Bottom Line
Program basics
- Individualized advising for low-income, first-generation students above a 2.3 GPA
- Help with college and financial aid applications starting the summer before senior year all the way through graduation.
- Advisers provide guidance on college selection and filling out competitive applications
- A select group of students enrolled in specially chosen colleges are provided with further individualized campus-base support
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Strong (second-highest tier)
?
Strong (second-highest tier)
Ranked as having the second-highest level of evidence by Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development
Target population
High school-aged children
Program cost
Approximately $4,000 per offered student
Implementation locations
- Boston and Worcester, MA; New York City, NY; Chicago, IL
- Bottom Line - Boston
Dates active
1997–present
Outcomes and impact
- Increased college enrollment
- Increased enrollment in four-year colleges
Keys to successful implementation
- Targeting public high schools that have particularly high guidance-counselor-to-student ratios ensures that Bottom Line is reaching students who are most in need of assistance.
- Students early-stage participation is key to their success in the program, so established relationships with public schools, community-based organizations, and other referral partners are essential in ensuring strong "hand offs" and high levels of participant engagement from day one.
- Close relationships with partner colleges ensure that Bottom Line advisors are able to help students find colleges well suited to their individual academic, social, and financial needs.
- A deep organizational commitment to data, evidence, and evaluation has helped Bottom Line build trust among public and philanthropic funders, maintained program effectiveness, and enabled continuous improvement.
