This place is a lie, and they pick and choose who to help and who not to based on their definition of "worthy". They aren't even based in Cerritos, they have an office in another city.
Through my volunteer experience with MAPS, I was able to improve my writing abilities from revisions of written content on the MAPS 4 College website. From this experience, it has helped me to succeed in my studies and be well-prepared to work in the business world.
Review from Guidestar
MAPS4College is definitely a life changer. While I've joined because of the initial incentive of being offered free ACT lessons and possibly typical college admissions and wash up advised spoken too often and ranging on a level of boring and mundane as one would expect from a college preparatory program, it was not what I expected at all. I was offered the chance to direct how I wanted things from scheduling to structure with it's basic foundation and goals intact. It's truly student based and it was empowering to have something like MAPS be genuinely for me. Though it's still growing and expanding, I believe that this organization has a strong core value and will prosper. (:
At a MAPS intern, I have been given many responsibilities and challenges that have taught me so much in such a short time! This non-profit has so many programs, it is definitely unlike any other agency I have been involved with. It not only focuses on teens and getting them into college, but it teaches them and young adults the skills to create strong relationships and other various life skills. This is a non-profit that concentrates on the person as a whole; succeeding in life is more than just getting into the brand name college, it is about having the necessary communication, leadership, and relationship skills needed to reach success.
My first encounter with Maps4college was at one of their events in Baldwin Park earlier this year. I was interested in volunteering for an education based non profit and had thus decided to pay a visit. While at the event, i was moved by Sarai Koo's (founder) amazing speech. The whole atmosphere and the way the program was run gave everyone a feel that MAPS4college not only provides education consultancy, but they do it with a personal touch. I could see clearly that Sarai has a sincere concern towards the students in need. Parents are also an important part of the program, which makes it unique. I was at once convinced that I want to be a part of this organisation. As my association continued, I have realised that the key component in MAPS4college culture is the personability aspect of it. Sarai and her team are not only caring and sympathetic to the students, they carry that attitude with the staff and volunteers as well. As part of my involvement with the organisation, I conducted a survey amongst students, volunteers and partners of MAPS4college to gather information about what people thought of MAPS4college. I responses spoke clear and loud about the uniqueness and holistic nature of the program that has made a long lasting impact on people's minds. If an organisation could do so much with budget constraints, there is so much to look forward to from it, in the future. I wish MAPS4college all the luck and light to forge ahead!
I have always strived to be the very best student that I could be. From my earliest years in school, I put everything into getting the very most hat I could get out of my education. In high school, this translated into taking the most challenging courses available to me with the highest grades that I could achieve. Like any other conscientious student, I spent the summer prior to my high school year exploring the world of college admissions and the application process. Quite frankly I was overwhelmed As an upperclassman, I searched for the best resources to get into the most renowned and prestigious college that I could. However, I soon found myself in a web of confusion. I had no idea how I was going to tell colleges who I was and why I thought I would do well at their institution. During the fall of my senior year, I spent countless weekends at college fairs searching for test preparatory services and application assistance agencies that would give me the guidance I so badly needed. I first met Sarai Koo at a college fair in the Anaheim Convention Center. She was there representing the MAPS 4 College program. She told me about her ACTS preparation classes and I gave her my email address. A few days later, Sarai sent me an email regarding a free ACT test offered to all students through MAPS. I was really interested in taking the test and a little surprised that the test was being offered to students entirely free of charge. However, what struck me the most was the kindness and generosity that Sarai showed when I went to take the test. I expected to be pounded with the usual “you need this program in order to get into any good college” to be delivered as I had experienced in all my past experiences visiting institutions that offered test prep and application assistance. The only thing that I received was kindness, generosity, and courtesy. A few days after I took the test, I told my parents about how refreshing it was to meet such an encouraging and generous person. We met with Sarai to see if she offered help with the application process and were truly impressed with how Sarai presented herself and the program. Every other institution we had visited has bombarded us with boasting of past ivy leagues that clients had gotten into. They had told us that we must take every standardized test preparation that they offered so that I could get into the most prestigious and renowned institutions. Sarai told my mother and I that it was not about getting into the most competitive colleges, but finding the colleges that fit me and in which I would prosper. I knew that MAPS was the place that I needed in order to ease my fears and apprehensions and to get a healthy perspective on college admissions. I signed up for the program and met with Sarai twice a week for the next several months. I entered the program with a list of college to which I was sure that I wanted to apply. However, before I could even write my name on an application, Sarai had me truly analyze what I wanted out of my college experience and where I would personally thrive. I didn’t just look into the “big name” colleges, but ones that offered incredible programs and environments. Sarai considered success to be getting me into a college in which I would be happy and would thrive in a college that would excite and challenge me. She truly cared about my well-being and future happiness. I found that my time at MAPS truly made me grow and mature as a person. I would not have changed it for the world.
Maps4college is a organization that i fully support, because of it's core values and the integrity of the organization. Maps4college does not exist to try to make money, but to help out students. Many college prep organizations that i have encountered was driven by the motivation to make money, and that is why Maps4college is different. The staff and the programs that Maps4college offers is proven to be helpful and the results are proven. Maps4college designed their program to help students in a holistic approach. They desire to help students succeed not only in academics, but in every other areas of life (health, relationships, and etc....)