College Possible helps low-income students earn college degrees. Coaches begin working with
students their junior year of high school and stay with them all the way through college completion.
 
Study Goals:
The goal of this evaluation is to understand:
  • How College Possible impacts college enrollment, college choice, “match,” and persistence among students in Milwaukee Public Schools.
  • What the impact of College Possible is on students’ college admissions and preparation activities.
  • Whether College Possible is also impacting high school engagement and performance.
 
Research Questions:
The evaluation examined the following questions:
  • Does College Possible impact college enrollment, college choice, match, and persistence among students in Milwaukee Public Schools?
  • Does College Possible have an impact on students’ college admissions and preparation activities?
 
Findings:
The evaluation found evidence that the College Possible program positively impacts college enrollment and the selectivity of the colleges that students attend.
Key findings include:
  • The College Possible program has positive impacts on admissions applications, scholarship applications, and FAFSA completion.
  • The program is supporting college preparedness through:
    • Improved high school graduation rates, ACT Writing, and English scores, and
    • Increased enrollment in AP/IB, math, and science courses during grade 12.
  • The analysis does not suggest that College Possible improved intermediate high school outcomes such as grades, attendance, or disciplinary actions.

For more information, download the full report.

 

 

Full report

Full Report
CollegePossible_19ES209111_Report_Revised_508.pdf

Further information

Program/Intervention
College Possible
Implementing Organization
College Possible - Milwaukee
Intermediary(s)

Serve Wisconsin

AmeriCorps Program(s)
AmeriCorps State and National
Age(s) Studied
13-17 (Adolescent)
Outcome Category
K-12 success
Study Type(s)
Impact
Study Design(s)
Quasi-Experimental (QED)
Level of Evidence
Moderate
Researcher/Evaluator
Prepared by Wisconsin Hope Lab: Jed Richardson, Daniel Marlin, Jennifer Vadas, Emily Colo, Sara Goldrick-Rab
Published Year
2018
Study Site Location (State)
Wisconsin