About College For Every Student

About CFES

College For Every Student (CFES) is a nonprofit organization committed to raising the academic aspirations and performance of underserved youth so that they can prepare for, gain access to, and succeed in college.

CFES currently works with 150 rural and urban schools and districts in 22 states. Each school works with more than 50 CFES Scholars (low-income youth), most of whom would be first in their family to pursue higher education, to help them get to college and succeed there.

Core Practices

The essence of CFES is the engagement of each Scholar in three high-impact practices - Pathways to College, Mentoring, and Leadership through Service. Research confirms that student engagement in CFES Core Practices is correlated with higher aspirations and improved academic performance. The most successful programs incorporate all three core practices in order to help Scholars gain college access and success.

Pathways to College

Pathways to College is a practice in which CFES K-12 schools partner with colleges to provide opportunities for their CFES Scholars to visit college campuses, interact with college students and faculty, and gain exposure to admissions, financial aid, and other higher education components.

Mentoring

Mentoring fosters academic and personal growth among CFES Scholars by providing them a supportive relationship with an older, more experienced individual who can serve as a role model. All CFES schools have mentoring programs for their CFES Scholars that utilize peers (including other Scholars), adults, teachers, and/or college students as mentors.

Leadership through Service

Leadership through Service activities are designed to help CFES Scholars identify and express their leadership potential to improve their school, neighborhood, and/or the global community. CFES schools create meaningful opportunities for CFES Scholars to provide student leadership in service activities. Gaining leadership skills and taking responsibility for others contribute to Scholars' self-confidence, stimulating greater personal aspirations for college and building resilience that leads to college success.

Follow these links to learn more about CFES:

 CFES Video - The Difference a Dream Makes

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Giving Up Is Not an Option for Richard R. Green Scholar

When things went horribly wrong her sophomore year, Amsatou wanted out – out of school, out of CFES. But her CFES teammates were not about to let that happen. More...