Every day Ashley Larios walks into Cedar Hill High School she helps students navigate the exact path she once feared she couldn’t walk herself.
As a college admissions advisor at Cedar Hill High School and Cedar Hill Collegiate High School, Ashley now guides students through the college application process: FAFSA, scholarships, career exploration, transfer planning. She does it with the confidence of someone who has been there.
“I love being able to help students bridge the gap between high school and higher education,” she says. But getting to this point required bridging a gap of her own.
Growing up, Ashley always knew she wanted to go to college. The problem was everything she had been told about it. “Being a first-generation student, you’re told college is expensive. College is inaccessible. College is hard to get to.” She was the first in her family to pursue a degree, which meant no roadmap, no one to call with questions, and no safety net if the finances didn’t work out. “It was a very stressful process, not knowing exactly how to apply, what to do, and thinking about finances and how to pay for it.”
Then her high school counselor told her about Dallas County Promise.
“When I found out that I could go to school tuition free, that was a bonus for me, because I knew that would alleviate the burden from my parents having to pay for my education.” But the program offered more than just tuition coverage. It offered guidance. “Being with Dallas County Promise, they set me up for success. There were advisors to help me out throughout the whole process, whether that be applying for FAFSA, applying for college, getting to college, and taking different career exploration tests. Because when I first started, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do, but they allowed me to have those growth opportunities.”
After graduating from RL Turner High School in Carrollton, Texas, Ashley enrolled at Dallas College’s El Centro campus, found her footing, and graduated with her Associate’s Degree. She then transferred to the University of North Texas, where she earned a degree in integrative studies with concentrations in marketing, business, and Spanish.
From there, she started building a career in education and eventually found her way back to the students who reminded her most of herself. “Today, I get to help students in that same situation as well. For me, it’s a very full-circle moment, just because I went through [Dallas County Promise]. I know what the benefits of this program are.”
That lived experience is exactly what makes her effective in her job. When she tells a hesitant student that college is within reach, she isn’t reciting a brochure. She is speaking from her own life.
“I just want to let anyone know that’s going to go through Dallas County Promise and go to college: it is accessible. It may seem scary, but college is accessible to all, and anyone can succeed if they put their mind to it.”
Ashley Larios is proof that with the right support, college isn’t just a dream—it is an achievable reality.
