March 10, 2008                                                                                               651.917.3525

Admission Possible Recruits 2008-09 Students

Low-income Twin Cities Sophomores Interested in College Should Apply Now

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Admission Possible, the nonprofit organization providing college preparatory programming to low-income high school students for free, is recruiting now through mid-April for sophomores interested in obtaining a college education.  Applications are being accepted from eligible sophomores by Admission Possible staff at each of 16 Greater Twin Cities partner high schools.  Students in attendance at other high schools may contact Admission Possible headquarters to apply at 651-917-3525 or info@admissionpossible.org.

“This is an extremely exciting time of year for us at Admission Possible because we get to meet our class of 2010,” said Admission Possible founder and CEO Jim McCorkell.  “These sophomores may not completely believe it today, but two years from now college will not only be within their grasp, they will be on their way! I really encourage sophomores to go ahead and apply, even if right now they are unsure college is for them.”

In Admission Possible’s eight-year history, 98 percent of participating students have earned admission to college; 95 percent went on to enroll and 80 percent of those students are still working toward their college degree or have already graduated.

Admission Possible students commit to two after-school sessions a week during their junior and senior years of high school.  Students join a small learning group and are assigned one Admission Possible college coach who works with them in small groups and individually for each year of the program.  During these two years, students are provided free ACT/SAT test preparation, intensive guidance in preparing college applications, help in obtaining financial aid, and guidance in the transition to college. 

Three requirements for entry into the Admission Possible program are: 1) income eligibility – a student’s family income is at or below the median income for the city of residence; 2) a student is a high school sophomore on track to be a junior in 2008-09; 3) a student is willing to commit to after-school sessions, and Saturday ACT practice exams, college campus visits and community service outings over the two years.  Additionally, students admitted to the program typically have a GPA of 2.0 or higher and a solid record of school attendance.

Approximately 700 sophomores across the Twin Cities will be notified of admittance to the program by late April and will begin Admission Possible after-school programming in the fall of the 2008-09 school year at one of these partner schools:  Arlington, Central, Como Park, Harding, Highland Park, Humboldt and Johnson high schools in St. Paul; Patrick Henry, Roosevelt, North, and Edison high schools in Minneapolis; Armstrong and Cooper high schools in Robbinsdale, Minn.; St. Louis Park High School; and charter schools, Higher Ground Academy and Ubah Medical Academy.

Students, parents and other caring adults interested in learning more about the program or wanting to refer a student may visit the Admission Possible office in each school, or call 651-917-3525, or visit the organization’s website www.admissionpossible.org              

Admission Possible is a nonprofit organization founded in Minnesota in 2000 and dedicated to helping promising low-income high school students prepare for and earn admission to college.  Admission Possible currently serves 1,200 students at 15 high schools in the metro area and will serve 1,300 students in 16 high schools during the 2008-09 academic year. 

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