College Track

What College Track does

College Track is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a 10-year, integrated college completion program for first-generation students from under-resourced communities. Founded in 1997 by Laurene Powell Jobs and originally co-founded with Carlos Watson, it began with 25 students in East Palo Alto and now serves more than 4,800 high school and college scholars alongside 1,100+ alumni across 13 sites in California, Colorado, Louisiana, and the D.C.–Maryland area. The core offering is a continuous, 10-year pathway spanning high school academic coaching and college readiness, college persistence support ("College Thrive"), and post-graduation career and life design services, delivered in person through community centers with documented outcomes — 2.5x the national graduation rate for first-generation peers and average alumni earnings of $89,823 by age 30.

Program operations are supported by Salesforce for donor and scholar relationship management and Sage Intacct for cloud-based financial systems. College Track monetizes entirely through philanthropy: individual donations (with public tiers from $100 to $2,500), foundation and corporate grants (including a $20M Baltimore Ravens/Bisciotti/M&T commitment and Salesforce-backed Bay Area funding), and named memorial funds. Programs are delivered free of charge to scholars; the organization is governed by a board chaired by Powell Jobs and led by President & CEO Shirley M. Collado, Ph.D. Distinctive sub-products include the Curry Scholars Program (full Davidson College scholarships with Stephen Curry), Semester Zero at Northern Arizona University, ASU Universal Learner Courses and Professional Skills for Everyone, and an emergency funding program for enrolled college students.

Name

College Track

Legal name

College Track

Website

https://collegetrack.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

College Track is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a 10-year integrated college completion program for first-generation students from under-resourced communities, serving more than 4,800 scholars across 13 sites in California, Colorado, Louisiana, and the D.C.–Maryland area and graduating participants at 2.5x the national first-generation rate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth-to-Adult Bridge & College Readiness (Noncredit) (EDAAAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pre-College Summer/Winter Academic Programs (High School Students) (EDAIAIAD)

Keywords

• College access programs
• College completion services
• Education nonprofit services
• First-generation college support
• Scholar support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: College Track raises funds from individual donors through one-time and monthly donation programs. The organization promotes specific donation tiers including The Gift of Today ($100), The Gift of Preparation ($500), The Gift of Knowledge ($1,000), and The Gift of Tuition ($2,500) which represents the average need-based scholarship awarded to a College Track student.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major foundation and corporate funding from organizations including the Bisciotti Foundation ($10 million), M&T Charitable Foundation ($10 million), Salesforce ($13 million donation to Bay Area schools), and numerous other foundations and corporations. These funds support program operations, scholarships, and facility development.
3. Named Memorial Funds: College Track accepts donations to named memorial funds such as the Clifford Johnson Memorial Fund for College Track Students of Prince George's County and the Joe K. Gardner Memorial Fund for emergency funding for scholars.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

College Track delivers a 10-year integrated college completion program for first-generation students from underserved communities, beginning in ninth grade and extending through college graduation and into early career. The organization combines academic coaching, college readiness preparation, financial aid and scholarship support, social-emotional support, and post-graduation career guidance delivered through 13 community centers and a network of 20+ college and university partners. Programs are provided free of charge to students and funded through individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

College Track is a comprehensive 10-year college completion nonprofit that operates as a single unified program model rather than a modular platform. The core offering is the 10-Year Integrated Program Model, which encompasses three primary phases: the High School Program (grades 9-12 with academic affairs and student life support), the College Program (College Thrive coaching through graduation), and Alumni/Career & Life Design (post-graduation support). Supplementary offerings include Semester Zero (an immersive summer college preview at Northern Arizona University), Emergency Funding for enrolled students, and the Financial Planning & Resources Program. Through educational partnerships, College Track also provides access to ASU Universal Learner Courses for high school scholars and ASU Professional Skills for Everyone curriculum for college scholars. The organization serves students from underserved communities across 13 centers in California, Colorado, Louisiana, and the D.C.-Maryland area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 10-Year Integrated Program Model College Track's core 10-year program spanning ninth grade through college graduation and career launch, providing integrated academic affairs, student life, college readiness, college persistence, and post-graduation support to first-generation students from underserved communities. Delivered free of charge to scholars.
• Alumni, Career & Life Design
• Semester Zero Immersive one-week college preparatory summer experience held at Northern Arizona University's Flagstaff Mountain Campus. Available to rising juniors from all 13 College Track centers, featuring live-on-campus preview of college life, academic workshops, and peer connections nationwide.
• Emergency Funding Program Financial assistance program providing vital resources to currently enrolled College Track college students at two- or four-year institutions who are facing unforeseen circumstances, helping them remain on track to earn their bachelor's degree.
• Financial Planning & Resources Program Comprehensive financial planning support assisting scholars with resources that foster financial ownership across the college-going experience, from freshman year in high school through college enrollment.
• ASU Universal Learner Courses Online ASU coursework accessible to College Track high school scholars (11th and 12th grade) at College Track centers nationwide, taught by ASU faculty and aligned with degree programs.
• ASU Professional Skills for Everyone Online professional development curriculum accessible to College Track college scholars 24/7, designed to build career-ready skills in partnership with Arizona State University.
• Curry Scholars Program Full scholarship partnership with Davidson College and Stephen Curry for high-achieving students from underserved Bay Area communities, covering tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, computer allowance, and senior year trip to Davidson. Five to ten students are selected annually for admission to Davidson College, identified through Oakland Unified School District and College Track.

