A Life of Opportunity, Choice, Purpose, and Power
Our Philosophy
At College Track, we believe a bachelor’s degree remains one of the strongest drivers of opportunity — opening doors to economic mobility, civic participation, lifelong wellness, and self-agency. We partner with students from under-resourced communities who will be the first in their families to graduate from college, helping ensure the promise of higher education extends across generations. Our work equips scholars to succeed in college and pursue meaningful careers, including fields where students from diverse backgrounds have historically had less access.
We must inspire all students to develop the belief that they have the ability, and responsibility, to influence their own destiny.
National research continues to demonstrate that the most powerful way for first-generation students from under-resourced communities to earn a life of opportunity, choice, purpose, and power is through higher education.
On an individual level, earning a bachelor’s degree is crucial for economic success, civic engagement, and lifelong wellness. More broadly, having an educated populace strengthens our citizenry and gives voice to our most vulnerable communities.
The Organizational Focus
From the very beginning, College Track focused on supporting students with limited resources to chart their course to college. We quickly realized the importance of getting students through college.
For more than 25 years, we’ve broadened our program to address the growing college completion gap, making a 10-year commitment to each and every student we serve.
The State of the Union
The national college completion gap has directly contributed to the greatest income inequality in our country’s history. At the rate we’re going, less than one third of America’s youth will be able to participate in the 2020 economy.
A bachelor’s degree is one of the most valuable tools we have to democratize access to the 21st-century workforce and meet the needs of a diversifying population. We know we can all do more to make sure today’s students have what they need to realize their potential and contribute their gifts to the world.
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of Americans from the lowest income quartile receive a bachelor’s degree by the age of 24, according to Pell Institute 2024 report
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the six-year graduation rate at four-year institutions for Pell Grant recipients
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job openings per year, on average, from 2024 to 2034, across all occupations — with most openings coming from the need to replace workers who leave permanently, not from newly created jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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of jobs in the U.S. will require postsecondary education and/or training, with 12.5 million of the projected 18.5 million annual job openings requiring at least some college education by 2031, according to Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce
Potential Realized
We are honored to work with scholars on their educational journey from freshman year of high school until they walk across the stage at college graduation.
Our scholars realize an immeasurable transformation and return to their communities to share with younger generations that there’s nothing holding them back from greatness.
Every passing day, their persistence, creativity, and extraordinary discipline fuels and motivates us to work harder and continue making the dreams of a four-year college degree a reality for America’s youth.
The Future Starts Here.
Our work to equip first-generation scholars with the tools to reach their potential is more important now than it’s ever been.
If we want to solve the tough problems facing the world–climate change, disease, poverty–look no further than a first-generation college graduate. Look to the College Track scholar.
We are working towards a world where our scholars reach beyond the limits of what we knew was possible. We’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of understanding the full potential of what our college graduates can achieve. With your investment, their impact on the world is limitless.