What College Summit does

• Workshops to catalyze change in the college-going culture among influential – but not necessarily high achieving – high school students. This intensive, four-day experience brings students, schools, colleges, and community partners together to help students complete a college application, including an essay, and internalize the belief that they are college material. The student participants are also trained to serve as Peer Leaders during their senior year to help fellow students see college as a possibility for themselves.
• Year-long guidance process for high school seniors. What makes the college transition work for middle-class students is the presence of college-experienced parents, who keep students on track through the maze of college essays, forms, deadlines, and choices. College Summit trains teachers to play this “management” role at school and provides a guidance curriculum that is built into existing periods.
• Information for colleges to help them identify overlooked talent. Colleges need a larger pool of diverse talent, and they need a way to distinguish who – among the masses of mid-performing applicants – is most likely to succeed. College Summit provides their partner colleges with Preview Portfolios – application materials, teacher recommendations, high school transcripts, etc. – on pre-screened, low-income students, early in the admissions process.