Empowering More Students.
Changing More Lives.
From a bold idea to a national movement, College Possible has been empowering students from low-income families to achieve college access and success for over two decades.
In 2000, educator Jim McCorkell founded College Possible (originally “Admission Possible”) in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with one simple belief: every student, regardless of their challenges, should have the chance to attend and succeed in college. As a first-generation college student, he was determined to change the life trajectories of as many students as possible.
What began with just 35 students and a dedicated team of AmeriCorps coaches quickly evolved into a proven model—expanding access to higher education and helping more students reach the life-changing goal of earning a college degree.
Admission Possible launches in Minnesota.
College Possible is featured in The New York Times.
Admission Possible is recognized by President Barack Obama.
Catalyze program is launched to help college students.
Ballmer gives record-setting gift.
College Possible introduces Agentforce into our coaching solution.
College Possible helps thousands more students achieve their dream of a college degree.
Our Milestones
2000
Admission Possible launches in Saint Paul, Minnesota with one site and 35 students.
2005
Admission Possible receives the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits award for innovation and is featured in the New York Times.
2008
The program expands to Milwaukee, Wisconsin—proving that the model can work in different communities.
2009
New college programming is introduced, reaching 2,200 college students in addition to 1,400 high school students.
2011
The program expands to Omaha, Nebraska.
2012
The program expands to Portland, Oregon.
The organization rebrands from Admission Possible to College Possible to better reflect our mission.
The board of directors unanimously approves moving the college program out of its pilot phase, reflecting the organization’s commitment to supporting students through college to graduation.
2014
College Possible expands to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
We launch CollegePoint in collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies, providing virtual college coaching to high school students across the U.S.
College Possible launches CoPilot, a robust student information system.
2015
College Possible expands to Chicago, Illinois.
We celebrate 15 years and 1,500 college graduates.
2016
College Possible launches Catalyze to provide support services to college students.
2017
Ballmer Group gives a record-setting $20 million gift to College Possible.
2019
College Access Now unites with College Possible to become College Possible Washington, located in Seattle, Washington.
2020
College Possible celebrates 20 years of empowering students, with more than 50,000 students served to date.
2023
College Forward in Austin, Texas officially becomes College Possible Texas, our eighth site.
2024
College Possible Milwaukee is renamed College Possible Wisconsin, to reflect its statewide reach and impact.
College Possible partners with Salesforce to incorporate Agentforce into our student coaching solution.
Admission [College] Possible helps promising young people from low-income families attend college. The vast majority stay in college and earn their degrees.
President Barack Obama
Moving Forward, Together
As we look to the future, College Possible is committed to ensuring all students have the opportunity to pursue and complete their college education. We don’t just open doors, we support students every step of the way until they graduate. With the continued support of our partners, alumni, coaches, and communities, we will keep innovating, adapting, and expanding until college success is within reach for everyone.
From the students we support to the coaches who guide them, every person plays a role in the College Possible journey. Join us as we continue to build brighter futures and stronger communities.