Happy March!

Welcome to March!

This month is full of helpful tasks for our students. Let's keep moving forward and working hard! This is a crucial and busy month, but everything will be rewarding in the end! We are so grateful to have you with us!

Recap of February Full Group Meeting

In this month's full group meeting, we discussed the current stressors many in our MTB community are facing. Here at More Than Bootstraps, we aim to be a support network for students and families.

During the meeting, the MTB Social Work Interns provided multiple grounding techniques and exercises to help cope with stressors, including the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise.

Another method that the interns used was EFT tapping. If you are interested in learning more, check out the guided EFT below!

What are we working on?

The juniors are working on personal essays for college. For some students, these essays are an important part of the QuestBridge College Prep application (due March 20). For others, this is a jump start on the process and a great way for our students to envision themselves as college applicants.

The seniors are working on appeals, bargaining, and EOF. The students are reaching out to EOF offices. They are also completing any necessary tasks on their to-do list for New Jersey state aid (HESAA). Finally, they're looking into local scholarships and financial aid appeals. It's a busy time!

TikTok Project

We are looking for students who want to participate in a social media project! We want to show what being a More Than Bootstraps Leader and Fellow is like. To do this, we need students who would like to do a "Day in the Life of a Fellow/Leader" video.

If you are interested in participating in a TikTok for More Than Bootstraps reach out to our social work intern Gabi: gabi@morethanbootstraps.org.

Accepting New Fellow Applications

We are recruiting current sophomores attending PASE, Prep, or PHS who are eligible to apply. Students are eligible if they receive Free and Reduced Lunch and will be first-generation college students (neither of their parents completed a 4-year degree at a U.S. high educational institution).

Students are eligible regardless of citizenship status, and we have no minimum GPA requirement. We seek students who are ambitious to learn about how to achieve success in higher education and are ready and willing to learn and grow together as part of the MTB community.

Students fill out a short and relatively simple application online and will participate in an in-take conversation to assess their level of interest and commitment.

The priority deadline is May 1, so students won't be notified about acceptance into the program until after May 1.

Ask a Question

There's no such thing as a stupid question. Ask anything and everything by going to this form. Don't be shy! bit.ly/AskMTB

Question: What should a parent do if they have a question?

Our Social Work Interns have started the second round of family outreach. If you missed the outreach and have a question or concern, don't hesitate to reach out to Sussex at sussex@morethanbootstraps.org.

Question: What is the difference between financial aid and scholarships?

Financial aid is awarded based on family income and size. So academically successful students will receive the SAME amount of financial aid as students who have not yet achieved academic success. Financial aid packages can ALSO include scholarships, which are awarded based on other criteria.

Question: How is MTB providing families and students with support during this uncertain time?

During this uncertain time, we understand how important it is to have support around you. Recently, we sent out a statement of support to all of our students. We also have and will continue to provide many techniques and sessions focused on easing anxiety and stress.

All students can expect to receive red cards in the mail.

We see you, and we are here for you.

Question: How can families learn more about the college application and financial aid processes?

Level All Resource

MTB partners with Level All, an online platform with tons of resources. Access to Level All is being offered to members of our MTB community free of charge.

The Level All content library has detailed short-form articles and videos covering:

• Succeeding in high school
• Navigating the college application process
• Affording college
• College transition and success
• College alternatives
• Career exploration and preparation
• Financial literacy
• Life skills 
• And more!

If you missed the email but want to access the platform, click here:

To access Level All and its resources in Spanish, click here:

Coming Soon - Mark Your Planner!

Our next Full Group Meeting is on Saturday, March 15th, 10:00-11:00 am

OR Sunday, March 16th, 4:00-5:00 pm.

High school seniors will also be gathering for an in-person check-in at the Boathouse Cafe from 2:00-4:00 pm on Friday, March 28th.

We will be talking about college majors, college essays, and more financial aid!

Follow MTB on Social Media!