Our Impact

Research has shown that earning a college degree is the single most predictive factor for improving lifetime earnings, particularly for low-income Americans. At the CPC, college and career planning is integral to our mission. In 2021, 60% of high school graduates enrolled in college immediately after graduating high school. However, this was true for only 36% of Latin/x and 42% of low-income students. The good news is that early opportunities to earn college credits (such as Early College and dual enrollment) are successful equity strategies for improving college-going rates for all students, and particularly for those historically marginalized. Compared to the 60.4% overall college going rate for 2021 high school graduates, 66% of Early College graduates immediately enroll in college.

Percentage of graduates enrolling in college immediately after high school graduation

Read more about this data.

Understanding Equity through Youth Participatory Research of Early College

The mission of the CPC is to provide outreach, training, mentoring, and advising to underrepresented youth and adults and guide them on their desired college-to-career pathway. After ten years of direct service in the MetroWest communities and five within the Early College context, the CPC is engaging in a mission-driven equity audit of our work. We are eager to understand if we are fully realizing our mission and to illuminate any structural barriers and challenges that are impeding our full impact; more, we want to understand this from the perspective of young people with whom we work.

With support from the Sudbury Foundation, the MetroWest College Planning Collaborative utilized the Understanding Equity through Youth Participatory Research of Early College award to launch our Youth Advisory Council. The Youth Advisory Council was an initiative designed to elevate youth voices in evaluating and shaping our Early College programming.

Over the course of five months, the Youth Advisory Council met regularly to explore questions of equity, access, and student experience within the program. The students designed and distributed surveys to their fellow scholars, families, and school partners, collected feedback, and collaboratively analyzed the data to identify patterns and opportunities for improvement. They then reported their findings during a Zoom presentation and made recommendations to the CPC administration.

Our Impact by the Numbers

2,246

High school students served

7,475

Total college credits earned

87%

Earning grade of C or better

31

Recent colleges being attended 

Alumni Success Stories

Read a sample of the many alumni success stories the College Planning Collaborative has been a part of over the years.

Nataly Fuentes

"My name is Nataly Fuentes and I am a current student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I am majoring in Public Policy with a minor in Spanish. I am also in the process of completing a Criminology and Criminal Justice System Certificate. I am hoping to create a change in society and bring justice."


Waltham High School, Class of 2024 
UMass Amherst, Class of 2028 

CPC Student Nataly Fuentes
CPC Student Daniel Abu

Daniel Abu

“I am a Biology major in the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Looking back on my path, the Early College Program was pivotal in getting me where I am today. Through early exposure to college-level material, the program not only prepared me academically but also played a pivotal role in building my confidence, personality, and sense of encouragement.“


Framingham High School, Class of 2024 
UMass Amherst, Class of 2028 

Melanie Cerin Aldana

“After my Early College experience I enrolled directly into MassBay Community College. There, I was able to skip my general education requirements and get more involved in my Biotechnology degree. At MassBay I became more involved in all the clubs and make amazing connections. I currently work in a few places by my highlights are working for Massachusetts Alliance for Early College, as part of a fellowship helping to advocate for Early College students in Massachusetts. And, I work as a student assistant for the CPWD (Corporate Partnership & Workforce Development) and work closely with the CNA program and the ELL program. Overall, I’ve been very active in the community and been all over the place but, I’ve been very grateful of how many opportunities Early College gave me!” 


Framingham High School, Class of 2024 
MassBay Community College, Class of 2026

CPC alumni Melanie Cerin Aldana
CPC Student Dayana Alvarado Perez

Dayana Alvarado Perez

“My name is Dayana Alvarado Perez and I graduated from Framingham High School in 2024. During my high school experience, I participated in the MetroWest Early Scholars program. I obtained around 40 credits and currently am a sophomore at UMass Boston as a biology major. With this opportunity, I was able to go straight into my biology elective classes. This result was very beneficial, as my goal is to attend medical school as soon as possible. The transition to attending college lectures was also smoother because of my participation in dual enrollment classes.”


Framingham High School, Class of 2024 
UMass Boston, Class of 2027 

Proud Alumni Pathways

We take great pride in the accomplishments of our students. After completing our programs, many of our recent graduates have continued their academic journeys at the following institutions:

Assumption UniversityMerrimack CollegeUniversity of Massachusetts – Amherst
Bentley UniversityMiddlebury CollegeUniversity of Massachusetts – Boston
Boston CollegeNortheastern UniversityUniversity of Massachusetts – Dartmouth
Brandeis UniversityRegis CollegeUniversity of Massachusetts – Lowell
Bryant UniversitySaint Anselm CollegeUniversity of New Hampshire – Durham
Bunker Hill Community CollegeSan Diego State UniversityUniversity of Rhode Island
Cape Cod Community CollegeStonehill CollegeUniversity of Vermont
Emerson CollegeSuffolk UniversityVermont State University
Framingham State UniversityTemple UniversityVillanova University
Johnson & Wales UniversityThe University of Maine – OronoWentworth Institute of Technology
Lasell UniversityUniversity of ConnecticutWheaton College
MassBay Community CollegeUniversity of HartfordWorcester Polytechnic Institute
The numbers don’t lie — Early College works. It gives students the confidence, skills and head start they need to succeed in higher education and the workforce."
Governor, Maura Healey