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College Access

Why this matters

No student should feel that college is out of reach. Yet the path from high school to higher education is often confusing, fragmented, and difficult to navigate. When students can’t see a clear path forward, they lose momentum—and opportunities slip away.

For many families, the college process can feel like solving a puzzle without all the pieces: exploring options, completing applications, navigating financial aid, and making decisions about the future.

This isn’t a student problem. It’s a systems problem.

Through continuous improvement, we’re working with educators to redesign how students experience the college access journey—testing practical ways to clarify each step and ensure students have the knowledge, support, and confidence they need.

Because when systems work better, more young people can make informed, empowered choices about their future.

Join us in building systems that expand students’ post-secondary opportunities.

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CARPE Collaborative

College Access, Powered by Equity and Improvement
For eight years, we have partnered with schools to help more underserved students get to and through college. Educators use continuous improvement tools to remove barriers, foster belonging, and boost enrollment. It’s not just about access—it’s about lasting outcomes. Together, we’re building systems that make college possible for more students, year after year.

Join this network

Featured Resources

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Building High Quality School Counseling Programs to Ensure Student Success
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Helping Students Make Informed Choices About College
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Promoting Student Success in Early College Credit Courses
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I think one of the first things we can do, particularly in education, to bring the dreaming back in is to listen to the children.
Brandi Hinnant-Crawford
Clemson University

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Brandi-Hinnant-Crawdford_WEB
I think one of the first things we can do, particularly in education, to bring the dreaming back in is to listen to the children.”
Brandi Hinnant-Crawford
Clemson University

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Brandi-Hinnant-Crawdford_WEB
Improvement for transformation is about shifting from egosystems to ecosystems.
David Montes de Oca
Chief of Improvement & District Partnerships, CORE Districts of California

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A smiling bald man, identified as Derek Mitchell, with a trimmed mustache and goatee wears glasses on his head, a buttoned olive green shirt, and small earrings. The background is transparent.
Improvement for transformation is about shifting from egosystems to ecosystems.”
David Montes de Oca
Chief of Improvement & District Partnerships, CORE Districts of California

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A smiling bald man, identified as Derek Mitchell, with a trimmed mustache and goatee wears glasses on his head, a buttoned olive green shirt, and small earrings. The background is transparent.

Over and over, folks in our networks, particularly classroom teachers, have come to us and said, Thank you. You don’t think we’re broken. You think we are the solution.

Sofi Frankowski
Co-founder of Schools that Lead

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A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair, wearing glasses, large hoop earrings, and a dark patterned top, smiles broadly against a blurred blue background at Derek Mitchell’s event.

Over and over, folks in our networks, particularly classroom teachers, have come to us and said, Thank you. You don’t think we’re broken. You think we are the solution.

“
Sofi Frankowski
Co-founder of Schools that Lead

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A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair, wearing glasses, large hoop earrings, and a dark patterned top, smiles broadly against a blurred blue background at Derek Mitchell’s event.
You have to begin with the absence of fear. Fear and improvement are not compatible. Fear and learning are not compatible. When a kid is scared, they’re too busy being scared to learn. The same is true in organizations.
Don Berwick
President Emeritus & Senior Fellow at Institute for Healthcare Improvement

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An older man with white hair and glasses, wearing a dark suit, light blue shirt, and patterned tie, poses in front of a light, blurred background.
You have to begin with the absence of fear. Fear and improvement are not compatible. Fear and learning are not compatible. When a kid is scared, they’re too busy being scared to learn. The same is true in organizations.”
Don Berwick
President Emeritus & Senior Fellow at Institute for Healthcare Improvement

.

An older man with white hair and glasses, wearing a dark suit, light blue shirt, and patterned tie, poses in front of a light, blurred background.
How do we make sure that students are set up in ninth grade to be post-secondary ready? These conversations are happening in grade nine in our improvement teams. This is not something additional that we’re doing. This is part of who we are. This is the way we work to support all our students.
Nichelle Woodson
Chief of Network Success at RISE

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Nichelle-Woodson_WEB
How do we make sure that students are set up in ninth grade to be post-secondary ready? These conversations are happening in grade nine in our improvement teams. This is not something additional that we’re doing. This is part of who we are. This is the way we work to support all our students.”
Nichelle Woodson
Chief of Network Success at RISE

.

Nichelle-Woodson_WEB

Looking at focus students, being able to identify trends and be able to apply very clear, specific change ideas is what I believe our school and teacher community needed to continue to grow.

Vanessa Ruiz
Lemon Grove Academy Middle

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Vanessa-Ruiz_WEB

Looking at focus students, being able to identify trends and be able to apply very clear, specific change ideas is what I believe our school and teacher community needed to continue to grow.

“
Vanessa Ruiz
Lemon Grove Academy Middle

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Vanessa-Ruiz_WEB

Spotlight Stories

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A group of four young people from Warren High School strolls outdoors on a sunny day. Two sport gray hoodies with blue text, embracing the spirit of CARPE Diem, while the others are in casual attire. They walk along a paved path, flanked by trees and picnic tables in the backdrop.
Warren High School — CARPE Story of Impact
How was Warren High first in the state for financial aid submissions three years in a row? Watch how they did it
A group of four young people from Warren High School strolls outdoors on a sunny day. Two sport gray hoodies with blue text, embracing the spirit of CARPE Diem, while the others are in casual attire. They walk along a paved path, flanked by trees and picnic tables in the backdrop.
Warren High School — CARPE Story of Impact
How was Warren High first in the state for financial aid submissions three years in a row? Watch how they did it
A group of four young people from Warren High School strolls outdoors on a sunny day. Two sport gray hoodies with blue text, embracing the spirit of CARPE Diem, while the others are in casual attire. They walk along a paved path, flanked by trees and picnic tables in the backdrop.
Warren High School — CARPE Story of Impact
How was Warren High first in the state for financial aid submissions three years in a row? Watch how they did it
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Featured Event

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Who else is working on this problem?

Who else is working
on this problem?

Improvers like you are redesigning college access for students and families. Learn how our partners are creating support structures that work – and join us in expanding access and opportunity for all young people.

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