Hello! If you want to visit colleges for free, you’re in the right place! 🙂 I did a couple fly-in programs in high school, and not enough people know about it, so I wanted to get the word out! 🤗
What are fly-in programs:
Fly-in programs are 1-3 day events across the US where colleges fly-in underrepresented students (like Black students, first to go to college in their family or low-income) to visit their campus, ALL expenses paid. Many of them are overnight! Some colleges include Johns Hopkins, Amherst, Bowdoin, University of Pennsylvania, Penn State, and more! These programs are designed to introduce underrepresented students to predominantly white institutions (aka PWI’s) and increase diversity.
Who can apply?
High school seniors from:
- Minority groups (like Black, Native American, LatinX/Hispanic, etc)
- The first in their family to go to college
- Low-income background
Also, a couple are even for high school juniors, like Carleton Liberal Arts Experience and Miami Summer Scholars (I did those two)!
Why Apply?
- Visit a school for free
- Get a firsthand look by staying with current students
- Increase your chances of getting into that school!
Deadlines:
Early August to Early September. So apply TODAY!
Nervous to apply?
Remember, if you don’t apply you definitely won’t get in! But if you do apply, there’s a chance you will. So, shoot your shot!
Links to a list of programs:
- Coalition to College—great summary and brief list
- College Transitions—detailed list with details bout each school
Programs I did:
- Carleton Liberal Arts Experience (CLAE) (I did it the summer before junior year and senior fall)
- Miami Summer Scholars Program
- Access to Amherst (A2A)
- Washington University in St. Louis (they just flew me out for an overnight, it wasn’t even a program! All glory to God!)
I really loved doing these programs because I got to meet new people (I’m still in touch with some of them today!) and learned tips that I applied to all of my college applications, like how to write a strong essay and frame my application for success.
Closing encouragement:
“[You] can do all things through Christ who strengthens you” Philippians 4:13! I know it can feel overwhelming, especially with some deadlines coming up, but just do your best and let God do the rest! You are more qualified than you think you are. ❤️ All the best!
📣BONUS 📣 CLICK HERE for a FREE guide to help you navigate college applications
P.S. Check out this Google Doc for a helpful list of links, like schools that offer full rides, and a list of college terminology! Shoutout to Dayla Weems (former admissions officer at Trinity College) for sharing this with me! 🙂
WhollyRebecca 