This critical phenomenological inquiry explored the college preparation experiences of ten high-ability, Black, women who grew up in poverty to identify influences from various family, school, and community environments contributing to their college readiness. I used a conceptual framework informed by both Kimberlé Crenshaw's (1991) intersectionality and Urie Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory to frame this study and critically examine their responses. This specific paper reports 5 of the 9 themes that yielded from the inquiry: (1) prophetic excellence: family and friends support and expectations; (2) it takes a village: community culture and resources; (3) from chaperone to mentor: exploring the depth of K-12 academic relationships and experiences; (4) preparing for a home away from home: college exploration and preparation; (5) demystifying the process: I don't know what I do or don't need to know. Implications for anti-racist perspectives to inform the practices of counselor educators, school counselors, and school communities are discussed.