College Forward

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In 2002, Doreen Wise and her close friend Lisa Fielder recognized the desperate need to expand college access for economically-disadvantaged high school students in Central Texas. Admission Control was launched on September 1, 2003, and shortly thereafter established its pilot program at two high schools in the Hays Consolidated Independent School District. Since then the organization has developed an effective curriculum and supplementary programs that have enabled students to enroll in colleges and universities throughout Texas and across the country. Now a thriving partnership known as College Forward, the program continues to reach a growing number of students and families in the greater Austin area. Did you know that only 15.9% of economically-disadvantaged Texans have a chance to attend college every year? And the U.S. Department of Education estimates that only 6% of students from the lowest socioeconomic status ever earn baccalaureate degrees. Despite interventions such as the "Closing the Gaps by 2015" Texas Higher Education Plan, Texas has missed its college participation goals every year ' and must enroll an additional 630, 000 students in college by 2015. Texas has fallen to 48th among states in high school completion rates and 38th in four-year college graduation rates. College Forward directly addresses the current crisis in higher education access by offering cost-effective programming free of charge to deserving participants. In 2007, 100% of College Forward students graduated from high school and were accepted to college.