College Bound Inc

TO PREPARE PUBLIC AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON, DC AREA TO ENTER COLLEGE, EARN A DEGREE, AND ACHIEVE THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS.

COLLEGE BOUND'S MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO SUPPORTING STUDENTS HAS BEEN MAKING COLLEGE A REALITY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS SINCE 1991. IT'S ACADEMIC MENTORING PROGRAM MATCHES OVER 200 STUDENTS IN 8TH-12TH GRADE WITH COLLEGE-EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS, WHO BECOME THEIR ACADEMIC MENTORS. PAIRS MEET ONCE WEEKLY FOR TWO HOURS, DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, AT ONE OF SEVEN COMMUNITY-BASED SITES. MENTOR-STUDENT PAIRS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN MONTHLY ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THE SITE TO REINFORCE AND STRENGTHEN THE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP. THROUGH WRITING WORKSHOPS, WRITING COACHES HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP THE WRITING SKILLS NEEDED NOT ONLY FOR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND FINANCIAL SCHOLARSHIPS BUT TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY. WEEKLY JOURNALING IS ALSO AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE AGENDA FOR STUDENTS AND MENTORS AT THE PROGRAM SITES. SAT PREPARATION IS OFFERED TWICE YEARLY AND PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS ACCESS TO A LOW COST 10-WEEK TEST PREPARATION COURSE TAUGHT BY INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. AFTER COMPLETING THE SAT CLASS, STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED THE NEXT SEMESTER IN ONE-ON-ONE SAT TUTORING WHICH IS TARGETED TO ADDRESS THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, LEADING TO AVERAGE INCREASES OF 200-300 POINTS ON THE SAT.TWO COLLEGE TOURS, A COLLEGE FAIR, AND CAREER NIGHT/EXPLORATION ARE OFFERED TO EXPAND STUDENTS' AWARENESS OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION AND ITS VALUE. THE FALL TOUR IS A ONE-DAY VISIT TO TWO TO THREE SCHOOLS WITH A CERTAIN REGIONAL RADIUS; WHILE THE FOUR-DAY SPRING TOUR IS OVER THE SPRING BREAK, WITH VISITS TO EIGHT TO TEN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THE COLLEGE FAIR, WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE FALL, IS DEVELOPED BY STUDENTS, PARENTS, VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND HOSTED BY OUR PARTNERS WHO ATTEND REPRESENTING THEIR ALMA MATERS. SEVERAL UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVES OFFER ON-SITE ADMISSIONS OR FEE-WAIVERS TO SENIORS. CAREER NIGHT, OUR ANNUAL CAREER FAIR, IS HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY CLUB FOR 10TH-12TH GRADE STUDENTS WHERE THEY PARTICIPATE IN ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS ON CAREER GOALS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST FOR THEM AFTER COLLEGE GRADUATION. BECAUSE OF OUR GROWTH, WE OFFER A SEPARATE CAREER EXPLORATION FOR 8TH AND 9TH GRADERS TO EXPOSE THEM TO A MYRIAD OF CAREER PATHS. BOTH EVENTS FEATURE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS WHO HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN THEIR CHOSEN CAREER PATH. TO ADDRESS STUDENTS' INTEREST AND THE NEED TO INCREASE THEIR AWARENESS OF STEM OPTIONS, COLLEGE BOUND OFFERS REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT THREE TIMES WEEKLY THROUGH ITS "STEM IN YOUR HOOD" PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, STEM PROFESSIONALS MEET WITH STUDENTS MONTHLY DURING "MEDI-TECH TUESDAYS" TO PROVIDE INSIGHT ON CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM. WE OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS TO ASSIST OUR STUDENTS WITH FUNDING THEIR EDUCATION; TOTALING MORE THAN $266,000 FOR THE CLASS OF 2021. SCHOLARSHIPS RANGE FROM $200 TO $20,000. FINALLY, OUR VIRTUAL MENTORING PROGRAM (VMP) PROVIDES ALUMNI ACCESS TO SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS THEY MATRICULATE THROUGH COLLEGE. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A "SAFETY NET" TO HELP THEM SUCCEED IN THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES: COLLEGE COACHING, COLLEGE TRANSITION SUPPORT, PEER MENTORING, SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION, AND INTERNSHIPS. EACH FRESHMAN RECEIVES AT LEAST ONE CAMPUS VISIT AND MORE IF THERE IS A NEED. THESE SUPPORTS HELP TO INCREASE COLLEGE RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES FOR STUDENTS TO ENSURE THEIR SUCCESS. STUDENTS ALSO RETURN TO THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM WHEN THEY ARE BACK HOME TO SHARE THEIR COLLEGE EXPERIENCES WITH CURRENT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS DURING "ALUMNI WEEK". WE ALSO OFFER WORKSHOPS AND NETWORKING EVENTS FOR VMP PARTICIPANTS DURING THE WINTER AND SUMMER BREAKS. OUR COLLEGE GRADUATION RATES (4-YEAR 60%; 6-YEAR 81%) EXCEED THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR ALL STUDENTS AND MORE THAN DOUBLE THOSE FOR THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE ARE SERVING.