How Four Universities Graduate Their Low-Income Students at Much Higher Rates than Average
As a high-school senior in New Jersey, Ernesto Reyes Velasco couldn’t envision himself taking the leap to become an independent college student. Neither of his parents, who are immigrants from Mexico, had gone to college. He didn’t have close friends as examples. Money was tight.
But this past summer Reyes Velasco spent five weeks on Montclair State University’s campus as part of a program designed to support incoming first-year low-income students. He took college classes for credit, received tutoring and advising and learned about other services available on campus and where to find them.
“I gained the confidence I needed,” said Reyes Velasco, who is now a first-year student. “And I really feel like I have an edge now, where I know what to expect in fall semester, I know how to act.”
