Applying to colleges can be quite a challenge for any high school student.  Coordinating GPA’s, application deadlines, SAT, ACT, etc. can be a challenge.  Beyond applying, making the determination of which college is the right fit is a big decision.  Having a legacy or supportive parents guiding the process can help relieve the pressure.  However, for the youth of Higher M-Pact, the thoughts of going to college can be completely overwhelming.   There is no legacy.  Their parents have never been to college and because they’ve never been, they can offer little guidance outside of moral support.  As a result, Higher M-Pact works to provide our youth with guidance and exposure to the opportunities that exist for them through a higher education.   

During Spring Break, three of our youth participated in Beta Lambda Educational Institute’s Spring College Tour.  During the eight day tour, youth visited Georgetown University as well as eight Historically Black Colleges & Universities on the East coast.  For our youth who know more people who have been to prison than they know people who have graduated from college, the experience allowed them to create a vision for themselves.  While touring the campuses and talking to college students, they realized that their ability to attend college is more attainable than they thought.