Compact for Success

Compact for Success
Institution
San Diego State University
State
California
Academic Level
Baccalaureate
Issue Area
Access
Key Personnel
Program Focus
Community Partnerships / Collective Impact,
Pathway/Pipeline

Overview

Established in 2000, Compact for Success is an agreement between San Diego State University (SDSU) and the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) that guarantees students admission to SDSU through meeting the Compact for Success admissions requirements. In effect, the Compact for Success Program focused on five benchmarks; maintain a GPA (3.1-3.4 depending on graduating class) through their senior year, complete all a-g course requirements, and satisfying Compact Readiness criteria.

Program Description

The underlying premise of Compact for Success is to show students the path to attend a college or university and to provide the support necessary to assure success at SDSU. The program involves the teachers of SUHSD to work with the faculty at SDSU to examine the rigor and alignment of math and English course offerings, as well as design a school curriculum that would be directly related to the a-g requirements for college admissions. The Compact for Success department collaborates with school and district personnel to provide outreach and education to students and parents in the district through mentoring, workshops, assemblies, and campus visits. Lastly, the Compact for Success employs work-study students (College Outreach Assistants) who serve as mentors and role models to middle and high school students in the SUHSD.

Outcome

  • Increase in enrollment: The percentage of entering Compact Scholars enrolled at SDSU has increased from 4% in 2006 to 14% in 2018.
  • Increase in A-G eligible students: The overall percentage of high school graduates who are A-G eligible rose from 39.2% in 2006 to 58.7% in 2017. A-G requirement are a sequence of high school courses students must complete with a C or better to be eligible for the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) admission. 
  • Guaranteed admission to SDSU: Since the first class was admitted to SDSU in 2006, more than 6,000 students have been awarded the guaranteed admission to SDSU.
  • Full-circle moment: The current Compact for Success Outreach Coordinator is a member of the first class of Compact Scholars from 2006.