"Until the Power of YOU, I really didn't believe that
I would ever go to college." Power of YOU Student The Foundation has been a partner in a special initiative that makes the first two years of college available tuition-free for graduates of Minneapolis and Saint Paul public high schools. The Power of YOU, a collaboration among MCTC, Saint Paul College and Metropolitan State University, is designed to significantly increase post-secondary participation rates of urban students, particularly students of color. The Power of YOU initiative is designed to help students overcome the real and perceived financial barriers to higher education while reinforcing the idea that post-secondary education is the key to a fulfilling life. The Power of YOU is now beginning its fourth academic year and evidence of its success is everywhere. According to Wilder Research, enrollment of Minneapolis and St. Paul high school graduates “more than doubled” at the three Power of YOU institutions. Students of color increased by 150 percent, and low-income students increased by 115 percent. Wilder Research also found that Power of YOU students remain in school at higher rates and earn more credits toward degrees than comparable non-Power of YOU students. It’s clear that the program is working and now we are beginning to see students transfer to four-year colleges.
Jump Start to College
Since its inception in 2007, Jump Start, a partnership between MCTC and Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), has been giving Minneapolis high school students an extra boost to improve their reading, writing, and math skills. The program provides free classes to students who are on the cusp of college readiness, but who might need a class or two to make the transition smooth.
High school students take a developmental placement test during their junior year to measure their academic skills. About a quarter of the 1,300 students tested each year qualify to take one or more Jump Start classes, taught by college professors on MCTC’s campus throughout the year. These are classes they would have to take when they entered college. Jump Start allows students to take these classes free, removing financial as well as academic barriers to their college education. Students earn high school credit for their work. The credits are then articulated back to the students’ high school transcript.
Preliminary results suggest the program is working: by the end of the 2009 spring term, nearly 200 students have taken at least one class, and more than 70 percent completed their courses successfully. Many of the program’s first students have enrolled at MCTC, the University of Minnesota, and other colleges. They are now prepared to be successful academically.
If you would like to support one or both of these programs you can donate online or send a check or money order payable to the MCTC Foundation:
MCTC Foundation
1501 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
printable gift form
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