Higher Edge Inc

Higher Edge has a singular and critical purpose: empowering low-income, first-generation students to enter, succeed in, and graduate from college.

To accomplish this, Higher Edge operates two high quality, sequential programs. The College Access Program (CAP) guides 12th graders to help them navigate the college admission process. When students enroll, they transition into the Success Program, which provides holistic support to ensure they persist and earn a degree.

Founded in New London in 2011, the College Access Program (CAP) began with a pilot group of six students. Today, with a second site in Windham, up to 70 high school seniors are participating in CAP and over 150 college students are participating in the Success Program. Most importantly, overall outcomes are outstanding:

95% of participants enroll in college directly after high school graduation

85% persist to their second year in college

As of June 2020, 98% of Success Program participants have graduated from college within 6 years - 73% within 4 years; earning degrees from UCONN, Connecticut College, Eastern Connecticut State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Bentley University, and many more.

Activities

(1) College Access Program (CAP): The College Access Program guides high school seniors to apply to and enroll in college. This year, 30 young people (from Southeastern CT and Willimantic are participating.

The CAP’s hallmark is individualized admission coaching. High school seniors meet at least 14 times with their staff advisor, and 1-on-1 sessions cover every step of the admission process: building a college list; producing a resume and personal statement; submitting applications; making an informed college choice; and completing enrollment steps.

Other key CAP activities include:

A multi-day Summer Institute that preps students for the admission process and forges a college-bound peer network

College campus visits

On-site info sessions led by admission representatives

Workshops about the college admission and scholarship application process

Sessions for parents and guardians that help demystify the admission process


(2) Success Program (SP): When CAP students enter college, they transition into the SP, which is currently supporting 152 college students to stay on track and graduate. Higher Edge has developed the SAFE model: Seamless, sustained coaching; Academics; Financial aid; and Emotional well-being.

Higher Edge staff proactively advise students, traveling to colleges to hold coaching sessions. Each semester, college students have at least one face-to-face session. These are supplemented by regular texts and other remote communication. The Success Program delivers care packages each semester just prior to exams and facilitates Winter Summit, a mid-year event that encourages students to reflect and share habits for success. Success coaching enables students to:

Utilize on-campus resources

Develop organizational skills

Cultivate peer/staff/faculty support networks

Evaluation of Results Methodology

There are two elements to Higher Edge’s evaluation methodology.

(1) Impact Evaluation examines the extent to which Higher Edge is achieving our goals and objectives. This is primarily quantitative and utilizes data from a variety of sources, including:
Source materials such as acceptance letters, FAFSA Student Aid Reports, tax forms, and financial aid awards
Data sharing agreements with colleges and public school districts
National Student Clearinghouse, which provides verified enrollment, persistence, and completion data from colleges

(2) Process Evaluation explores whether Higher Edge employs the best methods to achieve goals, and whether practices align with values. This is primarily qualitative and data is gathered through student surveys and staff observation and reflection. Guiding questions include:
Do program design and advising practice advance Higher Edge’s values?
How can we improve efficiency without sacrificing outcomes and values?
What is the nature of student experience?
-Do students feel welcome? Are their goals and identities honored?
-To what extent do students feel Higher Edge is addressing their most important needs and challenges?
Which emerging college access practices should Higher Edge consider integrating into programs?

Higher Edge has a sophisticated system for storing, aggregating, and reporting data, which is a key foundation for evaluation efforts. In 2015, Higher Edge contracted with CoPilot, which is a college access and completion database running on the SalesForce platform.
As an early adopter of CoPilot, Higher Edge has joined a cohort of dozens of college access organizations across the US that are prioritizing effective use of data. Benefits of the CoPilot membership include: security of the Salesforce platform and cloud-based storage; tech support and application development from a national organization, which ensures CoPilot evolves in step with college access policy and practice; and outsourcing database development to experts, which allows Higher Edge to focus on its own competencies.

Population served

This year, Higher Edge is guiding 150 students and, anticipates serving 200 students by Fall 2021. Naseef, a Bentley University ‘19 graduate, wrote,

“In the back of my mind, I always knew how important going to college was, but I always doubted if I was good enough to make it. Higher Edge helped me realize that I actually belonged in college.”

Naseef describes the pervasive self-doubt that affects many disadvantaged students. Yet Higher Edge is proving that they are capable of graduating from college. Family income and parents’ level of education are strong predictors of college enrollment and completion, so Higher Edge targets low-income students.

98% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch at school

90% are first-generation, meaning their parents did not earn a bachelor’s degree.

Geographic Impact

Higher Edge primarily recruits students from public schools in the under-resourced communities of New London and Willimantic. Mirroring the demographics of these cities, 96% HE participants identify as students of color.

Higher Edge’s impact is magnified across generations. The children of Higher Edge graduates will grow up with parents who have a college degree, dramatically increasing the likelihood they will graduate from college. These advantages extend to their children and beyond.