Schools get funds to mirror U.Va.'s College Guides

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The University of Virginia’s groundbreaking College Guides program has been so successful it’s going national.</p>

<p>The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation recently announced it was giving $1 million to each of 10 schools across the country to duplicate U.Va.'s effort to get reluctant, low-income high school students into college.</p>

<p>Nicole F. Hurd said she was excited by the expansion of the program she started at U.Va. two years ago.</p>

<p>“I think we could be in 20 states by 2010,” Hurd said. “I think this is the beginning of a greater partnership between higher education and K-12.”</p>

<p>The College Guides program places recent U.Va. graduates in guidance offices at high schools in Virginia to work with students who might not otherwise apply to college.</p>

<p>U.Va. started with 14 guides in the first year of the program and now has 19 guides placed in Virginia high schools this academic year, Hurd said. In addition, three guides have been placed in community colleges this year, she said.</p>

<p>“They become full-time members of the schools,” Hurd said. “They help young people with the financial and advising process.”

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