The Brotherhood Sister Sol (BroSis) College Advisory Program (CAP) takes a formal approach to college preparation. Its primary purpose is to expose our 7th to 12th graders to the college experience and support their successful entry into and achievement in higher education.
Since 2018:
100% of our BroSis seniors have graduated from high school or obtained a GED (with only five members obtaining GEDs). Compared to NYC Department of Education – high school graduation rates for Black and Latinx students is 80%.
On average, 81% of our seniors have matriculated to college. In the last 2 years, that percentage has risen to 94%. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2022, the college enrollment rate was 36% for Black students and 33% for Latinx students.
68% of BroSis members are first-generation college students, and within the two most recent college-bound classes (2019 and 2020), BroSis members have graduated from college at 86% and 97%, respectively. For first-generation students who gain entry to college, the issue of remaining in college while facing assorted economic hardships is a crisis. According to the US Department of Education, on average, only 24% of first-generation college students earn a college degree within 6 years.
Objectives
We facilitate a range of experiences and connect them to training and resources that will:
• Broaden their knowledge of college and universities (public, private, HBCU, single sex, etc.)
• Deepen their interest and belief that they can achieve in higher education
• Increase their awareness of career options and the pathways to success
Coordination
Silvia Canales is our CAP Coordinator. She received training through Goddard Riverside’s Options Institute, a nationally recognized provider of in-service training for college access counselors. With her guidance, members learn how to identify appropriate colleges, build robust applications, create and assess financial aid packages, and other vital processes. Members receive individualized support and guidance, and participate in tours to 12 to 15 diverse institutions which provides exposure to different options for college. Often, BroSis alum conduct tours of the campuses of the colleges they attend. This interaction is especially meaningful to our members as they demonstrate to them that they too can succeed in their pursuit of higher education. Through CAP, members have access to SAT preparation classes, attend college fairs where BroSis alum share their college experience, and participate in workshops on the college process. They also receive assistance with their applications, personal statements, and essays.
Components
• Individualized support and guidance
• Deepen their interest and belief that they can achieve in higher education
• Increase their awareness of career options and the pathways to success
• An in-house College Fair featuring BroSis alumni and their schools (January)
• A Workshop Series for high school seniors:
Financial Aid Application 101 helps them understand and accurately complete their financial aid form (January)
Show Me the Money: Comparing Financial Aid Packages helps them understand their tuition fees, grants and scholarship package (April)
Transition Day prepares them for the day-to-day college experience (August)
Impact
By the time our members are applying for college, they have had the opportunity to visit at least 15 schools throughout New York, Connecticut, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Washington, DC. They are informed about what colleges are looking for and how to present themselves in an application and interview. When they enter college, they are familiar with the academic expectations and dynamics of campus social life. We continue to support our members through age 22, knowing that they will encounter many new challenges as they transition into college (and/or the workforce).
%
of BroSis alumni have graduated from high school or earned a GED
"I believe so deeply in the life-saving work that The Brotherhood Sister Sol is dedicated to: values and skills building that empower young people and keep them on course; helping young people to see and develop the extraordinary within themselves; ensuring their safe passage to adulthood. It is surely one of the most incredible organizations in the nation. Their work is catalytic! Their leadership, their services and outcomes are without peer. Simply put, The Brotherhood Sister Sol does the work that few others will or even know how to do…. They have answered the call to repair the village, to secure the children. It’s our responsibility to ensure they have all they need to do God’s work."
"[The Brotherhood Sister Sol] is using their passion to uplift and inspire a next generation through extraordinary work that creates leaders and a sanctuary for children…. where their members can develop a higher vision of themselves."
