A BluePrint for Success: Case Studies of Successful - Educational ...

A Blueprint for Success
Guiding each student through the college application process and tracking which schools
they apply to. Each student applies to a minimum of eight schools (three safety, three target,
and two reach).
Targeting that each student will be accepted to at least 50 percent of the schools they apply
to and tracking applications and admissions.
Requiring all students to apply to a minimum of 24 private scholarships from 9th to 12th
grade, tracking the scholarships applied to and awards received.
Ensuring that each student completes 50 hours of community service per year (35 hours for
9th graders, which increases their eligibility for certain scholarships in addition to enhancing
their college application.
Goal 3. Seventy-five percent of CT college students will graduate within six years of entering college.
College Track ensures this by:
Addressing the financial obstacles that under-resourced students face in attending college and
tracking the supports for each student through Advisory and the Glow financial education
workshops.
Assisting all students and families in filing the FAFSA form.
Measuring the financial gap for our high school seniors and awarding CT scholarships to
those who need funds the most.
Providing college students with merit based and need based scholarships (up to $6000
annually).
Addressing the emotional hardships college students may face through a combination of
counseling, advocacy, and helping them identify resources on their campuses through the
College Success cohort programs set up at 6 universities and colleges – and tracking these
interactions with students.
Through a partnership with Beyond 12, coaching to be provided to all CT college freshmen
at community colleges and California state colleges.
Tracking students through college and validating their records with the National Student
Clearinghouse and transcripts from CT scholarship recipients. Recently, College Track
developed new FERPA statements for their students that will allow them to collect
transcripts for all students. Having access to students’ transcripts will allow College Track to
determine, based on the number of credit hours taken, whether students are on track to
graduate on time.
Data collected by program staff is utilized not only to ensure College Track is meeting its goals, but
also to improve program practices. Over the past four years, College Track’s priority has been to develop
an internal evaluation methodology that is: student centered, real time, and mixed methods.
Educational Policy Institute 55 www.educationalpolicy.org