The average high school student receives just 38 minutes of college counseling a year. Without the information and support they need to apply to a best fit college, many students end up at institutions that are not commensurate with their academic achievements, social fit, or financial needs–or do not enroll at all. A growing body of research is demonstrating that virtual, near-peer advising can play a powerful role in reducing access barriers and cultivating a sense of belonging in college — particularly for high-achieving and first-generation students from rural, low-income, and underrepresented communities. How can impact investors and philanthropies deploy capital to support and scale proven interventions that boost college access — and help more students succeed?
This session will explore how funders are taking the lead on expanding access to near-peer advising: building coalitions with the potential to transform outcomes for diverse students nationwide.
