The University of Maryland Educational Talent Search Program (UM-Talent Search) is a program dedicated to assisting students in achieving their educational goals and navigating the path to college. The program also provides extra support to students who plan on graduating high school and are in the process of enrolling in college. They also work with students who are in middle/high school that need some type of support to help guide them on the right path in order to be able to graduate high school. This program isn’t only for students that are interested in going to the University of Maryland, but they also help students get into college that matches their interests. The major goal of Talent Search is to help students find an affordable college and to prepare them towards succeeding once they graduate and go onto college.
Talent Search has helped many students by assisting them access many scholarship opportunities. UM- Talent Search also encourages students to succeed in their dream. The program allows students to get the support they need by holding sessions twice a week.
Talent Speech assists students with…
- SAT/ACT Prep and academic support
- Financial aid assistance and fee waiver for college applications
- Assistance in obtaining scholarships
- Mentorship, coaching, and college tours
Senior student Justin Zhang was a student inside the program. He speaks about his experience being in the UM-Talent Search program that also helped him get into Yale. “I learned a lot about financial aid and how that process works. I also learned about the application process and essay writing.” said Zhang. “Talent Search gave me the information I didn’t know before, that’s what Talent Search really shines is when you don’t have experience and they give you like that first step.”
Zhang also advises that if a student does qualify for Talent Search they should apply for it because it would benefit them. The program also provides extra help to students during the summer time with another program that is also called the summer enrichment program.
Zhang also comments that the three biggest benefits of the program are 1. College applications fee waiver. 2. Extra help you get with resources. 3. Summer enrichment program which preps students for incoming college applications, mainly for students who don’t have the experience.
Educational Specialist Mandana Marashi from University of Maryland also shares her experience of working with Zhang. “Justin participated in our summer enrichment program, where he was exposed to various fun and engaging college prep activities and made meaningful connections with staff, teachers, and students from other targeted school’s,” said Ms. Marashi. “I think being part of the UMD- Educational Talent Search program has benefited him.”
Ms. Marashi advises students to know that
- Talent Search isn’t an after school program.
- There isn’t an mandatory attendance
- You will not attend classes on scheduled days and times.
- You will not have homework or extra work to do.
- You will have the support of the program for ALL years of high school.
- EVERYTHING offered is FREE of charge.
Overall the UM-Talent Search program preps students with extra support when it comes to grading high school and while giving extra assistance to help students by getting enrolled into college and more support when it comes to college applications, essay writing etc. Talent Search is a trio program that started in the year 1965 that was also created by the Higher Education Act, that would be able to help many low income students.
