“I’m going to follow my dreams. I’m going to go to USC, graduate, and move on. People will try to bring me down, but I’m gonna keep on fighting and stay up and accomplish my dreams.” – Jayce, 5th Grader in Boyle Heights

In May, as high school seniors make decisions about enrolling in college, the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools published a new policy brief entitled, “More than a Dream: Using ‘Best Fit’ College Advising to Help Students of Color Succeed.” This policy brief is the first in a series of publications designed to uncover the challenges and opportunities related to college access and success for students of color in Los Angeles Unified schools and beyond.

We highlight key data that students and families should have access to when making their college decisions, including graduation rates and net prices for the 20 colleges most enrolled in by LA Unified students. We also share six recommendations for actions that school systems can take to equip students and families with this information and support increased college graduation rates. 

Six Key Actions that School Systems Should Enact:

    1.   Adopt a “Best Fit” College Advising Model
    2.   Integrate “Best Fit” College Advising into Existing Tools and Resources
    3.   Start Advising Students Earlier
    4.   Promote “Best Fit” Colleges
    5.   Advise Students on Pathways to Success Within Colleges
    6.   Collect and Review College Success Data

Download and share our graphics for specific student groups by clicking on each one.