College Possible Washington

Mission

College Possible is making college admission and success possible for students from low-income backgrounds by providing the tools, strategies and support needed to navigate and overcome challenges to college graduation. We envision a day when a student’s future is determined solely by their talent, motivation and effort.

The Problem

For many, a college education is a vital stepping stone to building long-term financial and professional stability as well as growth. Evidence shows that when students from low-income backgrounds earn a bachelor’s degree, especially those who are the first in their family to attend college, they are 24% more likely to be employed (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019) and 3.5 times less likely to live in poverty when compared with peers who don’t attend college (Lumina Foundation, “It’s Not Just the Money,” 2015). Yet significant challenges prevent many students from limited-income backgrounds from accessing and persisting towards a degree. 

College Possible’s work focuses on this striking college degree divide, where talented students from low-income and first-generation backgrounds face higher challenges to accessing and succeeding in college. This makes our model of coaching and support even more necessary to tackle lack of educational and economic opportunity. Equipped with a college degree, students participating in College Possible’s programs will be able to access the ever-increasing share of job opportunities that require college education–an estimated 72% of all job postings in 2031 (Center on Education & the Workforce, 2023).

Our Solution

College Possible’s unique advising model allows us to create an affordable, scalable, effective solution to provide intensive mentorships and role-model support to students. Our advisors are trained college graduates who provide direct service and guidance to students through every stage of the college process from college admission to enrollment and persistence, starting from a student’s junior year of high school and continuing through college graduation. 

Our model provides the following coaching services to eligible students: (1) College search and application guidance; (2) Financial literacy and financial aid consulting; (3) Enrollment and high school-to-college transition coaching, including identifying academic interests and majors; (4) Building social-emotional learning skills; (5) Professional communications and mentorship; (6) Academic expectations and responsibilities; and (7) Connection to campus resources and opportunities.

What sets us apart:

• 6+ Years of Support: Students enrolled in our program receive one of the longest support cycles available, starting their junior year in high school and continuing through degree completion.
• Support for Unenrolled Students: Those who unenroll or stop out of college continue to receive coaching support to help them make progress towards re-enrolling.
• Free to Students: Thanks to the generous support of our funders and partners, our college access and success programs are offered at no cost to students or their families.

“I feel more confident. Before College Possible, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. Now I know that there are more colleges I could apply to and get into...I know I have opportunities and options.” Angel, Decatur High School Graduate, Studying at Highline College

Results

As one of the largest college access and success organizations in the country, our evidence-based programs have earned national credibility. Compared with their peers from similar backgrounds, College Possible students have a 30% higher rate of enrolling in college the year after high school graduation and are three times more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Learn more at CollegePossible.org