COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAMS
Be A Leader is not only committed to increasing access to higher education but also ensuring students successfully complete their postsecondary education. In addition to critical workshop content, our Success Programs provide students with individualized support to enroll, persist and complete their postsecondary education. Our College Success programs serve students from their senior year in high school through completion of their postsecondary careers and are segment into three tracks; Senior Boot Camp, and two-year success program focused on students enrolled in a community college system and 4-year success program for students enrolled at a four year institution.
SENIOR BOOT CAMP (12TH GRADE)
Be A Leader’s Senior Boot Camp (SBC) program provides critical and timely support, encouragement and guidance to seniors as they continue to shape and plan their college going experience. Through a year-long series of workshops, along with consistent guidance, mentoring and support, students are best able to navigate the often-daunting college and scholarship application process. This extensive curriculum ensures that each of the seniors receives personal help and support with the process of applying to gain acceptance into colleges and the financial aid application process. The SBC program begins the summer before students start their senior year and requires that students to work with their designated volunteer SBC Coach and receive individualized support from our Senior Boot Camp Coordinator during the process. Our Senior Boot Camp (SBC) program helps us fulfill our mission by:
- Helping students develop an aspirational mindset with respect to higher education;
- Providing students with a solid educational infrastructure including financial resources;
- Establishing meaningful relationships between students and experienced, supportive adults;
- Supporting students individually to successfully navigate the financial aid and postsecondary institution application process; and
- Supporting students through their postsecondary journey.
Through a series of program workshops, weekly labs and individual coaching sessions with a SBC volunteer mentor/coach, students are guided through their SBC Senior Year Action Plan. The Plan is broken down into a variety of milestones including:
The workshops are broken down into a core set of workshops with additional series of path workshops that are based on students’ postsecondary aspirations. The core workshop series covers the common elements of all postsecondary discovery, application and financial aid processes. Whereas the Path workshop series focuses on the specific institutional types and the application processes.
“After nearly four years with Be A Leader, I can proudly say that this is the only program that has sufficiently prepared me for college. By supporting me through the college application process and by providing the mentorship I needed throughout the years, I was given the confidence to believe that I could go to college and become the first in my family to do so.”
COLLEGE SUCCESS (University + Community College)
The goal of the Be A Leader College Success program is to support students as they continue along their educational path by providing them with the necessary tools & mentoring needed to maximize their success in college. We have started to accomplish this through personal & professional development workshops, access to enhanced college success resources, & opportunities to engage with other college going students.
The two-year success programs are designed to serve students pursuing a vocational certificate, associate degree or transition into a four-year bachelors program. These programs provide students with educational and career path support as they complete their postsecondary degrees.
Key components of our College Success program included the following services:
- Monthly check-ins conducted by our college success coordinator
- Personal invitations to Be A Leader College Success Program professional development workshops:
- Engagement with the Be A Leader Student Alumni Association (SAS):
- Community Service Opportunities
“As a first-generation college student and Latina pursuing higher education, my journey has been difficult, to say the least. However, the resources and tools I have received through Be A Leader have given me the opportunity to be successful.”
For more information about our College Success Programs please contact Jessica Solis, Manager – College Success Programs at jessica.solis@bealeaderfoundation.org
