Studies have shown that while 50% of people from high-income families have at least a bachelor’s degree by age 25, only 10% of those from lower-income families do. Yet, the same studies show that if children from lower-income families get a college degree, their chances of making it to the middle-class are increased by more than 50%. What is being done to address the issue? College coaching is proving to be a way to help disadvantaged students get into and stay on a college campus. Let’s look at some of the ways college coaching is achieving that goal.

The Effects of College Coaching

Low-income students have difficulty because they often lack the tools to succeed. They have less counseling and guidance to prepare for college. They aren’t shown schools that would be a good fit, told of opportunities for financial aid, nor made aware of programs such as CLEP to make college more affordable. There are organizations that try to remedy this situation.

• National College Advising Corps (NCAC) – The NCAC trains recent college graduates to be high school counselors. High school seniors who have had one of these advisors are 98% more likely to take college workshops, and 67% are more likely to be accepted to college. The NCAC and the state of Minnesota have worked together to create a “Get Ready” program which fosters a college prep environment and encourages students to take CLEP exams at state expense.

• College Possible – This AmeriCorps organization trains recent college graduates to provide free college advising services to lower-income students. Ninety-eight percent of the students receiving their advice go to college, and they are five times more likely to obtain a college degree.

• The Posse Foundation – The Posse Foundation makes it possible for students who may have otherwise been overlooked to go to, and succeed at, college. They provide counseling, tutoring, and scholarships. Posse scholars have a college graduation rate of 90%.

Without this type of coaching, nearly 40% of lower-income students who are accepted to college don’t even make it to the first day of class. One way these coaching programs, and others like them, prepare students to succeed is by showing them how credit-by-exam programs, such as CLEP, can reduce the seemingly overwhelming cost and time it takes to get a degree. Studies have shown that students who take CLEP exams earn higher overall GPAs and are more likely to continue their studies and obtain a college degree. According to the Independent Consultant Association, those who pay for additional counseling are more likely to have higher grades. Lower-income students can benefit from the guidance and core subject reinforcement prep courses provide, since they are typically under-served in high school.

Succeed with Credit-by-Exam Preparation

Regardless of your income level, Achieve Test Prep offers a way to obtain your degree quicker and with less cost than traditional methods. Our counseling will help you find the right school and the right programs that match your needs. Once we’ve done that, we show you how taking an Achieve prep class and passing an exam gets you a traditional semester’s worth of credit in just a few weeks – without all the quizzes, term papers, and research projects. There is flexibility to meet your schedule with classes offered day and night, and on weekends. You can take the prep courses on one of our many campuses nationwide, or through live online virtual classes taught by the same qualified instructors. Should you have any difficulty, we provide additional individualized tutoring at no additional cost. You are important, and we work with you to succeed, as is indicated by our students’ over 93% passing rate on the exams.

Contact Achieve today to find out more about how to get your degree in less time, with less cost than traditional methods provide.