With the end of the school year comes the excitement of high school seniors making their college commitments. COVID-19 has impacted college decisions in a myriad ways, one being delayed deadlines which means that college commitments are still being made. So far, here is where College Possible Oregon students are headed next year:
There are also more than two dozen schools not included in the chart above, ranging from Portland’s Lewis & Clark College to the University of Notre Dame. However, no matter where our students are headed, we know they are prepared and more than capable of succeeding at any institution.
One unique factor about College Possible is the program does not end when students head off to college. In fact, our time together has only just begun.
College Possible sticks with students all the way until they earn their college degrees. No matter where in the world a student is going to school, they will have a College Possible coach. These near-peer coaches, recent graduates themselves, serve as AmeriCorps members for a term of one to two years. They check-in virtually with students throughout the year to make sure they’ve completed their financial aid, registered for classes and generally have what they need to be successful in college.
This looks a little bit different for each student. The college program is a much more tailored approach than our high school program. Sometimes it’s connecting a student to an existing resource on campus. Sometimes it’s reaching out to the College Possible network and connecting a student with a professional in their desired career. Sometimes it’s troubleshooting how to remove a barrier that’s in the way and partnering with the student on solutions so they can persist in school. And sometimes it’s simply listening and being a constant support for whatever the student needs to talk about.
Thank you to Bank of America for their generous support of our college programming. With their support, we look forward to celebrating more than 50 students who have earned their bachelor’s degrees this year! Congratulations on all of the hard work put in over the last several years. We cannot wait to see what’s next.
Bank of America is guided by a common purpose to make financial lives better and part of that work means partnering with organizations like College Possible to address issues fundamental to economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. We are proud to support College Possible and the work they’re doing to support students to and through college.” –Jessica Hewitt, SVP Market Manager for Portland and SW Washington
College is hard. College during a pandemic is even harder. We know that having a near-peer coach along each step of the way helps.
