CollegeTracks Program Overview:
The CollegeTracks Team
- Peter Marsden, Program Director
- Shayna Bolton, Program Coordinator
- Jasmine Everett, Program Coordinator
What is CollegeTracks? What do we do?
CollegeTracks is a non-profit organization at 5 Montgomery County high schools. We help Paint Branch juniors and seniors understand their college and career options, identify colleges that fit each student and complete the critical milestones of the college admissions process. CollegeTracks also engages families, advises on college selection decisions, and provides hands-on help with financial aid and scholarship applications to help students avoid onerous debt. Listed below are some of the services we offer.
College Exploration: There are thousands of colleges in the United States and creating a list of colleges to apply to can be challenging. CollegeTracks provides students with tools to identify and explore colleges that fit their academic, financial, and social needs.
Essays: Struggling with what to write on a college essay? CollegeTracks staff and volunteers are available to help brainstorm ideas and provide editing feedback. Students can submit their essays virtually via the Wheaton CollegeTracks Google Classroom.
Scholarships: CollegeTracks works with students to develop a scholarship application list unique to a student’s interests, skills, future plans, and local networks. Students should visit the CollegeTracks website for the most recent Scholarship Packet. Don’t forget to look at individual college websites to find more scholarship opportunities!
Financial Aid Guidance: CollegeTracks assists students and their families in applying for federal and state financial aid, regardless of citizenship status. All information is kept private. Families are encouraged to make an appointment with a staff member to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) between October 1 and March 1 each year.
Contact CollegeTracks
We are available on Monday-Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm. You can reach us via email at PaintBranch@CollegeTracksUSA.org, social media, text or phone. We encourage students and families to visit the Paint Branch CollegeTracks website for regular updates!
Who do we serve?
CollegeTracks will work with any Paint Branch student (unless the student is already being supported by a college access program such as ACES, AVID, or CDI). The program is free and we do not have an enrollment cap.
To Apply:
Visit our website and click the tab titled “Join CollegeTracks” or just go to