Incoming Cornell University freshman Neriah Laborde says the moment she opened her acceptance email was nothing short of surreal.

"It was amazing. I could not believe I got in," Laborde said.

Laborde is heading to the Ivy League school on a full scholarship - a dream she credits to the support of Seeds of Fortune, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that helps low and mixed-income students navigate the college admissions process.

"After seeing that email, I was like, 'Wow — I really got in,'" she said.

The organization provides students with guidance on college essays, financial literacy, as well as scholarship programs that connect students to admissions staff - all with the goal of unlocking their potential and securing financial aid.

"It was about learning what they were looking for from the essays," Laborde said. "I thought I had to be perfect, but I just had to be me."

Founder Nitiyah Walker says the program works with hundreds of students each year, helping them craft compelling personal narratives that highlight their unique experiences.

"We help them brand and communicate their value proposition as students," Walker said. "If they’re taking care of their siblings, that’s a job, and that’s a story only they can tell."

Seeds of Fortune is now expanding its reach. The program’s curriculum includes resume building, networking and post-graduate success strategies, and is now available online. The goal is to enroll over 10,000 students in the next three years.

"They just need a little more help, a little more of a push to get their academic excellence recognized," Walker said.

The organization also encourages students to pay it forward.

"It’s their duty as leaders to take these lessons back to their communities, back to their classrooms, and teach their peers the same information," Walker said.

Laborde says she's glad someone has her back throughout her college career, networking and beyond and she is determined to pay it forward.

"I’ll tell them that it happened for me. It can happen for them. It’s not impossible," she says.