School/College Partnership: College Preparation and Support
Big Picture Learning schools show deep faith in all students’ abilities to make good decisions in assembling their post-high school plans. We also believe that college should be an opportunity that is available to all students if they so chose to attend. Big Picture Schools expose students to the variety of professional, academic, and social paths available to be pursued after high school; and plan students’ academic course in order to maximize students’ post-high school opportunities.
Big Picture Learning believes that all students should be afforded the opportunity to attend an institution of higher education if they so chose. By developing challenging individual learning plans, organizing student visits to colleges, educating families about the college application and financial aid processes, and building relationships with local colleges, Big Picture schools are cultivating our students’ readiness for the challenges of post-high school study. All Big Picture school students are required to take college entrance exams and apply to at least one college or post-secondary school program. No matter what their chosen course, Big Picture Schools require all students to develop post-high school plans that contribute to the future success of the student – be it through college, a professional internship, travel, trade school, the military, or the workforce.
Alumni of Big Picture schools are forever considered members of the school community and are throughout their post-school years to remain life-long learners. Each Big Picture school develops programs and services to work with students through the important transition from high school to post-graduate life – and beyond. Many of these programs also provide opportunities for Big Picture school alums to serve as role models or mentors to current students.
Big Picture Learning recognizes that the transition from high school to college is often a difficult one, especially for students who are the first in their families to seek post-secondary education. This transition can also be difficult for families confronting ‘empty-nest syndrome’ for the first time. For these reasons, Big Picture schools provide transition support for students and families and continued access to their former Big Picture school and its resources. Through this transition work and our longitudinal study, Big Picture is able to track how alumni are doing and observe trends that improve our support systems.
Essential Elements of School/College Partnership include:
- A college preparatory workload for all students
- Opportunities for students to enroll in college classes before their high school graduation
- All students develop college portfolios, including resumes and college essays
- All students take the college entrance exam
- All students apply to at least one college
- The development of alternative transcripts to translate student work in Big Picture Learning schools for colleges
- College counseling for students and families
- Building relationships with local colleges
- College visits and college fairs a school-wide endeavor
- Support in process of applying and securing funding, including the Big Picture Emergency College Fund
- Transition for newly graduated students and their families
- Continued relationships with alumni