Providing elite-level, in-school college counseling services to students in Greater Birmingham.
work history
In October 2019, VIDAL partnered with Commonpoint Queens, a 501(c)(3) community-based organization in New York City, to provide remote college counseling services to a cohort of 20 low-income seniors from Forest Hills High School in NYC. Over the 2019-20 academic year, each senior received a minimum of 5 hours of individualized college counseling support.
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As a result of this partnership, the following outcomes were achieved:
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83 total college counseling sessions
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125 hours of college counseling
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6.25 hours of college counseling per student
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102 essay edits
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190 applications submitted
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105 college acceptances
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$6,610,344 received in gift aid (scholarships + institutional grants)
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100% accepted into at least 1 of their Top 3 schools
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43 different college acceptances
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Early Decision acceptances to Johns Hopkins, the University of Rochester, and American University
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Additional acceptances to Barnard College, Binghamton University, Boston University, Brandeis University, Fordham University, Franklin & Marshall, New York University, Northeastern University, Purdue University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, The Cooper Union, Union College, and Vassar College. All CUNY and SUNY institutions were also among the acceptances.
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In August 2020, VIDAL partnered with Birmingham City Schools to primarily serve Ramsay High School, Woodlawn High School, and Carver High School. In addition, VIDAL has supported BCS on a district-wide level by coordinating a virtual Alabama HBCU week, offering a webinar during College Application Week, and being a participant of the district's FAFSA Planning Committee. As a result of our efforts in BCS and beyond, we have achieved the following from September 12th through February 28th:
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1,798 students served
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582 hours of college counseling provided to seniors
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20 FAFSA workshops (14 online + 6 in-person)
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257 essay critiques/edits
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Early Action acceptances to Harvard University, Yale University, and Tulane University