Aubrey recently celebrated a big win: earning a place in Bard High School Early College’s incoming freshman class. Aubrey, an 8th-grade scholar at Higher Achievement’s Highlandtown Achievement Center, worked hard to secure this accomplishment while navigating doubts and challenges.
The journey began when Aubrey received her composite score—a metric used for admissions to Baltimore’s competitive middle and high schools. Her initial reaction was disappointment: the score was not high enough to get Aubrey into her top choice, City College.
“I was super upset about it. I honestly didn’t want to come back to school at all, and I just wanted to stay home. I felt like I was ready to just give up,” remembers Aubrey. “But [Higher Achievement Learning Director] Ms. Milan told me I couldn’t give up. She showed me other schools, and I realized I still had options. Just because the main four schools weren’t in my league, it didn’t mean that I still couldn’t get into a good school.”
With her confidence rebuilding, a new goal came into focus when a teacher told Aubrey she could see her thriving at Bard. At first, Aubrey was unsure. “Bard has a separate application, and you have to do a writing assessment and an interview. I just didn’t want to get upset again if I didn’t get in,” she recalls. In the end, her ambition won out. “What led me toward Bard is that I wanted to challenge myself. It’s an early-college school, so in 11th and 12th grade I would be taking college courses. I really want to push myself beyond what I think I can do.”
Once Aubrey made her decision, she got to work. To get ready for the interview, she memorized key facts about Bard. And during learning blocks at Higher Achievement, she worked closely with Ms. Milan to strengthen her writing for the assessment—practicing claim-evidence-reasoning structure, drafting strong conclusions, and developing her personal narrative.
Finally, the acceptance arrived. “When I finally got the letter saying that I had gotten in, it was shocking,” recalls Aubrey. “There was a line full of people wanting to get in, so being accepted to the school was a big thing to me.” Aubrey credits Higher Achievement with providing critical support during her preparation. “I don’t think I would have gotten in to Bard without the help of Higher Achievement,” she says. “It’s a big accomplishment going to an early college school. I want to make my family proud, and I want to go to college, and I feel like getting into Bard is a big step forward in accomplishing my goals. I’m proud of myself.”
Higher Achievement places significant emphasis on developing high school readiness for scholars like Aubrey through academic enrichment, social-emotional skill-building, field trips, and mentoring. “At Higher Achievement, they’ve taught me that I don’t have to be scared to ask anyone for help. No one is going to see me as any less—they see me as a regular student who just needs help,” says Aubrey.
She particularly appreciates the support she receives from Higher Achievement staff and mentors. “My mentor, Ms. Katie, is super sweet. She always encourages us to talk about our day, and she brings happiness every Tuesday.”
Just as meaningful are the relationships Aubrey has built during field trips. Some of her favorite experiences include ice skating and visits to local high schools, including Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy. “I really enjoyed being there—seeing all the new medical equipment and the classrooms set up like real medical offices,” she says. Scholars also visited Digital Harbor High School to watch a basketball game. “I’d never seen the school in person, and when I got there, it was pretty big. It looked like a really good school—and it opened a new mindset for me,” Aubrey says. “You don’t experience some of those opportunities in school. School can feel kind of dry, so being at Higher Achievement and going on these field trips really gives me a whole new experience outside of school.”
The experiences Aubrey has gained—and the confidence she has built—will continue to shape her as she pursues her goals in high school and beyond.
“A life lesson I’ve taken away from Higher Achievement is to not give up just because something doesn’t go right with you immediately. It’s one of the most important life lessons because every day can feel like a challenge, and sometimes you just want to give up. But I’ve learned if something is holding you back, you can’t give up.”