With graduation time upon us, I was looking to spotlight an organization that has a mission to help high school graduates with taking the next steps into college.
I found an organization called Beyond 12. It is a national nonprofit organization that focuses on the “bridge” between high school and college graduation. Their primary mission is to ensure that first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented students don’t just enroll in college, but actually earn their degrees.
They specifically help high school graduates navigate the “summer melt” (the period after high school graduation when many students lose momentum) and the first two years of higher education through a three-pronged approach: Near-Peer Virtual Coaching, the MyCoach Mobile App, and Data Driven Insights.
The most unique aspect of Beyond 12 is their coaching model. They pair students with “near-peer” coaches—recent college graduates who often come from similar backgrounds.
Support begins the summer after high school graduation and typically continues through the first two years of college.
Coaches help students manage academic stress, navigate financial aid (like FAFSA), and build “social capital” (knowing how to network and find campus resources).
Coaching is entirely virtual, using text, video chat, phone, and social media to meet students where they are.
Beyond 12 uses a campus-customized mobile app called MyCoach to provide “digital nudges” to students. It sends reminders for registration, financial aid deadlines, and campus reminders. It also provides support 24/7 to answer questions.
The organization acts as a data bridge between high schools and colleges.
Statistically, the transition from high school to college is where the most “leakage” occurs in the education pipeline. While many high schools focus on getting students into college, Beyond 12 focuses on keeping them there.
According to their data, 85% of students coached by Beyond 12 for four years graduate or remain enrolled, compared to a national average of roughly 42% for similar demographics.