empty nester, a parent whose child has gone off to college.

Tulgren is in her second year as a coach at Como Park High School for the College Possible program, working with seniors who are preparing for college.

She coached these same students last year as juniors, and as her assignment with AmeriCorps draws to a close, she will be ending her working relationship with them. All coaches are recent college graduates themselves and members of AmeriCorps.

“I can’t imagine what parents go through,” Tulgren said. “I am going to miss them so much.”

College Possible was founded in 2000 in St. Paul as “Admission Possible” by Jim McCorkell, as a program to assist low-income students to attend post-secondary training, and is transitioning to its new name this month.

“That first year St. Paul had 35 students in the program,” said Anna Rockne, communications coordinator for College Possible. “We are now serving 7600 students in the Twin Cities in 19 schools.” Ninety-one per cent are students of color. The program is currently in Nebraska and Wisconsin, as well as Minnesota.

McCorkell, a low income student himself, graduated from Carleton College and was inspired by his professor at the time, the late Sen. Paul Wellstone.

Statistics show that by age 24, 82 per cent of upper income students are in college, compared to only 8 per cent of low-income students. Based on his own circumstances, McCorkell wanted to raise that number.

To qualify for College Possible, students must have a 2.0 GPA, apply for the program at the end of their sophomore year, go through an interview process and do an essay and meet the poverty guidelines.

“There are high-flying achievers, and those who struggle and maybe a four-year degree is not for them,” said Tulgren. “We try to reach those in the middle.”
Tulgren said the coaches work really hard with recruitment.

“We now have 60 juniors in the program at Como Park,” Tulgren said.

She added that College Possible wants to make sure every sophomore is aware of this opportunity.

“We go in all the homerooms and classrooms and make announcements and put up posters,” Tulgren explained. “We get a list of every student in this income level and get in touch; we ask for student referrals and pull students aside in the hallways.”

She said that in their junior year on the program, students focus primarily on the ACT test. “The higher the score they earn, the more choices of schools they have.” she noted.

The students take four practice ACT tests, according to Tulgren, and take the real thing twice.

She works with them after school two days a week for two hours.” We review everything in all subjects,” Tulgren said.” I had one student who doubled her score on the ACT test from the first time she took it.”

She said the students have lots of resources to study from, and they also start talking about colleges and start researching them, making at least one college visit. They also do community service both their junior and senior years.

During their senior year, the students fill out a whirlwind of applications.

“We don’t just do it online, but they are packing envelopes with two teacher recommendations, a resume and copies of their ACT scores. And they write a special circumstances essay, explaining their individual situations,” Tulgren said.

The students continue to receive advice and support once they are in college from the program.

Tulgren, who also qualified as a low-income student, is a 2010 graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in agricultural education. She said she was the first of her whole family to graduate from college.

“It’s so cool to share my experiences with my students,” she said. “Many of them are the first in their family to graduate from high school, much less college.”

The passion in her voice is evident as she continues to talk about the students she has coached.

“I am so close to my students, and I am very proud of them. They are definitely my inspiration,” Tulgren said. “They have taught me the value of family and of forgiveness. When I am having a bad day, I think about the things my students have been through.”

The intense work has definitely paid off. Overall, 98 per cent of College Possible students have earned admission to college, and 80 per cent are persisting towards a degree or have graduated.

Tulgren said all 40 seniors she is working with have applied to at least five schools. Half have already been accepted. She posts their acceptance letters on her office door. “It’s so exciting to get a phone call at night from a student who has received an acceptance letter,” she said. “They are so happy they are jumping up and down.”

“The growth I see in my students is amazing,” Tulgren claimed. “They may have been shy and quiet, but now we’re like a family, and they make friends easily and reach out to one another.”

One of those students is Wah Wah, who found out about College Possible when she was a sophomore and is now in her senior year at Como Park High School.
“I’m so proud of myself,” Wah said, her face beaming. “I am the first one in my family in this program. My little brother is in it now.”

Wah is not yet certain what school she will attend, but she has a specific goal in mind. She wants to become a doctor and join Doctors without Borders.

“This program has changed my life,” she said. “I was really quiet, and now I talk more. I tell everyone about myself. I do a lot of volunteer work, and a lot of people know me now.”

Explaining that she is much more outgoing, Wah goes down the list of all her activities.

“I teach Sunday School, I tutor kids all week and work with the Karen people. I am a Big Sister with the Big Brothers and Sisters program, and Monday and Wednesday I work with College Possible,” she said. “Friday I take my day off.”

Wah said she had never been on a college visit before and did not know how to apply for schools.

“I wanted to become a doctor, but I didn’t know how,” she stated. “Now I know. I have applied to eight colleges.” She has already been accepted at one.

“If it weren’t for Chelsey, I wouldn’t be so active,” Wah noted. “Everything she does is fun, not boring. She made this program fun. She has made me keep going because of her attitude. I am busy like her now.”

Tulgren smiles at Wah like a proud mother, and keeps preparing for the day when her AmeriCorps assignment ends and her charges will be off to college.

“It’s so exciting to get a phone call
at night from a student who has received an acceptance letter. They are so happy they are jumping up and down.”

- College Possible Coach Chelsey Tulgrenn