The decision about where to go to college is one of the most important choices a young adult must make. Despite the challenges that they have encountered over the last year, SEED’s Class of 2021 has persisted in their academics, and, with the guidance of SEED adults such as their college counselors, they are committing to the schools where they will continue their education this fall. For some students, the choice is an obvious one; for others, it involves more analysis. But the SEED seniors featured below all have one thing in common: Their hard work in and out of the classroom has paid off, and they are one step closer to their educational and personal goals!
Ashanta Akins-Collier (SEED Miami ‘21) is a member of The SEED School of Miami’s (SEED Miami) first graduating class. She has decided to enroll at Wake Forest University in the fall. Ashanta plans to keep her 4.0 GPA when she goes off to college and to continue activities such as dance, in which she participated in at SEED Miami.
Ashanta visited Wake Forest at the suggestion of her counselor, and she loved it immediately. “It was so beautiful. I immediately fell in love with it,” she said. She wants to study psychology and eventually go on to graduate school for counseling or psychiatry. She would like to someday work with her mother, who is currently pursuing her degree in psychology and counseling.
While she’ll miss her friends and the faculty at SEED Miami, she’s excited to set off to North Carolina. In addition to academics, Ashanta is also looking forward to campus life. “I’m really looking forward to the dorm, to meeting new people, student life activities, food, and football games.”
Ashanta feels as if she’s ready for college because of the foundation that she’s received at SEED. She says that programming such as HALLS (Habits for Achieving Life Long Success) have mentally prepared her for the future and equipped her with the skills she needs to overcome challenging situations in college and beyond.
Aron Simpkins (SEED MD ‘21) is weighing his options for the fall, but Howard University is his top choice. “It had a really great environment. I just felt like I belonged there.” He’s also considering Towson University and Virginia Tech. Aron is interested in majoring in communications and broadcast journalism and minoring in mechanical engineering.
When making his decision, Aron is paying attention to important factors such as campus culture, academics, and affordability. “I really want to go to a college with a lot of school spirit, and I really look forward to playing sports.” A track and cross-country runner and basketball player, Aron is eager to continuing to sharpen his athletic abilities. He also plans to join campus organizations and to seek out as many networking opportunities as he can.
Aron is also considering the financial implications of choosing each school and says that he learned a lot from his College Transition & Success (CTS) advisors about how to get the most out of available financial aid and scholarships. “CTS has been amazing about financial aid,” he says. “The financial education really helps you think about where you want to go and how to stay out of debt. That’s very important to me post-graduation.”
Tedra Seggers (SEED DC ’21) is excited to start at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) this fall, where she plans to major in biology. Her favorite classes at The SEED School of Washington, D.C. (SEED DC) were sociology, biology, anatomy, and physiology. After completing her bachelor’s degree at VCU, Tedra plans to enter medical school to become an anesthesiologist. Tedra is focused on financially sustaining herself throughout her post-secondary journey, and as a SEED Foundation Scholarship recipient, she will have the funds to close the gap between what financial aid covers and the additional costs of college. Tedra feels great about graduating and moving on to college. “I’m super excited—I've never been more excited in my life.”
Tedra knew that she wanted certain things from her college. She wanted to go to school away from home, but not too far away. She also wanted to go to a school with sports teams and a marching band. Tedra participated in dance, cheerleading, and volleyball while at SEED DC, and she wants to be a majorette dancer with VCU’s marching band. Her SEED advisors helped Tedra with identifying schools that fit her criteria—such as offering a robust financial aid package and good on-campus supports for students, and VCU emerged as the perfect choice for Tedra.
Deciding where to go to college is a huge decision to make at a young age—one that influences your future in countless ways. SEED students are empowered to make the best decision for their future because they receive a college-prep education, extensive advising, and an introduction to the college experience.
Click here for more information on SEED and the programming offered to our students.