College Success Foundation launches Rally for College

In February, College Success Foundation embarked on its most ambitious endeavor yet: to mitigate the staggering declines in direct-college enrollment by dramatically re-engaging Washington state high school students and their families. As an organization driven to make higher education attainable for all students, we know the need to propel students back toward their full potential has never been more urgent––which is why when classrooms reopened in the 2021-2022 school year, we launched a new school-wide initiative.

Developed in partnership with Washington state and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the Rally for College (RFC) initiative actively ignites interest in post-secondary options and increases access to informative college and career readiness content to all students in the high schools we serve. RFC expands outreach efforts among students while also cultivating parent engagement and holistic collaboration with school administrators and staff for maximum student recovery impact. 

We are proud to report that Rally for College has already engaged more than 15,000 students across our state. Our efforts to deepen existing support and intensify engagement across entire school communities has resulted in the delivery of 806 college readiness activities where 83% of seniors reported that the guidance and resources they received were instrumental to their college planning process. 

“Before this program I was lost and unsure of what I wanted to do after high school. I started visiting a college group and I am now enrolled in a university. This program has really helped me make choices that will benefit me in the future.”

CSF Scholar

RFC’s expanded pathway model situates a team of trained professionals directly in-schools to advise, coach, and support students. Collectively and one-on-one, these school-based teams equip students and their families with the knowledge and information they need to explore career and college opportunities, prepare for and successfully transition to college. 

Whether intercepting students on their lunch periods to sign up for text message alerts about important college application deadlines, or holding larger scale school-wide events to raise broad awareness of financial aid opportunities, CSF’s staff are on the ground, seizing every opportunity to effectively influence students’ promising futures.

CSF advisors took students on campus visits throughout the state. Students had the opportunity to tour campuses, learn from student panels, sit in on lectures, and attend presentations on vital topics. Campus visits like these empower students to visualize themselves in their prospective environments–making their goals of attending college that much more tangible and enabling them to better understand the elements of fit and match.

Another key component of helping students visualize their potential is through scholarship application support. Our advisors provide larger group sessions as well as individualized support to help students strategically apply for scholarships best suited to their financial needs. At Port Angeles High School, RFC advisors supported seniors with completion of a graduation requirement called the “Scholarship Notebook.” The notebook requires students to submit a personal data sheet, transcript, photo, teacher recommendation and statement of purpose. A committee reviews notebooks and determines which students are best matched to available scholarships. 95% of students who applied received scholarships.

Of equal importance to our Rally for College pathway model is parent engagement. Research shows that when parents are involved in their children’s pursuit of a degree, these students are more likely to successfully attend college. Across all regions, our Parent Engagement Specialists are hosting creative and informative activities to expand parents’ knowledge of financial aid opportunities, the college application process, and more. At Lincoln High School, rising 9th grade students and their parents were invited to tour the high school and learn about the importance of the transition to high school. This event featured live translation services in both Spanish and Vietnamese to improve accessibility for all families.

But there is still much work to be done. Nationally, colleges have lost more than 600,000 undergrad students since the pandemic began. In Washington state, undergraduate enrollment plummeted 13.5%––a decline more severe than most states, according to recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

The repercussions of decreasing undergraduate enrollment pose a dire threat to the pursuit of education equity. Without an educated workforce, we risk advancing our knowledge-based economy and solving the most pressing humanitarian and economic challenges of our time. Education is a win for any young adult’s economic prospects and a win for the future of our democracy.

Washington student’s futures are on the line and College Success Foundation is innovating to its fullest capacity to turn the tide. 

Designing and deploying programs like Rally for College requires all hands on deck. Together we can regain student momentum, but we need you with us.