Fund Initiatives
Kids2College
Kids2College students visit Cal State Fullerton
Experts agree that middle school is a critical time for instilling in students a passion for college. Kids2College is a unique program that uses the prism of career aspirations to expose low-income and minority sixth-grade students to the value and accessibility of a higher education. It is the only free, national program that engages local colleges for a memorable introduction to college.
From Sixth Grade to College
Over the course of six in-classroom sessions, sixth graders learn about different careers and the importance of being college ready. The curriculum uses age-appropriate and interactive activities that reinforce the importance of setting students' sights on college. Student handbooks and a companion teacher's guide help facilitate the program in the classroom, and related take-home materials are used to facilitate family discussion. To conclude the program, students and parents participate in a group visit to a local college campus to cement the college experience. View a sample of the teacher's guide (PDF, 32KB) and an outline of the full curriculum (PDF, 19KB).
A Proven Program with Results
Kids2College has been building excitement about college in young students since 1992 and has served approximately 70,000 students during this time. A recent study (PDF, 400KB) indicates that Kids2College is proven to increase the expectation of going to college and spur behavior that keeps a student on a college track, particularly among minority and first-generation college students. Read what Kids2College participants have to say about the program.
Bringing Kids2College to Your Community
Kids2College is built on local partnerships in communities where there is a need for early-college-awareness and a desire to inspire a college-going culture. The Sallie Mae Fund provides the national curriculum free of charge to partners who share the vision and commitment to implement the program locally. Learn how to bring Kids2College to your community.
Kids2College National Training Partners:
- National College Access Network (NCAN)
- National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP)
- Project GRAD USA
Kids2College Program Partners:
- The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Massachusetts
- Boys and Girls Club (Burlington, VT)
- Communities in Schools (Charlotte, NC)
- Houston Independent School District
- The Institute for Higher Education Policy
- New England Board of Higher Education
- SUNY Cortland (NY)
- Take Stock in Children (FL)
- Texas A & M University
- Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (CA)
- Volunteer Florida Foundation
- Wesleyan University (CT)
Learn more about Kids2College by downloading our fact sheet (PDF, 111KB), viewing a brief video or contacting us.
