We guide students, who have demonstrated academic aptitude, through individualized coaching and culturally relevant programming as they navigate higher education to successfully enroll in schools that meet their financial and academic needs, enabling them to graduate on time and career-ready with little to no debt.
Our Programs
College Access
Provides intensive, individualized mentorship, with highly trained volunteer College Coaches to:
- Assist Scholars build balanced college lists
- Provide essay support
- Complete college applications on time
- Apply for/review financial aid packages
- Select best academic and financial fit
College Success
Provides comprehensive support to address the unique challenges faced by first-gen Scholars during their college years:
- Scholars remain engaged academically and socially
- Regular check-ins and targeted support to ensure Scholars graduate on time
- Scholars receive the knowledge, skills, and networking opportunities, setting them up for success
- Career readiness
Financial Aid
FAFSA Boot Camps and virtual FAFSA workshops to assist families:
- Complete and submit FAFSA, NYS TAP, and CCS Profile
- Maximize financial aid resources
- Graduate college with little to no debt
Community Information Sessions
Community-relevant, bilingual presentations and workshops in partner school districts:
- Pathways to College
- Applying to College
- Paying for College
Steps to Success
Education is the greatest equalizer with the power to transform lives for generations, and we believe that all students deserve access to higher education that meets their unique potential. Our programs help low-income, first-generation youth to overcome systemic barriers and challenges, allowing them to achieve their college and career dreams.
LUCA increases college enrollment and completion among first-generation youth through programs that:
- Empower students and families to participate fully in the college consideration and application processes
- Increase submission of financial aid applications to make college attainable for more students
- Increase enrollment in 4-year universities that meet students’ academic potential and financial needs
- Increase retention and completion by providing Scholar support throughout the college years
Breaking Down Barriers
First generation youth are culturally-rich, motivated, hardworking, and resourceful. They are determined to honor their families’ sacrifices and create a brighter future for their loved ones. Although encouraged and supported by their parents, first gen students often navigate the college admissions process independently and with limited resources, facing educational, financial and cultural barriers along the way.
LUCA programs are designed to create pathways to college enrollment and completion, by addressing the obstacles that can often feel overwhelming or insurmountable.
While confronting the complexities of college admissions, students often unintentionally limit their options – rarely applying to more competitive schools, which can provide increased access to institutional aid and support networks that will help them graduate.
Evaluating the cost of college and researching financial aid options can be overwhelming. Families face significant challenges completing the complicated forms required to determine federal, state, and institutional aid. As a result, 70% of First-Generation Students have unmet financial needs.
Faced with financial, personal, and family challenges, students must confront multiple issues that threaten their ability to persist and graduate from college. With limited resources and a lack of formal mentorship, first-generation students are five times more likely to drop out of college in comparison to other demographic groups.
First-generation students lack access to an extensive social network that can provide career information and resources. They miss out on the perspectives of college graduates and industry professionals who can prepare them for internships and pathways that lead to job opportunities upon graduating.