Minds Matter Portland

Program Description

We recruit high school students at the end of their freshman year. They fill out an application, get recommendations, submit tax forms and interview with staff. Students selected begin in sophomore year, attending every Saturday during the school year for 4.5 hours each week during sophomore, junior and senior years. We raise funds to send students to pre-college summer programs after their sophomore and junior years. Seniors attend a one week application camp in August and then resume the regular schedule in September with applications, financial aid forms, and scholarships until March. We incorporate some "Transition to College" activities in the spring. Seniors graduate from the program in May. Minds Matter Portland is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to transform the lives of accomplished high school students from low-income families by broadening their dreams and preparing them for college success. Our goal is to equip underprivileged high school students with the tools to gain acceptance to a four-year university and navigate the financial aid process. Through these efforts, we watch our students develop as individuals. We introduce them to a world of opportunity outside their familiar neighborhoods and comfort zones. They are more confident of their abilities and eager to succeed. Minds Matter works with motivated students because we believe that no student dedicated to earning a college education should be limited by socioeconomic status.

Demographics

Race & Ethnicity

• American Indian or Native Alaskan: 1%
• White: 20%
• Asian or Pacific Islander: 40%
• Hispanic/Latino: 19%
• African American: 20%

Education Level and
Number of Students

• High School: 55
• Middle School: 0
• Elementary School: 0
• Post-secondary: 0
• Non-traditional: 0

Populations Served

• Academically High-performing
• Undocumented Students (1)

First-Generation

• More than 75%

Representative
Colleges Attended
by Alumni

• Alfred University (1)
• Boise State University (1)
• Carleton College (1)
• Chapman University (1)
• Colby-Sawyer College (1)
• Grambling State University (1)
• Howard University (1)
• Kenyon College (1)
• Lehigh University (1)
• Lewis & Clark College (4)
• Macalester College (1)
• Northeastern University (1)
• Oregon State University (9)
• Pacific Lutheran University (10)
• Pomona College (1)
• Portland State University (3)
• Reed College (1)
• Saint Augustine's University (1)
• Sarah Lawrence College (1)
• Smith College (1)
• Stanford University (1)
• Union College - New York (1)
• University of Colorado Boulder (1)
• University of Oregon (3)
• University of Pennsylvania (1)
• University of Portland (3)
• University of Richmond (1)
• University of Washington-Seattle Campus (1)
• Washington State University (1)
• Wellesley College (3)
• Western Oregon University (1)
• Williams College (1)

Matriculation & Completion

• 4-yr College Matriculation: 100%