Students aim high for college

"I thought it was something for Hollywood when I first heard it, because it’s [about] talent," says OHCHS student Meredith Potter about the Maine Education Talent Search Program, also known as METS, which started in 1978.

According to the METS website, "[METS] is a federal initiative established to encourage more young people to set high academic expectations, stay in school, study hard and take the courses needed to prepare them for college-level studies."

Nancy McClean, the coordinator of guidance and academics at OHCHS, says that the program focuses on college access and support for low-income or first-generation college students.

First generation students are those whose parents haven’t attended a college or university, which means the student might need additional help with the application process, or financial aid.

McClean, along with the other guidance counselors at OHCHS, will make referrals to recruit students into the program. She says that METS gives great support, and meets more with the students than the students would with their own guidance counselors.

Potter, a junior at OHCHS, has sent in her application and hopes to be accepted next year.

"I don’t know a lot about the college process right now," she says. Potter hopes that METS will help guide her through the process.

Ariel Garber, an OHCHS junior in METS says that it has helped her with her college search and is easier than having to meet with her guidance counselor. METS gives her tips about applying for college and financial aid.

"[It is] a program that helps students find what college is right for them," says Garber. While in the METS meetings, she learns about different colleges that she may want to attend from the well-known College Board website.

According to Garber, METS has helped her narrow down her choices in colleges, though Garber still does not know what college she'll attend.

Martha Miller is the METS advisor at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.

"Out of everything, [Miller] has helped the most in financial aid," says Garber.

"I think METS is a great program for people who are looking for collage or thinking of it," says Kyle Ellingwood, another METS participant. "METS has helped me a lot, in the sense that I have learned a lot more of the means of applying for college, and all the ways to get money for college."

His favorite part of METS is its open-door policy, so he can ask questions anytime Miller is available.