College prep: a junior’s worst nightmare. Students often complain about the stress that their parents cause by nagging about college applications. While the pressure is far from enjoyable, the assistance and encouragement students receive from parents and teachers is just what many minority students are looking for.

CollegeTracks, a Maryland-based non-profit organization, aims to increase college opportunities for those MCPS students most at risk of not pursuing higher education. These students are typically from low-income or minority families, or must overcome obstacles to become the first in their family to attend college.

Founded in 2002 by three Bethesda-Chevy Chase parents, CollegeTracks maintains a full-time staff of volunteers during the school week at both Wheaton and BCC high schools.

CollegeTracks volunteers act as unofficial college counselors to students, helping with financial aid applications and admissions essays. The organization has made a world of difference in many students’ lives.

“We simply supply the nagging that we give for free to our own children. It’s a labor of love,” said Nancy Leopold, who co-founded CollegeTracks and now acts as executive director.

CollegeTracks operates out of only those two high schools, but Leopold hopes to expand into other schools soon. Last year, 99 percent of CollegeTracks students from BCC and Wheaton were accepted into at least one college.

“What we find is that all kids actually do want to go to college,” she said. “But those that don’t have help get lost in the fog. That’s where we come in. We believe that every student who graduates from MCPS deserves to go on to college.”

Julie Castaneda is a Wheaton graduate who is the first person in her family to go to college. Currently a student at UMBC, she said that CollegeTracks helped her choose the right school.

“I learned how the applications process worked and what resources I had,” she said.

CollegeTracks ‘success’ coach Eurae Muhn said that working with students over the past year has been a moving and eye-opening experience.

“What I want each of my students to ultimately learn is that hard work pays off, and when they feel they can’t do something themselves, they always have allies at CollegeTracks who can help them be successful,” she said.

Wheaton graduate Hiwot Gebeyehu is currently studying at Smith College. She feels CollegeTracks assisted her both academically and personally.

“The CollegeTracks staff are my family,” Gebeyehu said. “There are no words to describe how much they influenced and shaped my life. One thing I love about the CollegeTracks staff is that they do not come just for the sake of the work. They come because they want something to be bright in our lives.”