East Palo Alto School Helping Students Thrive After High School

From managing rigorous coursework to making connections with new students, the anticipation of finally attending a college or university can be both nerve-racking and exhilarating – especially if you are the first in your family to graduate high school and attend a post-secondary educational institution.

While there are no textbooks that can genuinely prepare college-bound seniors for life after high school, many charter public high schools are helping ease the transition by establishing support systems and resources for their alumni.

Experts say this additional level of support increases college completion rates and is crucial for first-generation or “first-gen” college students, especially those who come from low-income families where English is not spoken at home.

At KIPP Public Schools Northern California, which includes KIPP Esperanza High School in East Palo Alto, teams of life/academic counselors called KIPP Forward Advisors play an instrumental role in helping alumni survive their freshman year in college.

It all begins in high school when KIPP students – also known as KIPPsters – are first matched with KIPP advisors. Utilizing a College & Career Match Playbook, advisors walk students and families through the post-secondary decision-making process. They also conduct Senior Seminars to coach and advise on college applications, scholarships, and financial aid.

Once KIPPsters get accepted and start attending college as KIPP alumni, advisors continue to work with them by utilizing this College Persistence Strategy Framework which helps students overcome common hurdles and obstacles so they persist in college and thrive.

KIPP Forward Advisors also partner with college and university counselors across California and the U.S. to effectively and strategically support alums who experience difficulty in determining a major, finding cultural clubs and causes, and pinpointing additional financial aid options and scholarships.

Bridging the gap between high school and college and is an important part of the mission of the KIPP charter public school network – both in California and across the country.

In fact, KIPP Public Schools has also established an official KIPP Alumni Network that connects 55,000 alums nationwide for networking, mentorship, and leadership opportunities.