Brighter Horizon’s mission is to support first generation students in pursuit of a four-year college degree, or students earning an associate’s degree and a career in the trades.
Brighter Horizon’s mission is to support first generation students in pursuit of a four-year college degree, or students earning an associate’s degree and a career in the trades.
Our Organization fulfills this mission through a hands-on approach to college preparation, entrance testing, application processes, financial aid, and mentoring, in addition to internship and full-time employment assistance for first-generation students throughout their education and opens opportunities for underserved youth to earn a four-year or associate’s degree which would otherwise be inaccessible.
Malik
Brighter Horizon Scholar
As part of my time in the foster care “system”, I was misdiagnosed with various mental health disabilities such as bipolar disorder and ADHD. So, I made a promise to myself. In high school I would learn everything I could about mental health. Then I would major in Psychology in college, work as a psychologist for a few years, and eventually become a Psychology professor. Brighter Horizon is one step towards that goal.
of African-American students are first generation students, while 61% of Latino students and 25% of white and Asian-American students belong to this demographic.
Research shows significant differences in enrollment, degree attainment and finances for students whose parents have a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to students whose parents have little or no college experience.
of first-generation students enrolled in just two-year schools compared to only 32% of students whose parents had at least a bachelor’s degree.
First-generation students demonstrated lower rates of college readiness in key academic areas compared to their non-first-generation peers, putting them at a higher risk of failing out of college.
of low-income, first-generation college students will have a college degree within six years of enrolling in school compared to 55% of their peers who were not low-income or first-generation students.
First-generation students are borrowing from the federal government at increasing rates to pay for their education (from 15% in 1997 to approximately 37% in 2013).