Quantifiable outcome

• College graduation rate 2.5x the national average for first-generation students
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and standard.

• UC DaviscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Formal partnership with UC Davis to advance college access for under-resourced students. UC Davis is consistently one of the top enrollment destinations for College Track's California scholars. Partnership formalizes and deepens existing relationship with shared commitment to educational access and opportunity.
• Davidson CollegeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Davidson College partnered with College Track and Stephen Curry to launch the Curry Scholars Program, offering full scholarships to high-achieving students from underserved Bay Area communities. The program will select 5-10 students annually for admission to Davidson, covering tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, and computer allowance. First class planned for Fall 2027.
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)standardStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2026Partnership with UMBC including True Grit Gathering events for College Track scholars, providing campus tours led by current UMBC students, and collaboration on college readiness programming.
• Baltimore City Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools to identify and support students for the Baltimore Ravens College Track Center, preparing them for college completion from high school through career.
• Oakland Unified School District (OUSD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026OUSD works with Davidson College and College Track to identify applicants for the Curry Scholars Program. OUSD enrolls nearly 34,000 students, over 80% qualifying for free or reduced-price meals.
• San José State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2025Partnership with SJSU combining College Track's 10-year program model with SJSU's dedication to affordability and innovation. Features cohorted admissions model with at least 10 eligible College Track scholars admitted annually, robust financial support including tuition, fees, and on-campus housing through SJSU's awarding policies and Higher Education Student Housing program.
• Baltimore RavensflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Baltimore Ravens partnered with College Track to establish the Baltimore Ravens College Track Center, powered by M&T Bank. The $20 million donation ($10M from Bisciotti Foundation/Ravens, $10M from M&T Charitable Foundation) supports a center serving Baltimore City Public School students from high school through college and career launch.
• American UniversitystandardStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2023One of 14 college and university partnerships established with cohort admissions models and financial support for College Track scholars.
• Bowie State UniversitystandardStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2023One of 14 college and university partnerships with cohort admissions models for College Track scholars.
• Colorado State University, Fort CollinsstandardStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2023One of 14 college and university partnerships with cohort admissions models and financial support for College Track scholars.
• Tulane UniversitystandardStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2023One of 14 college and university partnerships with cohort admissions models and financial support for College Track scholars.
• Middlebury CollegestandardStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2023One of 14 college and university partnerships with cohort admissions models and financial support for College Track scholars.
• Paul Quinn CollegestandardStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2023One of 14 college and university partnerships. President Michael J. Sorrell serves on College Track's Board of Directors.
• University of California, MercedstandardStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2023One of 14 college and university partnerships with cohort admissions models and financial support for College Track scholars.
• Northern Arizona UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 August 2023Innovative partnership including Semester Zero immersive summer experience on NAU's Flagstaff Mountain Campus for rising juniors from all 13 College Track centers. Also includes cohort program at NAU's Honors College with guaranteed admissions for at least 5 scholars annually, tuition and fees coverage for up to 5 years, and dedicated on-campus space for College Track.
• Arizona State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-designed integrated curriculum spanning 10 years from 9th grade through college. High school scholars access ASU courses online at College Track centers; college scholars access ASU's Professional Skills for Everyone curriculum. Up to 5 CT college scholars receive full tuition to ASU's Barrett, The Honors College.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Posse Foundation: The most direct peer: a national college access and completion nonprofit that identifies, trains, and sends cohorts of low-income/first-generation students to selective colleges — overlapping mission, cohort model, and target population. College Track's CEO Shirley Collado and other staff came directly from Posse.
• Bottom Line: College access and completion nonprofit serving first-generation college students from under-resourced communities via one-on-one advising. Closely matches College Track's mission, advising model, and target population.
• iMentor: Nonprofit pairing low-income students with college-educated mentors for long-term support through college graduation, with curricular programming in partner high schools — closely aligns with College Track's mentoring and cohort model.
• College Possible: National nonprofit providing intensive near-peer coaching for low-income and first-generation students from high school through college completion. Same problem space, target population, and outcome metrics as College Track.
• QuestBridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving low-income students to top colleges and full four-year scholarships. Directly comparable in terms of first-generation/low-income focus, university partnership structure, and college-completion outcomes.
• Summer Search: National youth development nonprofit serving low-income high school students through mentoring, summer experiences, and college/career advising — overlapping target population and college-completion outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation: Large national charter network with explicit college-completion focus ("KIPP Through College"), serving a similar first-generation population at significantly greater scale. Comparable in mission but operates K–12 schools rather than a free-standing nonprofit.

Emerging players

• Year Up: Workforce-focused nonprofit serving young adults from low-income communities with training and corporate internship pathways. Adjacent in mission (economic mobility for underserved youth) though more employment-oriented than purely college-focused.
• Strive for College: Nonprofit mentoring low-income/first-generation high school students through the college application and transition process — comparable mission to College Track's high school phase, though without the full 10-year commitment.
• CollegeSpring: Nonprofit providing SAT prep and college-application support to low-income students — narrower in scope (test prep and application stage) but overlapping population and partner-school delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-0s7AbCE7Gss4RRYGjHD5w
• Facebookfacebook.com/137263192988252
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/college-track
• Instagraminstagram.com/collegetrack
• Xx.com/collegetrack

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about College Track