Student Stories

Article written by College Inside Track Consultant Tiffany Kolb When he was 8 years old, Finn McCormick could be found in the kitchen, baking items he would then load into his bike trailer and sell throughout the neighborhood. “Finn’s Bakery Bike” was the first of many ventures Finn would attempt. Finn’s mom, Flannery Delaney said…

Congratulations to Sophia Behnke, Augustana College Class of ‘26! Augustana is a selective, private liberal arts college in Rock Island, Illinois. It sits on 115 hilly, wooded acres adjacent to the Mississippi River, and has a strong reputation for excellence in the creative arts.  Remember Sophia’s name, because with world enough and time Sophia one…

Congratulations to Sammy Ball, University of San Diego ’26! Last May, if you had asked Orono High School student Sammy Ball if she imagined herself committing to the University of San Diego (USD) she would have said, “no way!!”  In fact, she immediately rejected the school when her CIT college consultant recommended she take a…

Christy Sykes, mom of future pediatric nurse Kyla, encourages all families with first generation college students to assertively pursue the college search. “Most definitely seek out and find what is available,” she say. “You have nothing to lose! We were so surprised by what she actually could receive in the way of support and financial…

Mankato MN high school student Katie Rooney wanted to make a difference and had an idea stirring, but wasn’t quite ready to take action. Once she put together the College Inside Track Pick Two plan and engaged the help of a friend, a beautiful service project started to take shape.  Katie’s idea was to repurpose…