College & Career Experts Join Fiveable for Launch of First College Summer Program

For the last 3 years, we’ve built a massive following in the AP testing space, reaching over 8 million high school students since 2018 with an average AP exam pass rate of 92%. 🎉

As our students begin thinking more about their futures, it’s important for us to be in lockstep with them throughout their entire high school experience. College, alternate pathways for secondary education, and career exploration are top of mind for most high-schoolers. In order to expand in all of the different ways that students need us, we need to think bigger and scale quickly.

I've talked to thousands of high school students and I hear the same things, over and over:

“How do I even begin to think about college? I'm scared.”

"I have no idea what to major in or even a clue in what I want to do. Help!"

“I’m the first in my family to go to college and I’m unsure how we’ll pay for it. It feels impossible.”

“Are there other options for me beyond a 4-year degree at a top ranking university?”

"How do I even choose a major that fits my interests when my family is pressuring me to do something I don't want to do for the rest of my life?"

"I was stressed and burnt out in high school all of the time. I don't want to carry that forward with me into my future."

“I don’t feel confident that my education or resume are good enough to compete with my peers”

Wherever students need us, that's where we'll be. That’s been our motto since day one, and it rings true today too. When we asked our community of students what their biggest concerns are in navigating college, we saw the same topics come up over and over again:

✍🏾  Submitting college applications, personal statements, and supplementals (77%)
🎒  Building your resume with extracurriculars and internships (76%)
💸  Understanding financial aid, scholarships, and budgeting (75%)
📚  Learning about different majors (52%)

So, we put together a new program specifically designed with these topics in mind! Fiveable’s 2021 College Summer Program provides 10 weeks of live events and replays with a range of experts, a community of like-minded students, accountability teams, and a plethora of resources to equip students with everything necessary for college success.

And we definitely wouldn’t be able to do it alone! With a knock-out lineup of partners who each bring their own knowledge and expertise to the program, students will learn directly from the ‘boots-on-the-ground’ college and career experts. Our 8 incredible partners -- Collegize, Always Represented, The Mindful Applicant, College Essay Guy, Juno, Outlier, Forage, and Joon Care -- will share their knowledge and lived experiences through live events, student surveys, and tons of written content.

The program kicked off this week, but we’re just getting started. Here’s a sneak peek at the content each of our expert partners will be covering this summer:

📙  Starting the College Search Process with Collegize

The process of navigating the application process can seem daunting. With thousands of colleges across the United States - all with different requirements and processes - where do you even start? Collegize simplifies the process with an app that supports parents and students through the admissions process, eventually helping students land at the college that’s best for them.

🎗️  College Fit and Choosing the Right University with Always RepresentED

Less than half of Black students complete their degree at four-year public colleges within 6 years. It’s time to change that. Always RepresentED was founded to drive change and create an inclusive, diverse student population.

🦋  Care for Well-being through the Admissions Process with The Mindful Applicant

Mental health above everything else! The college admissions process can be draining and stressful. The Mindful Applicant helps students pave joyful paths to college and career by prioritizing social emotional learning - the same method we use at Fiveable.

📃  Personal Statement & Supplemental Essay Crash Course with the College Essay Guy

According to the College Essay Guy, “even the college application process can be joyful”. Sign us up! He will be joining the program for two crash courses teaching students how to craft the perfect personal statement and essay.

💰  Financing Your Education with Juno

There’s no denying that college is expensive. The average cost of college in the United States has tripled over the last 20 years. The team at Juno are experts in saving money and negotiating better student loans -- and they’re going to teach us the way.

🎟️  Alternative Ways to Earn College Credit with Outlier

It’s 2021, and four-year colleges - while the right choice for some people - aren’t the end all be all to education anymore. Outlier joins us to present alternative options. Their mission is to increase access to quality education and reduce student debt through online, transferable courses that cost 80% less than the US average.

🔎  Gaining Work Experience Beyond the Classroom with Forage

You make it through the application process, get accepted to a college and start crushing your classes. What’s next? It’s time to get some real-world experience! Forage gives students a career advantage through virtual work experience programs, and they’re joining us to share what students need to know.

🌞  Navigating Mental Health Challenges During College with Joon Care

Whether it’s navigating new environments and friends or adjusting to a more rigorous course load, college can be overwhelming or stressful at times. Joon Care’s team of therapists, who have already been incredible partners to Fiveable through their exploration and discussions around test anxiety and imposter syndrome, will discuss the importance of prioritizing mental health throughout your college journey.

Whether you're a rising senior stressing about applications or a sophomore looking to get a head start on your college list, the College Summer Program is here for you. If the lineup wasn’t enough, the program also includes our College 101 Handbook: a comprehensive guide of everything students need to navigate the college admissions process with templates, checklists, application how-to's and essay assistance, financial aid info, and more.

College is just the beginning for Fiveable. SATs and ACTs will come next, in addition to a variety of career exploration and other personal development topics. As always, wherever students need us, that's where we'll be, so stay tuned...we're just getting started!

Oh... and shoutout to the entire Fiveable team for planning, organizing, and launching the new college program in just a few weeks. We couldn't do this without all of you giving your best each and everyday.