Mission
To mentor high school students in the Middle East about college admissions in the United States by:
- Conducting information sessions and workshops during the annual trip to the region and
- Online mentorship via email and website (forum/blog/resources).
Goals
- Increase awarness of U.S. colleges (with some focus on MIT) through informational presentations and workshops at public and private high schools
- Meet with local high school students, parents, counselors, and MIT alumni to help better prepare students for college
- Mentor students through the college application process through email and website
Overview
Many hardworking, intelligent high school students in the Arab world are unaware of the higher education opportunities they have in the United States. They are unaware of the affordability of many American colleges, the reality of life as an Arab student in the United States, and the high school preparation needed to be a competitive college applicant. We feel that education is crucial to improving the human condition and that attending college at MIT, or at any other American college, is an opportunity these students should seize.
Summary of 2007 Trip
In the inaugural January 2007 trip, six students traveled to six Arab countries—Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and the United Arab Emirates—as part of the College Admissions Arab Mentorship Program (CAAMP). CAAMP is a program for MIT students to mentor high school students in the Middle East about college admissions and pursuing educational opportunities in the United States. Our goal is to inspire these students to explore opportunities at American colleges and strategically prepare for them in high school.
During the trip, we held events at central venues gathering many high schools for presentations and dialog with students. These presentations discussed the college application process, high school preparation, financial aid, campus life, and the visa process. After the presentation, we held a reception with students and parents to answer any of their questions. The entire 2-hour event proved to be a great opportunity to interact with students and develop a more personal bond to help them with college admissions. The students’ contact information was collected to maintain correspondences with them even after the trip. In addition to email, students will be able to access our website (under construction), where students can access blogs, participate in forums, and download resources helpful to their preparation.
In addition to presentations, we held alumni dinners to meet MIT alumni who now live and work in the Middle East. These dinners were very informative as we were able to discuss CAAMP’s goals and ways the alumni could help. For many of these Alumni, it was the first time that the current students and Alumni cooperated for any type of project. The Alumni were excited and committed to making this project successful.
By meeting (over 700) high school students, alumni, high school counselors, and advisors at AMIDEAST and Education USA , CAAMP has been able to create a support network to provide information and guidance to students applying to American colleges. The importance of CAAMP is that by having college students mentoring high school students, high school students will feel comfortable getting guidance and will be able to see for themselves how feasible it is to achieve their higher educational goals.
Read CAAMP 2007 Report
Summary of 2008 Trip
In January 2008, two groups of student mentors traveled to 8 countries in the Middle East and North Africa and met with over 3500 students and parents, a 500% increase in attendance compared to CAAMP 2007. They were very successful at connecting with the students at a very down to earth and personal level. The students who attended the events felt that the dreams of going to America to study are not just dreams but achievable goals. The students were motivated to push themselves beyond the norms of their societies and we feel that it was a growth opportunity for the mentors and the students.
CAAMP 2008 also saw a dramatic increase in the representation of lower income students, hence a more socio-economically diverse audience at our events.
The traveling CAAMP mentors were able to experience different cultures and better understand the challenges these students face on a daily basis. They met several extraordinary students who have overcome serious difficulties in the pursuit of education. This helped make the mentors more passionate about the work they are doing. Some of these students have the drive and talent to do great things, but they needed that mentorship to help them in the process. Most of us had an older sibling, friend, counselor, or parent who was familiar with the college admissions process to help us along the way, but many of these students do not. We hope that CAAMP can be that mentor to help them achieve their goals.
Finally, we designed a survey to measure the level of satisfaction the students we met had with respect to our program. These surveys will be analyzed and reviewed, and the results will be used to improve and make CAAMP more helpful in the areas the students need.
Read CAAMP 2008 Report
Summary of 2009 Trip
In January 2009, five MIT students traveled in two groups to seven countries in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan) and North Africa (Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia) as part of the College Admissions Arab Mentorship Program (CAAMP). CAAMP 2009 teams presented to around 2700 students in total.
During the trip, we held venues gathering many high schools for presentations and dialogue with students. The presentations discussed the college application process, high school preparation, financial aid, campus life, and the visa process. After the presentation, we held a mingling session with students and parents to answer any of their questions. The students’ contact information was collected to maintain contact with them even after the trip. In addition to email, students will be able to access our website through the Arab Students Organization website where students can access blogs, participate in forums, and download resources helpful to their preparation.
By meeting high school students, alumni, high school counselors, advisers at AMIDEAST and Education USA, and other educational organizations, CAAMP has been able to create a support network to provide information and guidance to students applying to American colleges. The importance of CAAMP is that by having college students mentoring high school students, high school students will feel comfortable getting guidance and will be able to see for themselves how feasible it is to achieve their higher educational goals.
The two teams, especially the team that travelled to north africa, faced few obstacles and setbacks that we can avoid next year. We have many recommendations on how to improve CAAMP 2010 and make it more effective while reducing the budget at the same time. Please read CAAMP 2009 report for more information.
Read CAAMP 2009 Report
Summary 2011 Trip
Many hardworking, intelligent high school students in the Arab world are unaware of the higher education opportunities they have in the United States. They are unaware of the affordability of many American colleges, the reality of life as an Arab student in the United States, and the high school preparation needed to become a competitive college applicant. We feel that education is crucial to improving the human condition and that attending college at MIT, or at any other American college, is an opportunity these students should seize.
In January 2011, five MIT students traveled in two groups to seven countries in the Middle East – Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, and North Africa –Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt as part of the College Admissions Arab Mentorship Program (CAAMP). CAAMP is a program for MIT students to mentor high school students in the Middle East about college admissions and pursuing educational opportunities in the United States. Our goal is to inspire these students to explore opportunities at American colleges and strategically prepare for them in high school.
During the trip, we held venues gathering many high schools for presentations and dialogue with students. The presentations discussed the college application process, preparation, financial aid, campus life, and the visa process. After the presentation, we held a mingling session with students to answer any of their questions. The entire event proved to be a great opportunity to interact with students and develop a bond to help them with college admissions. In addition to email, students will be able to access our website through the Arab Students Organization website.
In addition to presentations, we held alumni dinners in some countries to meet MIT alumni who now live and work in the Middle East. These dinners were very informative and entertaining, as we were able to discuss CAAMP’s goals and ways the alumni can help.
By meeting high school students, alumni, high school counselors, advisors at AMIDEAST, and other educational organizations, CAAMP has been able to create a support network to provide information and guidance to students applying to American colleges. The importance of CAAMP is that by having college students mentoring high school students, high school students will feel comfortable getting guidance and will be able to see for themselves how feasible it is to achieve their higher educational goals.