Welcome to College Track New Orleans

College Track New Orleans first opened its doors in 2008 to ensure that all students, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, earn a college degree and achieve social mobility.

Today, more than 550 students are on the path to and through college, making College Track the largest college completion program in the city. In 2016, we celebrated our first class of college graduates, who prove that by making a long-term commitment to educational attainment and equity, we can change the face of New Orleans’ leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.

Today, Louisiana ranks 49th in college attainment, with only 30% of the population earning a bachelor’s degree and the rate falls to 18% for African American youth. While college completion rates in New Orleans are on the rise, too few young people, particularly in low-income communities of color, are given the opportunity to compete in the city’s changing workforce.

our 10-year promise

A View Inside…

New Orleans is a vibrant and diverse city whose symbolic colors provide a constant reminder of the qualities our students possess: purple representing justice, green representing faith, and gold representing power. Every day, students come to the center ready to learn, discover their passions, and inspire lasting change in New Orleans for generations to come.

Who We Serve

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students currently enrolled

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identify as students of color

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matriculate to a two- or four-year college

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first-generation

Scholar Spotlight: Kaila, Howard University

It was on a trip to East Africa through College Track that opened my eyes to global disparities in healthcare. Serving at a clinic in Lira, Uganda, I saw the lack of equipment in the facilities and space to adequately serve the community. I remember one of the nurses telling us that all of the instruments they used were sent from the United States after being deemed unfit for use. I thought to myself, “if these instruments are not good enough to be used on American patients, why are they being used on Ugandan patients?”

I have always been self-motivated and driven, but for students from my community, that is not enough. College Track provided me with the tools to not only get to college but to graduate and pursue my passion. After medical school, I plan to move back to New Orleans to fill the gap in the medical field and ensure that little Black girls have doctors and healthcare professionals who look like them. For me, it’s important to model what it looks like to follow your passion.

join our movement

Community Partners

Since our founding in the region, we have established lasting partnerships with small businesses and large universities alike, who share our belief in the potential of New Orleans youth.