Program advises high-achieving students from low-income households

As the pandemic-affected school year winds down, TeenSHARP and the Delaware Department of Education ramped up their annual college prep blitz, and they say it’s more important than ever.

More than 500 students recently took part in the Delaware Goes to College Academy bootcamp to get a jump-start on the college application process.

The program is free and open to all Delaware high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and rising seniors.

TeenSHARP co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Atnre Alleyne said he is not surprised about the substantial interest in DGCA this year because college admissions has become more competitive and complicated during the pandemic. Even before the pandemic, he said, waiting until fall to start the college application process was stressful.

“Starting early can make all the difference for a student, and at TeenSHARP, we see it does,” said Alleyne. “This year, TeenSHARP students are celebrating banner wins, like five early decision admissions to Cornell on full rides. That’s despite great challenges the applicants faced,” he said.

During the DGCA Bootcamp, students learned about about the college admission and financial aid process; assessed academic performance, coursework rigor, leadership and service skills; designed a personalized plan to address their gaps; and virtually met with representatives of numerous in-state and out-of-state colleges.

"This partnership allows us to reach more students so we can provide them with the extra supports they need to prepare for their chosen life paths after high school,” said Delaware Secretary of Education Susan Bunting. “I have been encouraged to hear from the students who benefited from this bootcamp in the past and am excited to hear more success stories from this year's cohort."

DGCA was co-founded by the Delaware Department of Education and TeenSHARP to provide high-quality college advising to high-achieving students from low-income households across the state. DGCA supports a broad group of students throughout Delaware in the college application and decision process. There is no cost for students to participate.

The program typically took place in person in each county. This year, due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, sessions are taking place online. To learn more about the DGCA bootcamp, go to delawarestudentsuccess.org/dgca/. To learn more about TeenSHARP, go to teensharp.org.