College Forward
At a Glance
Focus area(s):
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Description
College Forward is an Austin-based college completion program that begins in high school with a single goal: a bachelor's degree for every student. They provide intensive mentoring for low-income and first-generation students whose education, without their services, would most likely end with high school.
From 30 students in its inaugural 2003 class, College Forward now serves over 3,400 students from Austin and Houston who attend 17 high schools across 10 public school districts or one of more than 110 colleges across the nation. College Forward projects that 700 students will earn bachelor's degrees by 2016.
Impact and Outcomes
What Major Funders Say
Mission & Goals
College Forward's mission is to ensure more low-income students are able to enter and graduate from college. They do this by providing college access and college completion services to motivated, economically disadvantaged students, in order to facilitate their transition to college and make the process exciting and rewarding. College Forward accomplishes this by providing orientation to the college experience, preparation for college entrance examinations, assistance with college applications and assistance securing financial college completion support. College Forward believes access to higher education is the right of every young person.
Program
College Forward is one of only a handful of organizations addressing the entirety of the college completion gap. Many organizations help students enter college, albeit without the ongoing support to help students persist and graduate. They believe that an acceptance letter is only one step -- and not the most difficult —along the path to a degree. Students are recruited their junior year of high school and must be in the the top 60% of their class. They must also either be a first generation college student or qualify for the the National School Lunch Program. Students attend classes twice weekly following four semesters of uniquely designed curriculum:
Impact
College Forward's student-centered programs are unique but successful. As of June 2012:
- 99% of CoFo students have graduated from high school
- 99% have been accepted to college
- 90% enter college within 12 months of high school graduation
- 81% enroll at four-year institutions
- 83% of students who have entered college since 2003 are either still enrolled or have graduated
- College Forward students take an average of 4.35 years to earn bachelor’s degrees
- 85% of students report mentoring other youth along the college pathway – very few low-income students receive any type of college preparation or college mentoring services.
These success rates far surpass national averages for all students, including those from high-income backgrounds.
Growth Plan
College Forward’s Strategic Growth Plan outlines an ambitious initiative to scale the organization’s impact through Success Partnerships, working with universities and other youth-serving organizations to provide college completion services to their low-income students.
College Forward will leverage their college completion expertise and successful, low-cost program model to provide customizable services that meet the needs and resources of target partner groups:
- Colleges and universities
- College access organizations
- Scholarship providers
- Charter schools, parochial schools, and public school districts
- Civic and university-based service organizations
Though they intend for CoFo to remain the market leader, the ultimate ambition is to solve the problem. The number of low-income students who need college completion support is simply too great for a single organization to address; they hope to inspire other organizations not only to participate and compete, but also to benefit from CoFo’s example of best practices in student services. Solving this problem on a national scale will truly “take a village;” and, by implementing their strategic plan, CoFo aims to figuratively build the first hut.
Because the college completion program is largely virtual, administered through social media outlets, CoFo will not be constrained by geographic location. In fact, they have served students at institutions as widely separated as Maine and California since 2005, with excellent results. With thoughtful preparation, the careful investment in resources and capacity, and the development of a strong service model, they are confident in College Forward’s ability to market Success Partnerships nationwide.
Location of Sites
To make a contribution to a program site:
- Click on the "Make a Contribution Now" button and include the name, city and state of the program you would like to support, in the "notes" text box on the organization's donation form, if available.
- If a "notes" or "designation" box is not available, write the city and state on your check in the "notes" section or call the national office to designate your contribution to a local program site.
Locations in the following states:
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Financials
Most Recent Budget
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Other expenses: one-time rebranding initiative, equipment for growing staff (i.e. computers, phones, etc.)
and other program related expenses.
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Prior Year Actuals
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Other expenses include: Program related events and IT expenses.
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Major Funders
Funders:
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ACAN Anonymous Applied Materials Foundation Austin Community Foundation Bank of America Local Grant Dougherty Foundation Greater Texas Foundation JP Morgan Chase KDK Harman Foundation KLE Foundation Lumina Foundation Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Mitte Foundation OneStar Foundation (AmeriCorps) Powell Foundation Rachael & Ben Vaughan Foundation RGK Foundation Seawll Elam Foundation Simmons Foundation St. David Episcopal Church Texas Pioneer Foundation The Long Foundation Topfer Foundation USA Funds Webber Family Foundation Wilemon Family Foundaton |