Admission Possible
Encyclopedia
Admission Possible is a nonprofit AmeriCorps
organization whose mission is to make college admission and success possible for academically motivated, low-income students in the United States through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. Its model utilizes recent college graduates as near-peer mentors to students lacking the social resources to successfully navigate the high school to college transition and to provide support through college completion. Headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota
, the organization currently serves students in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area, Milwaukee and operates as College Possible in Omaha
.
Students in the college program receive guidance in renewing the FAFSA, locating internships, maintaining a healthy balance between homework and social obligations, as well as when transferring schools.
The Charities Review Council deems that it "meets all standards".
A 2011 Harvard study determined that Admission Possible more than doubles the chances a low-income student will enroll in a four-year institution.
Fellow, a recognition for social entrepreneurship, in 2006. The organization has been recognized with awards from the National Association for College Admission Counseling
, College Board
, and the National College Access Network.
In June 2009, President Barack Obama
mentioned the organization in a speech on social entrepreneurship
saying: "Admission Possible operates in just two states now. So imagine if it were 10 or 20 or 50."
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is a U.S. federal government program that was created under President Bill Clinton by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 and later expanded by 50 percent under President George W. Bush...
organization whose mission is to make college admission and success possible for academically motivated, low-income students in the United States through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. Its model utilizes recent college graduates as near-peer mentors to students lacking the social resources to successfully navigate the high school to college transition and to provide support through college completion. Headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, the organization currently serves students in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area, Milwaukee and operates as College Possible in Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
.
History
Admission Possible was chartered as a nonprofit in September 2000, beginning operations in two Saint Paul public high schools the next spring. By the 2008-09 school year, the organization was serving students in 17 schools across Minneapolis-Saint Paul and opened a second site in Milwaukee. In the current 2011-2012 school year, Admission Possible operates in 19 partner schools in Minnesota and 8 partner schools in Wisconsin. Additionally, in the fall of 2011, Admission Possible launched a third site in Omaha, Nebraska. Admission Possible currently serves nearly 8,700 students through its high school and college programs.Programming
A New York Times article from November 2005 quotes CEO Jim McCorkell as saying: "My starting idea was what if we replicated Kaplan for poor kids." To be eligible for Admission Possible's free services, students must come from low-income families and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Students accepted into the program participate in after-school sessions over their junior and senior years, with time divided between test preparation, college applications, and financial aid applications. The program also has a service component, including an annual food drive event on Make a Difference Day.Students in the college program receive guidance in renewing the FAFSA, locating internships, maintaining a healthy balance between homework and social obligations, as well as when transferring schools.
Evaluation
Wilder Research, an arm of the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, performed an evaluation of Admission Possible in 2006, substantiating its claim that 91% of the organization's students enrolled in college, and that it compared favorably to similar programs.The Charities Review Council deems that it "meets all standards".
A 2011 Harvard study determined that Admission Possible more than doubles the chances a low-income student will enroll in a four-year institution.
Recognition
McCorkell was named an AshokaAshoka: Innovators for the Public
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, VA, supporting the field of social entrepreneurship. Ashoka was founded by Bill Drayton in 1981 to identify and support leading social entrepreneurs through a Social Venture Capital approach with the goal of...
Fellow, a recognition for social entrepreneurship, in 2006. The organization has been recognized with awards from the National Association for College Admission Counseling
National Association for College Admission Counseling
The National Association for College Admission Counseling , founded in 1937, is an organization of more than 11,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students transitioning from secondary to postsecondary education, including professional school counselors, college access...
, College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
, and the National College Access Network.
In June 2009, President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
mentioned the organization in a speech on social entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship is the work of social entrepreneurs. A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change . While a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a...
saying: "Admission Possible operates in just two states now. So imagine if it were 10 or 20 or 50."