KIPP Through College

KIPP counselors support students as they prepare for and select the right college and career based on their interests and passions. After high school, KIPP advisors help alumni navigate the academic, social, and financial challenges they might encounter while in college or pursuing a career.

Higher Education Report

We're committed to preparing students for economically self-sufficient, choice-filled lives. Leading up to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, KIPP published a report calling on education leaders, policy makers, higher education institutions, and advocates to commit to drastic changes in the ways we support students in college.

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Choosing a College

KIPP has learned that not all colleges are equal when it comes to graduation rates for students from low-income communities. KIPP uses the College Match Framework while counseling students and families through the college decision-making process. Students who “match” well are more likely to graduate within 4-6 years. While the College Match Framework outlines in detail the steps that high school Juniors and Seniors should follow, the four steps below are critical for all students as they prepare for the match process:

1. Get an
early start

It takes a lot of work, a lot of planning, and a lot of time to apply to college. We advise our students to get an early start and to apply ahead of admission deadlines. This gives them access to the largest pool of financial aid and, in some cases, increases odds for acceptance through Early Decision or Early Action options.

2. Explore your passion, purpose, plan and fit priorities

It is critical that KIPPsters take time to reflect on what they want out of a college education, include college experience, learning environment, location, area of study, and career opportunities. By building these characteristics into their SMART wish lists, students are more invested in their options and better set up to make strong decisions in the Spring.

3. Prepare for the cost of college

A college degree opens the door for more job opportunities and higher paying careers. School leaders, teachers, and college counselors work with students and families to understand their options, to help them increase eligibility for aid, and to avoid excess debt.

4. Know your numbers

KIPPsters’ academic profiles, including their GPA, ACT, and SAT, affect which school they can attend. School leaders, teachers, and college counseling teams make sure students not only know their numbers, but also know how to implement key strategies to improve their academic trajectories during high school.

Persisting Through College

After students graduate from KIPP schools, KIPP alumni coaches and counselors remain dedicated to helping students earn a degree on the path to a life full of opportunity. Throughout college there are several crucial moments that can put a student at risk of leaving school; conversely, there are some key behaviors that keep a student on the path to graduation. Our support approach is informed by rigorous research, our students’ experiences, and the knowledge and expertise of our community.

Have a purpose, passion, and plan

Create, iterate, and commit to a college and career plan

Focus on
academics

Ensure you set and meet academic goals

Network and navigate

Identify and utilize a strong support team

Be financially fit

Make smart, savvy financial decisions

Know who you are

Develop and practice self-awareness

KIPP Bay Area San Jose Collegiate

Charting a Career Path

KIPP’s mission has always been focused on preparing students to lead choice-filled lives. While we know that a college degree is the clearest path to a life of opportunity and choice, we also know some students pursue different paths to fulfilling careers. Through academic and extracurricular programs, we help our students expand their knowledge of career options – and the steps needed to pursue the career of their choice. We’re piloting pathways programs to better support students who pursue a credentialing pathway.

KIPP College Partners

KIPP partners with colleges and universities across the country to learn alongside each other how best to support first-generation college students. Together with more than 95 college partners, we aim to create a scalable model for college access and completion that other institutions can replicate.

Our college partners share our belief that all students will learn and are committed to ensuring first-generation college students persist and graduate.

This section of the page contains a carousel that visually displays multiple slides at a time. For screen reader users, these slides appear in a list below. The next and previous buttons only affect how these slides are shown visually, but do not affect what screen readers read, since all the slides are always shown to these users.

  • College Partner Texas A and M University
    Texas A & M University-College Station
  • College Partner University of Pennsylvania
    University of Pennsylvania
  • College Partner Franklin and Marshall College
    Franklin and Marshall College
  • College Partner University of California Irvine
    University of California-Irvine
  • College Partner The City College of New York
    CUNY City College
  • College Partner University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • College Partner University of California Berkeley
    University of California-Berkeley
  • College Partner Temple University
    Temple University
  • College Partner Spelman College
    Spelman College
  • College Partner Rutgers University Newark
    Rutgers University-Newark
  • College Partner Georgia State University
    Georgia State University
  • College Partner University of Arkansas
    University of Arkansas Main Campus
  • KIPP College Partner Pomona College
    Pomona College
View All

This section of the page contains a carousel that visually displays 1 testimonial slide at a time. For screen reader users, these slides appear in a list below. The next and previous buttons only affect how these slides are shown visually, but do not affect what screen readers read, since all the slides are always shown to these users.

  • F&M's partnership with KIPP empowers underserved students with the resources to determine their own futures; a cause to which I am deeply committed. Daniel Porterfield, President of Franklin & Marshall College

    F&M's partnership with KIPP empowers underserved students with the resources to determine their own futures; a cause to which I am deeply committed.

    Daniel Porterfield, President of Franklin & Marshall College
  • KIPP schools have established a record of educating high potential students, ready for the academically challenging environment Spelman provides. Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, President of Spelman College

    KIPP schools have established a record of educating high potential students, ready for the academically challenging environment Spelman provides.

    Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, President of Spelman College
  • And when our students and alumni get through the obstacles, it's like watching your own children grow up. Sarah Gomez, Foundation Staff

    And when our students and alumni get through the obstacles, it's like watching your own children grow up.

    Sarah Gomez, Foundation Staff

Contact KIPP Through College

Contact a local KIPP Through College Director to learn more about partnership opportunities.

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College & Career Resources

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Tools & Templates

The Keys to Match for Students

This handout is designed to help students understand the Keys to Match.

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Tools & Templates

Cuatro Claves Para Encontrar tu Opción Ideal (The Keys to Match in Spanish)

Un folleto para que el consejero entienda las claves para una opción ideal y pueda mejor explicar estos detalles a alumnos y padres de familia.

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Planning & Strategy

Persistence Framework

This framework outlines our approach to college persistence and includes the keys to student success, key advisor coaching practices, and conditions that are needed to facilitate effective student coaching.

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Tools & Templates

Pre-College Persistence Benchmark Tool: Pre-College and Years 1 & 2 of a 2-Year College Career

This is an assessment tool to check in with students, track progress, and target support across caseloads. This tool is designed for supporting 2-year students in the summer before college starts, and then in years 1-2, with a focus on 4-year transfer.

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What Else Makes KIPP Different?

Learn More About Our Approach