Posse partners with higher education institutions around the country, annually sending "posses" of 10 students, with full-tuition scholarships, to each institution. Students receive pre-collegiate training from January-August of their senior year, regular support throughout college, and connections to career opportunities for post-graduation success.
ELIGIBILITY
- Students join Posse in the beginning of their senior year of high school.
- Community organizations and high schools can nominate students
- Competitive applicants are motivated, ambitious, with demonstrated leadership skills, academic potential, and interest in teamwork and diversity
APPLICATION
- Posse uses a "Dynamic Assessment Process" to identify young leaders with potential to excel at elite institutions, who might be missed by traditional admissions criteria.
- The "D.A.P." is a multi-stage, comprehensive selection process.
STUDENT AND FAMILY RESOURCES
Posse | - Posse partners with higher education institutions around the country, annually sending "posses" of 10 students, with full-tuition scholarships, to each institution. - Students recieve pre-collegiate training from January-August of their Senior year, regular support throughout college, and connections to career opportunites for post-graduation success. | - Students join Posse in the beginning of their senior year of high school. - Community based organizations and high schools can nominate students - Competitive applicants are motivated, ambitious, with demonstrated leadership skills, academic potential, and interest in teamwork and diversity | - Posse uses a "Dynamic Assessment Process" to identify young leaders with potential to excel at elite institutions, who might be missed by traditional admissions criteria. - The "D.A.P." is a multi-stage, comprehensive selection process. | Variable |
Bottom Line | Bottom Line's "College Access and College Success" programs help students navigate the college application process and provide guidance during college. | - A high school GPA of 2.5+ (2.3+ for young men). - A first-generation prospective student OR from a household that is income eligible - A U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or refugee/asylee. - College Access participants are high school Seniors. - College Success program is open to students who are enrolling for the first time, in the upcoming semester, at a partner institution. | - Basic information on academics, activities, household, financial background | Applications open February |
Minds Matter | Through their three complementary programs (Prep, Senior, and Alumni), Minds Matter partners students with mentors to ease the college preperation, application, transition, and success processes. | - Current 9th or 10th grader - 3.0+ GPA - Qualify for free or reduced lunch under federal guidelines - Strong motivation, maturity, responsibility, and academic potential - Active in extracurricular and/or community activities | - Short answer questions and an essay - A guidance counselor or teacher recommendation - A parent/guardian commitment form - A high school transcript - In-person interview | Applications for the 2023-24 school year open February, 2023 |
Thrive Scholars | Thrive works with students for six years, beginning in their Junior year of high school, to thrive throughout higher education. Thrive's program consists of 5 pillars: 1) college advising 2) academic preperation 3) social-emotional and academic 1:1 support 4) financial support 5) career development | - 3.7+ GPA - Household income at, or below, $75,000/year - SAT/PSAT score of 1200+ or ACT/PACT score of 25+ - 1st generation college student, OR, student of color | - Application - Recommendations - Interview(s) | Timeline from 2022 (for reference): - Jan 5: application deadline - Feb 1-21: invitation only process - Early April: admissions decisions |
Upward Bound (at Boston University) (at Suffolk) | - A federal program with smaller, local partners, designed to increase the rates at which participants enroll in and graduate from higher education institutions - Participants live on college campuses in the summers, attend classes after school & on Saturdays during the school year | Boston University: - Low-income or first generation prospective college students - From Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury, or East Boston Suffolk University: - Income-eligible, first generation prospective student, OR, "at high risk of academic failure" - Live in Dorchester | - Basic demographic information - One (or more) short essay(s) - Letter of recommendation from a teacher or school counselor - Students selected based on recommendations from local educators, social workers, or other interested parties | |
QuestBridge | - Questbridge offers two main programs: College Prep and College Match - College Prep helps high school juniors prepare to submit a competitive application to top colleges - College Match connects students with full-tuition scholarships to top colleges & provides a pathway to admission to students who are NOT paired up with a full-tuition scholarship | Most participants in both programs: - come from low-income households - are first generation prospective college students - have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement - Applicants must be in the 11th or 12th grade, and plan on attending college their first year after high school | - Information on academics, activities, household, financial background - Essay(s) and short answers - Teacher recommendation(s) - Current high school transcript - Standardized test scores (if applicable) - School Profile (optional, but recommended) - (For College Match) school report from H.S. counselor | College Prep closed College Match: - Late Summer: application opens - September 27: application due - October 13: Match Rankings Form due - December 1: Match Day - December 11: Regular Decision form is due |
Let's Get Ready | - Program offerings include a College Access, College Transition, and College Success portion - All programs rely on the "near-peer" mentor model, where college students from similar backgrounds virtually mentor younger students - Various levels of engagement/support are offered to students | - High school seniors, or college students in first or second year of college - 90% of students are people of color - 90% of students come from low-income backgrounds or are prospective first generation college students | 10 minute application with information on academic, demographic, household, financial background | - Applications open now for 2022-23 transition program (offering application support to high school seniors) - Interest form available for high school Juniors (and below), to be notified when applications re-open |
Boston HERC's Passport Program | - Through the Boston Higher Education Resource Center - A once-weekly afterschool program for Juniors and Seniors in High School - Brings together chort of first-generation youth and supports them through their journey through college - Includes college trips in the area, scholarships & financial aid, college application support, career exploration | - Low or moderate income and/or first generation college student - GPA of 2.0+ - A desire to attend college/university | - Basic personal information - 30 minute interview - 1 written recommendation from a guidance counselor or teacher - High School Transcript or Resume | Students can apply starting the Spring of their Sophomore year |