FAQs

The College Bound program has four components- academic development, college counseling, mental health services, and career development. Tutoring is just one approach within academic development. Though all students are required to take part in the academic development offered through our workshops and coaching, tutoring is not required of all students. It is fair to say that College Bound takes academics very seriously and students who need additional support reaching their academic goals, whenever they may be, will be strongly encouraged to take advantage of tutoring as a means to reach them.

College Bound is a progressive program where each year builds upon the last, so ideally students would apply in the spring of their freshman high school year, attend orientation over the summer, and begin our classes the fall of their sophomore year. We believe this provides our students with the strongest level of preparation for college. However, we do understand that there are occasional unique circumstances that make this impossible and are willing to consider late enrollment if a student meets certain criteria. Please reach out to our program staff if you would wish to discuss. Late enrollment is offered to only a limited number of students according the current size of the cohort.

Yes! Students who have recently graduated high school but have not yet attended college are eligible to receive support services through College Bound if they plan to attend the Forest Park campus of St. Louis Community College or Ranken Technical Community College. If you’re interested in receiving services please visit the Apply section of our website.

Yes and no. Some of the students who are in our CB on Campus programs were part of the high school portion of the College Bound program and decided to attend college at STLCC or Ranken. However, many students joined the program the summer after graduating high school.

Our classes and workshops are interesting and fun. Interaction and exploration are big, lectures are short, AND we have snacks!

Parents are incredibly crucial to student success and we make every effort to partner with families so that students receive as much support as possible. From parent community meetings, to grade conferences and ACT planning, to conversations with staff members, parents have several ways to be informed and involved in their student’s development.

Currently it is estimated that two-thirds of job openings will require more education than high school and this number is likely to continue to rise. This reality means that anyone lacking a degree will have less ability to find work. In an economy that is increasingly global in nature, cities that lack an educated work force will not be able to attract the businesses it needs to provide high paying jobs, which will create economic hardship in our city.

We believe that our students have incredible potential and that education is one important tool in unlocking it. When more people are given the knowledge and opportunity to develop their talent, we can cure more sicknesses, invent more technologies to solve problems, and find better ways to address societal problems. There is strength in collective efforts.

There is no better investment return than college. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree earned $78,000 per year, compared to $45,000 for those with only a high school diploma. Of the course of one’s working life, a bachelor’s degree is worth over one million dollars. Even with the high cost of college, this investment is well worth it.

College Bound does not provide direct funding to students at this time. Instead, College Bound supports students in applying for and selecting colleges that are appropriate academic financial fits. In addition, we link students with essential and substantial funding opportunities in the form of grants through college partnerships, local scholarships geared towards our students, and unique partnerships with local funders who support our organizational mission.

Current High School Freshman with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA or higher who demonstrates a financial need and whose parent(s)/legal guardian(s) have not completed a bachelor’s degree.

There are no costs associated with the program.

We require CB participants to attend all weekly CB classes at our office located on 110 N. Jefferson Avenue and CB summer programming. You will also have the opportunity to participate in academic enrichment, service learning, leadership training, and cultural experiences. The more you participate, the more you will learn and grow from the program!

College Bound accepts students into the program during the spring semester of their freshman year of high school. We begin accepting applications at the beginning of January. Applications are accepted until all spots in the program are filled. A complete application consists of the 2-page College Bound application, a Resume, Cover Letter and Unofficial Transcript. See the instructions on the application page for more details.