Urban youth face enormous challenges in the pursuit of higher education including lack of financial resources, inadequate emotional and social support, and a poor understanding of the college application process.

	Every year, over 200,000 low-income high school graduates who could succeed in college aren’t going to college.
	Nationally, the average guidance counselor caseload is 407:1, in New York City the ratio is 451:1. CollegeBound is 100:1.
	31% of Black and Hispanic students enroll in college, compared to 68% of White students. Of these students, only 17% attend four-year colleges or universities.
	High school graduates from low-income families are 4 times less likely to be qualified academically for college than their peers from higher income families.
	In New York City public high schools less than 50% of students graduate; of those, less than 50% go to college.
	Sources: NYC Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics and National Association of College Admissions Counseling.

YWL Foundation believes there are thousands of college capable students who won’t go to college because there is inadequate guidance for them within their schools. Recognizing this tremendous need, the YWL Foundation created CollegeBound.

CollegeBound is successful because of the one-on-one interaction our counselors have with their students. They work with students individually and in groups, and provide a level of attention that most urban public high schools cannot offer. The CollegeBound program raises the expectations of students and has a striking impact on the school’s culture.