Preparing for and succeeding in college begins in middle school or before

It includes:

• Early awareness of the possibility of college, the requirements for admission, and the need for early  planning and preparation
• Clear expectations from caring adults that a student will take challenging courses in middle school and high school, and achieve at a high level
• Rigorous preparation in challenging classes taught by highly skilled teachers
• High-level performance, demonstrating mastery of skills in classes and on standardized assessments
• Participation in college application and enrollment process
• Persistence to graduation