Access Reports
Kids2College: Helping foster college aspirations early on
Traditionally, education access organizations have focused less attention on kids in the middle school years—a time when ideas about life after high school and expectations about college are taking shape. Reaching kids at this formative stage is the genesis behind the Kids2College (K2C) model.
Kids2College began in 1992 as a pilot program in and around the greater metropolitan area of Boston, Mass. The program and its curriculum development process has been a collaborative effort between The Sallie Mae Fund, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts, and the Higher Education Information Center. With The Fund as K2C’s only financial supporter, K2C-Mass. has served more than 20,000 students to date.
The success of the Massachusetts program has led to the establishment of K2C programs in other locations, including Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and California (see “Grammy Winning Singer” story). All of these programs are supported by The Sallie Mae Fund.
The program is designed to bring early awareness to the importance of higher education by introducing 6th graders to college life. Middle school classes are paired with a local college or university to participate in a unique six-session curriculum that combines hands-on activities with information on careers, college life, and how to choose courses that give the greatest range of options for education beyond high school. The program culminates in the late spring with a visit to the partner college for students and their parents/guardians.
