Building College Access Capacity for Schools and Districts

College degrees have a proven track record of improving career outcomes, increasing lifetime earnings, and expanding long-term opportunities. Yet studies show an over 20% gap in immediate college enrollment between students from high-poverty schools and their more affluent peers. With caseloads often exceeding hundreds of students per school counselor, providing individualized, comprehensive college guidance can feel nearly impossible.

When a public school seeks support to build its college-going culture or needs hands-on assistance for the college application season, Student Leadership Network’s College Access Services (CAS) team can offer capacity-building and coaching services to school counselors and administrators. Together, we can eliminate barriers that prevent students from pursuing college opportunities and provide step-by-step support to make their dreams attainable and affordable.

Increasing College Counseling Capacity in High Schools

Our hands-on approach focuses on capacity-building in several ways. We provide school communities with tailored coaching and support for their staff and administrators, and we host college-readiness workshops for students and families. From training new counselors on the nuances of financial aid to helping students complete college applications and scholarships, we continually gather feedback to tailor services to each school’s needs.

Our college-bound capacity-building work continues to grow with strong relationships with high schools and colleges and partnerships with community-based organizations. For example, our CAS team is working with Say Yes Buffalo in Community Schools to offer programming on Saturdays and evenings this school year, with over 20 events planned! Services include early college and career access workshops, college application support, and financial aid completion events.

• In Buffalo, the CAS team conducted career exploration workshops at Bennett High School to provide 10th through 12th-grade students with opportunities to discuss, explore, and celebrate their post-secondary plans. The workshops explored the expectations and skills needed for success after high school, while encouraging connections with peers who share similar career interests. Students then created and presented vision boards to showcase their future goals and highlight the steps they are currently taking to achieve them.
• In Kansas City, we worked hand in hand with school leadership and teachers to design college fairs and campus visits to build college awareness among middle school students and develop a Leadership Institute to ease the transition into high school.
• In New York City, our family workshop at Fordham Leadership Academy helped parents and guardians understand various post-secondary pathways, the complex financial aid process, and why their children will be asking for W-2’s, 1099s, and other tax forms. Families left with knowledge of available federal and state funding and a variety of scholarship options that can significantly reduce the cost of college.

“Encouraging curiosity and normalizing college and career conversations early on will create building blocks for the college process,” said Carolina Moquete, Associate Director of College Access & Professional Learning. “By the time students apply to college, they’ll already have the exposure and vocabulary to understand what they’re looking for and why. We’re here to support each step of completing college and financial aid applications, creating balanced college lists, writing compelling college essays, troubleshooting admissions portals, and more.”

Building Impact By Meeting Students Where They Are

Working with each school’s dedicated staff and administrators, the CAS team increases capacity to provide one-on-one support for students throughout the college application and financial aid process. Additionally, we work with schools to meet families where they’re at—literally. By utilizing spaces at school open houses and community-based organizations, we reach families across public school systems to build trust and awareness where they’re already comfortable.

• We hosted capacity-building workshops at Buffalo’s Research Lab High School on transitioning to high school and making the most of the next four years with a growth mindset.
• We partnered with Roswell Park to deliver a college and career readiness workshop for Buffalo’s Mayor’s Summer Youth program participants. The group, made up of high school juniors through rising college sophomores, explored key topics including securing financial aid, selecting a college major, and staying focused on their long-term goals. The workshop was both informative and engaging, providing students with valuable knowledge and motivation for their future pathways.
• The CAS team is a regular presence in New York City’s Public Schools. At Fordham Leadership Academy (FLA) and The Urban Assembly School for Performing Arts, we recently supported SUNY & CUNY college application intensives for students, timed to coincide with fee-waiver periods to make applications more affordable. At FLA, Carolina Moquete reviewed applications and essays over three class periods alongside the school’s staff at their SUNY Application Bootcamp. The combined support resulted in 73% of seniors submitting at least one college application – a record SUNY submission rate at FLA!

“We aim to create welcoming, supportive environments where schools and community organizations can access the full range of college and career pathways and funding,” said Deidre Cole-Woodall, Senior Manager of College Access Services. “We’ve noticed that some families hesitate to attend events at schools their children don’t attend because they feel the event isn’t meant for them. To remove that barrier, we are expanding our outreach and partnering with trusted community organizations like Roswell Park to offer workshops that feel more accessible and inclusive.”

Let’s Talk About Your School

Every school has different strengths, challenges, and student needs. If your public school is looking to expand its college counseling capacity, contact us to see what a partnership could look like.

For inquiries about college access services in Buffalo, NY, please contact Deidre Cole-Woodall at [email protected].

For inquiries about college access services in New York City or areas outside of New York state, please contact Carolina Moquete at [email protected].