Empowering Futures: Elevating First-Generation Students to Graduate and Professional Success
Funds graduate and professional school test preparation resources for first-generation students.
About the Campaign
The Nebraska College Preparatory Academy will provide materials for first-generation, income-eligible scholars to check out and prepare for entrance exams, as well as be a visual representation that pursuing professional programs is attainable. NCPA would order materials to prepare for graduate or professional program entry exams in accordance with the average number of scholars who apply for those specific programs yearly. We would create a library in our space where scholars can access these materials. This also encourages conversations about post-undergraduate programs, by showing students that materials are available to help them feel confident about pursuing professional programs.
How does this impact students?
This project aims to support first-generation, income-eligible scholars within NCPA by enabling them to continue their education beyond their undergraduate degrees. It will encourage and motivate NCPA scholars to be the first in their families to earn a graduate degree, demonstrating to their families and other first-generation students that pursuing a graduate education is achievable. Currently, only 35% of first-generation students obtain a degree beyond a bachelor’s degree. Through this project, NCPA aims to foster a culture of academic achievement and perseverance among scholars, affirming that their educational aspirations are attainable.
Why should you support this project?
Donors can make a meaningful difference in the lives of first-generation, income-eligible scholars by helping remove a financial barrier that can stand between a scholar and their dream of becoming a graduate or professional. For many NCPA scholars, the desire to continue their education is strong, but the cost of preparing for entrance exams such as the GRE, LSAT, and MCAT can make those goals feel out of reach.
This project offers donors an opportunity to invest directly in students who are already demonstrating their commitment to academic success. More than half of NCPA’s most recent graduating cohort applied to graduate or professional programs, and more than half of the upcoming graduating cohort has expressed interest in pursuing advanced degrees. Providing access to high-quality comprehensive test-preparation materials can help ensure that financial circumstances do not determine which scholars are able to pursue these opportunities.
The impact also extends beyond an individual student. When NCPA scholars become the first in their families to earn graduate and professional degrees, they create new possibilities for their families and serve as examples for other first-generation students. Donor support can help build a lasting culture in which graduate and professional education is seen not as an unattainable goal, but as a realistic and achievable path.