One of the biggest decisions a high school senior will make is where to attend college, and KIPP NJ makes that decision a very big deal.  On May 24, from 6:00-8:00 pm, the 129 KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy (NCA) seniors publicly announced for the first time where they will be attending college in the fall.  The event took place at Montclair State University.  Among the invited guests were friends and families of the students, high school faculty, the KIPP Through College (KTC) Team and the current KIPP Junior class.

In between speeches, the seniors announced on stage with banners where they will be headed in the Fall.  The evening concluded with an acknowledgement ceremony for the current senior class to the rising seniors in the audience.

“The experience of seeing each one of these talented young women and men announce their intended college is something our team will never tire of, as we know how dedicated our students have been to their academics and what this accomplishment represents,” said Ryan Hill, founder and CEO of KIPP New Jersey.   “The teachers and staff of KIPP New Jersey wish our graduating class of 2018 the best of everything as they begin this exciting new chapter of their lives.”

“Today is the culmination of years of hard work that has paid off. Some of us have been together since middle school, and to share this meaningful experience with my friends, as well as with my teachers and family, is something I’ll never forget.” Alonzo Eley who will be attending Kean University in September.

“I am proud to be part of KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy’s Class of 2018 and excited for this next step in our journey through college.” Joselin Marroquin who will be attending Mount Holyoke this fall

The KTC model focuses on preparing students to navigate the academic, social and financial challenges they might encounter preparing for college — from entrance exams and applications to book expenses and campus life. The results speak to the program’s success: KIPP NJ sends more African-American students to four-year colleges than any other Newark high school, and their alumni are on track to graduate from college at 3.5 times the rate of their low-income peers.  KIPP NCA is also one of five NJ high schools in the 80/80 club: 80 percent of African-Americans go to college, and 80 percent attend 4-year schools.

Below is a list of the schools to where the senior class has been accepted. Nineteen are HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Additionally one student will be entering the Navy and another has deferred college for a year because she’s signed to a record label.

Albertus Magnus College, Albright College, American International College, Clark University, Barton College, Bergen Community College, Bloomfield College, Bridgewater State University, Bryant University, Caldwell University, Castleton University, Centenary University, Clark Atlanta University, Clark University, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland State University, Coastal Carolina University, Cogswell College, College of Saint Elizabeth, Colorado State University, Curry College,Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland State University, Coastal Carolina University, Cogswell College, College of Saint Elizabeth, Colorado State University, Curry College, Dean College, Delaware State University, Dillard University, Drew University, Drexel University, East Carolina University, Fairleigh-Dickinson University, Felician University, Gannon University, Hampton University, Harris-Stowe University, Hartwick College, Hofstra University, Hudson County Community College, Iona College, Iowa State University, Johnson & Wales University, Kean University, Keene State College, Kent State University, Keystone College, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, La Salle University, LIM College, Lincoln University, Lindenwood University, Livingston College, Livingston State University, Lycoming College, Lynn University, Marshall University, Marymount University, Mercer County Community College, Michigan State University, Monmouth University, Monmouth State University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Mt. Holyoke College, Mount Saint Mary College, Neumonth College of Computer Science, New England College, New Jersey City University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, Northampton Community College, Ohio University, Old Dominion University, Pace University-New York City, Pennsylvania State University, Quinnipiac University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rider University, Rowan University, Rutgers University, St. Peter’s University, Seton Hall University, Shaw University, South Carolina State University, Spelman College, St. John Fisher College, St. John’s University, State University of New York at Albany, Stockton College, Suffolk University, Temple University, The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, The College of New Jersey, The Culinary Institute of America, New School, Ohio University, University of Scranton, University of the Arts, Theil College, Tuskegee University, University of Bridgeport, University of Connecticut, University of Hartford, University of Kentucky, University of Maryland, University of New Haven, University of Toledo, Utah State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University, Wells College, Wentworth Institute of Technology, West Virginia State University, West Virginia University, Western Michigan University, Western New England University, Westminster College, William Paterson University of New Jersey, Xavier University.