The College Initiative is dedicated to help low-income and underserved secondary students in America, who do not have adequate access to college counseling, standardized test preparation, and college admissions services which are typically available to their more affluent peers. The reality is without these services, many low-income and underserved high school students will not have the opportunit
y to get into college, let alone be competitive for acceptance at universities. The College Initiative began its outreach in 2010 in the Greater Mississippi Delta, where the poverty line cuts deep and educational inequality is starkly apparent. In this region:
• 100% of students qualify for free or reduced price lunch and the median household income is $25,554
• Only 14% of graduating seniors meet all four college readiness benchmarks,
• Only 21% of adults have at least an associate degree,
• 90% of seniors need remediation in Math, Science, or English,
• 85% of students who attend college drop out,
• The average ACT score is only 13, compared to 22—the score needed for consideration as "college ready." The achievement gap reflected in these statistics extends to dealing with the basics of applying to college. Students typically lack guidance and understanding in how to file financial aid paper work (FAFSA), struggle with constructing a personal statement, and are not aware of scholarship opportunities outside of state schools. Working with local school systems, The College Initiative provides students with ACT preparation, scholarship searches, personal statement courses, organized college visits, FAFSA and Common Application prep, as well as many other curriculum enrichment opportunities otherwise, including financial literacy and Javascript coding. Over the past 3 years, The College Initiative has grown from serving one school in 2010 to serving eight schools in 2013, and getting ready to serve twenty to twenty-five schools in 2014 across Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi. The students who go through our program receive over 9000 minutes of personalized ACT/SAT test preparation, personalized financial aid consulting, and personalized college application assistance. No wonder 100% of our students have been admitted to college, score 40% higher on the ACT, are 12 times more likely to earn a college degree, and have earned over $5 million in scholarships and financial aid. We do this by partnering with local school districts to supplement their college counseling services by providing ACT preparation, scholarship searches, personal statement courses, organized college visits, FAFSA and Common Application prep, as well as many other curriculum enrichment opportunities, including financial literacy and STEM skills such as Javascript coding. The College Initiative stands apart as a service provider by taking an insourcing, rather than outsourcing, approach. We transform school communities from within by reorienting their existing people and assets to optimize student outcomes. The College Initiative trains schools' existing teachers, parents, civic leaders, businesses, and volunteers to ensure that our students reach their full potential. With your support, we can reach, inspire, and empower every student, regardless of background, to make sure that our country is a place where if you work hard, you have a chance to get ahead.
