Ilya’s Student Story

Meet Ilya

Ilya is a Latino and Middle Eastern student entering his second year at a private school in New York. As a child, Ilya grew up in Sweden and then moved to the United States on an American Visa. He is the first person in his family to attend college and studies mechanical engineering. Outside of his international baccalaureate (IB) program, he was manager of the badminton team, worked on the theater tech crew, participated in the French, photography, and engineering clubs, and the school band in high school.

Navigating High School

Ilya’s freshman year of high school was cut short by the pandemic, and his sophomore year classes were held entirely virtually. His sophomore year, he moved from the general population track at his school into the International Baccalaureate program. He was in the Middle Years Program (MYP) for his sophomore year and then did IB for his final two high school years. He said the work was hard and poured himself into academics.

Ilya’s academic drive sprouted after a meeting with his counselor during freshman year. His guidance counselor told him that because he was in the US on a Visa, he wouldn’t qualify for traditional financial aid options and would need to find his own way to pay for college. From that point forward, Ilya said, “it pushed me to be a good student.” He was involved in many school activities, working towards the highest GPA possible.

“It pushed me to be a good student.”

Because of this additional financial responsibility, Ilya was often worried about paying for college. He reflected, “Finance-wise, we couldn’t afford college. I am technically an international student because I am here on a VISA so I don’t get FAFSA, I don’t get state aid — so I by myself had to apply to a bunch of different scholarships… My biggest worry [about college] was figuring out how to afford it.” Because of his family background, Ilya was left to manage much of his college application work independently. This put a tremendous burden on him personally to seek answers to his questions outside his family. Furthermore, his documentation status put him in a unique and often complicated position regarding what he could and could not qualify for.

“Finance-wise, we couldn’t afford college. I am technically an international student because I am here on a VISA so I don’t get FAFSA, I don’t get state aid — so I by myself had to apply to a bunch of different scholarships… My biggest worry [about college] was figuring out how to afford it.”

In addition to applying for colleges, he spent ample time applying for scholarships, which included additional interviews, research, and work. Ilya said, “It was hard managing it because it was so much.” He could not turn to his parents for questions or support as a first-generation student. Ilya, however, did find help in the college counseling offered at his school and with friends. In his junior year, he got a new college counselor who he felt was very helpful and engaged, even making time to practice interview questions with him for his scholarship interviews. He reflected on going through some of the more complex scholarship application processes with friends. He recounted a specific program focused on college access and financial support for low income students: “I did it with my friends. I was the only one who became a finalist.” Ilya also received advice from a non-profit program aiming to support students in under-represented communities on their path to earning a college degree. Ultimately, he received a scholarship, which he said was “a full-ride, basically.” He felt relieved and thrilled.

Ilya’s College Journey

When preparing for college, Ilya recalls being often told by teachers about how demanding the academic load will be. He shared that they would frequently say, “It’s gonna be so hard. This won’t fly in college,” but in his own experience, he has felt prepared for college-level work. He now finds the workload reduced compared to his rigorous high school experiences.

He also initially expressed nervousness about the transition to college — worried about how it would go, if he was ready, and whether he would make friends. Ilya said that he wished he could give that younger, more nervous version of himself more reassurance that it all was going to work out before going to college. He attended international student orientation a few days earlier, which helped him get settled on campus. But overall, he adjusted quickly to college and felt calmer and at ease.

Ilya felt his high school prepared him well for the demands of college. After the first few months, he felt well-adjusted and capable of the academic content expected of him. Ilya spoke confidently about his abilities and was comforted to know he had what it took to succeed in this next chapter. He was self-assured in his ability to be successful in college and excited for the future.

What Worked for Ilya

• By discussing this with college counselors during his ninth-grade year of high school, Ilya approached his high school years with clarity of vision and purpose. He was aware early on of what would be necessary to be a competitive scholarship candidate, shaping his approach to academics and extracurricular activities during high school.
• Ilya benefited tremendously from the community of people who came together to support him in applying to college and scholarships. His support team included school, college counselors, friends, and community organizations, which all helped him achieve his goals.
• Ilya’s IB program offered him high-quality instruction and rigorous course material. This supported him in feeling confident and prepared to do his academic work upon arriving at college. Feeling capable of tackling college-level coursework has helped him be confident in himself and his skills as a student.

Ilya’s Aspirations for the field

1. For other students: Create a support team. As a first-generation student, finding answers to college-related questions can be hard. While peers might turn to their parents, Ilya turned to a broader community for support, help, and guidance. He used his friends, counselors, and community organizations to help get answers to his questions! From doing scholarship applications with friends to interview preparation with his Junior year counselor, Ilya was able to develop a robust, flexible support system that showed up for him through the long complicated process.
2. For college counselors: Aim to show up for all students, even those “on track.” Ilya described a powerful difference in the quality of college advising he received throughout high school. He envisions a future in which all CPS students have access to supportive, engaged, thoughtful mentorship and counseling throughout their high school careers.
3. For teachers: Try to strike a balance between rigor and overworking students. Students are often working very hard! Compared to his workload in the Middle Years Program (MYP) and IB programs, Ilya finds college-level courses more manageable. While it is incredibly important to feel prepared for advanced college-level classes, it is also important not to overwork students and demand too much of them. Striking that balance is essential for students’ well-being and post-secondary success!