Competitive Internships & Partnerships
Real-world experience at companies like Google, UBS, and Endless Studios.
KIPP Forward
Personalized Support from Day One
99%
Graduation Rate
$27M
in Scholarships
6 Years
Post-Grad Support
Support Beyond Graduation
Support That Doesn’t Stop at Graduation
Our commitment to your future success begins the day you enter our doors. KIPP Forward is a dedicated support system that follows students from middle school through high school and for six years after you leave KIPP NYC College Prep, ensuring you have the resources to navigate higher education and early careers.
We currently support over 6,000 KIPP NYC middle and high school students and over 7,500 alumni of KIPP, Achievement First, and a growing number of partner organizations. Our services include one-on-one advising and robust programming related to Career Readiness, College and CTE Access, and College and Career Success.
Our Journey Together
The Roadmap: Intentional Preparation
Our in-house College & Career team prepares students for the journey starting in Middle School. We provide structured support in each grade to ensure no student is left to navigate their future alone.
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Early Exposure
Middle School
In middle school, students engage in career-readiness lessons, career exposure opportunities, and summer programs that help develop their passions, skills, and confidence.
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Careers with Purpose
9th Grade
Students are encouraged to explore their passions, values, and interests through our “Careers with Purpose” course, identifying how their unique strengths align with future career paths.
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Exploring Interests
10th Grade
Academic rigor meets real-world application as students begin deeper dives into specialized areas of interest, community service, early SAT prep, and college research.
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College & Career Readiness
11th Grade
A high-stakes year focused on the toolbox for success, including SAT prep, career exploration, resume writing, drafting personal statements, mastering the elevator pitch, and exploring postsecondary options with on-campus trips and integrated technology tools.
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Senior Counseling
12th Grade
Individualized counseling is the hallmark of the senior year. Students receive one-on-one support through the entire application, financial aid, and decision-making process. We arrange for 100+ college admissions officers to visit our campus each fall.
Access & Experience
Bridging the gap between classroom and career
At KIPP NYC College Prep, we believe a world-class education is defined by what you can do with it. Our Access and Experience team works tirelessly to open doors that are often closed to high school students, providing a direct pipeline to the professional world.
Our team connects students to:
Summer Opportunities
Our annual fair exposes students to endless options of interest to build their resume.
Global Experiences
Study-abroad opportunities through programs like CIEE.
Industry Certifications
Workforce Ready: The Direct-to-Career Pathway
We recognize that for some of our students, the goal is to move directly from graduation into a high-growth career. Our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are specifically designed to bridge that gap, transforming the high school experience into a professional launchpad. By choosing this pathway, students explore the skills and certifications needed to fill essential roles in our local and global economy. Through a combination of training, industry mentorship, and resources, we ensure our graduates don’t just find a job—they understand the technical mastery and professional work ethic required to succeed on day one.
Beyond Graduation
College and CTE Success & Beyond
KIPP Forward ensures our students don’t just graduate high school, but that they persist and thrive in their postsecondary programs and launch their careers with six years of our continuous support.
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College and CTE Success Advising
Years 1–2: Building Your Foundation
For students enrolling in college, near-peer College Success Advisors—many of whom are KIPP alumni themselves—text regularly and meet students on campus for in-person support, routine check-ins, and 1:1 coaching on academics, finances, mental health, and career planning through our Persistence Benchmarks. College sophomores then level up in the Wayfinders program with personalized career diagnostics, resume and LinkedIn builds, mock interviews, networking skills, and access to vetted internships via our Alumni Career Center and partners like Backrs.
Workforce Advisement: Alumni who seek to enter a career after high school are matched with a Workforce Advisor who provides one-on-one advisement for their first two critical years post-high school. The Workforce Advisor ensures our alumni identify and apply to best-fit, free or low-cost, and well-regarded CTE programs, have the resources and supports to successfully complete their program on time, and enter a career-aligned job upon program completion.
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Persistence to Completion and Strong First Job
Years 3–6 and Beyond: Finishing Strong
Nudge-Enabled Remote Advising (NERA): After two years of intensive advisement, alumni continue to receive postsecondary support through our innovative tech-based program, Nudge-Enabled Remote Advising (NERA). With NERA, an experienced advisor utilizes nudge texting technology to send academic, financial, social emotional, and career resources on a consistent basis. Through this platform, alumni are also able to schedule one-on-one advising meetings as needed.
Career Services: As alumni progress toward degree or CTE program completion, the resources of our Career Center help them find clarity on their highest career aspirations, align their current studies, and build their internship and job search skills. We offer alumni access to career coaching via partnerships with prominent career-focused organizations such as Braven, First Gen U, Talk Hiring, LEE and Backrs. Our Career Center continually builds its offerings to further support the college persistence and career attainment of our alumni.
Beyond Academics
Foundational Supports
Available for alumni up to six years post-high school, as funding allows.
The KIPP Forward Microgrant Program was created to prevent unexpected or emergency financial gaps from deterring postsecondary education and career plans. Microgrants are intended for needs that, when addressed, will lead to enrollment, persistence, or graduation from the student’s chosen postsecondary education or career training program. In the 2025–2026 academic year, over $138,000 was distributed to alumni.
KIPP Forward connects alumni with prominent organizations that provide online mental health therapy with a focus on supporting our alumni to access culturally competent practitioners. Our mental health partnerships have supported over 600 alumni to receive free, clinical therapy, and has garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews from alumni.
Alumni Success
Our Alumni Thrive
Our alumni attend top colleges, earn full scholarships, and build purpose-driven careers.
I think that the best thing that KIPP Forward does is staying in contact with students. Life adapting from high school to college can be very tricky, I am so thankful to have KIPP who allows students to still have support in this new chapter of my academic career.
Class of 2025 KIPP NYC College Prep alumni
KIPP Forward really helps by providing consistent guidance and support when it comes to college and career planning. They make sure students have access to resources, reminders, and one-on-one support, which makes the process feel less overwhelming. I also appreciate how they check in and genuinely care about students’ progress and goals.
Class of 2025 KIPP NYC College Prep alumni
You should come to KIPP NYC College Prep because there is so much to be offered here with extracurriculars, strong academics, and a welcoming social life. The school does a lot to prepare us for the future, from helping us apply to college to making sure we leave high school ready for a stable career.
David H.
KIPP NYC College Prep ’24 • Rutgers University
At KIPP NYC College Prep, I learned about incredible opportunities that helped shape my future, including my upcoming role at UBS. As a sophomore in high school, I participated in the UBS Futures in Finance program, where I was introduced to the business world and connected with mentors and inspiring people I still stay in touch with today.
Kathrin A.
KIPP NYC College Prep ’21 • Harvard University
Our Alumni Attend Top Colleges Nationwide
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