The Problem We’re Solving
Nationally, there is 1 counselor for every 482 students.
This means students receive only 38 minutes of college guidance in high school.
The Challenge
By 2025, 2 out of every 3 jobs will require a post-secondary degree, meaning further education after high school. Yet, today’s students from low-income communities, communities of color and future first-generation college students receive less than an hour of college and career guidance. These same students, as early as middle school, are being asked to make important decisions that impact their high school, college, and career decisions — high school choice, the value of a GPA, options for financial aid, how to build a resume — often without the knowledge or dedicated time to make them.
We must guide their trajectory to ensure they can evaluate their post-secondary and career options in order to select and begin to successfully pursue the best option for them.
The Solution: Education Opens Doors Program
Education Opens Doors equips middle school students to uncover the “bigger why” behind school during critical, decision-making years – and ensures a caring adult is trained to help bring that why to life in future education and beyond, through:
-Best-in-class, critical thinking-driven curriculum – up to 900 minutes of learning across a year (vs. 38 minute national average) leads to students making more informed decisions about their college and career choices
-Teacher and counselor training and support – to equip those who spend the most time building relationships with students we offer extensive training and support to ensure we have a sustained impact
-Digital & in-person learning – through school-based support or digital, distance learning resources we provide engaging, student-centered lessons to meet our partners needs
-Customized, culturally-relevant content – providing a flexible, teacher-supported curriculum model to support a variety of classroom settings and learning styles with a program that incorporate culturally responsive content and intentionally include information to support all students.
-A commitment to equity – focus on closing the opportunity and information gap for students from low-income communities, communities of color and future first-generation college students
Foundations I
The Foundations I program includes six units designed to introduce students to key college information and soft skills. Topics covered include GPA & class rank, types of high schools, resume and interviewing, reasons to attend college and financial aid.
Foundations II
The Foundations II program builds upon the skills students learned in the Foundations I program. Topics covered include growth mindset, internships and jobs, mock interviews, choosing a major, financial literacy and applying to college.
