There is a lot of research stating that middle school aged students have mental models they carry through high school, essentially determining if a student is on track to graduate. Though MSS was first created in response to College Bound sign up efforts, its participation in TCSN has been critical to engage students in college and career readiness strategies and support early awareness of high school success.

Funding college is among one of the biggest concerns students and families have surrounding life after high school. This is especially concerning for families in and near poverty and first generation college bound students. Because every student has a unique family situation, standardized financial aid workshops and instructions may not be quite right. Funding your Future works to promote FAFSA/WASFA, scholarships, internship opportunities, financial aid comparison strategies and much more.

Data has shown that over the course of 5 years XX% of students that entered college have completed their studies. That is XX% of a high schools graduating class. Though there are a number of reasons that contribute to a student not persisting towards college completion, the P&C workgroup tackles adaptive challenges, particular to those of belonging. For many underrepresented students going to college, a sense belonging is a major contributor to the decision to leave.

A student’s journey towards a college degree is not always a straight out of high school path. There are students that enter the workforce and then decide to attend college, or maybe a tragedy derailed a student’s plan and they are entering college after some time apart. Regardless of the story, we know that the average age of college students in Tacoma is 25 (double check number) though college services heavily cater to an age demographic that is younger. REEL seeks to better understand how the postsecondary space can pivot to address the ongoing change in student journey.