Mission
Woodrow Wilson’s Early College Initiative supports bridge-building between institutions of higher education and secondary schools, so that more and better-prepared students from underrepresented and underserved populations graduate from college.
The Woodrow Wilson
Early College High School Initiative
Early College Home | Early College Approach | Partnerships | Resources
Making College Real
For students who may have never imagined college, Woodrow Wilson Early Colleges provide rigorous high school and college classes in small school settings. These Early Colleges challenge students with college-level work, as well as tailored support services and a practical understanding of what it takes to get to college and succeed.
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Photo: John Ricasoli/Brooklyn College |
The Woodrow Wilson Early College Network—funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—involves college and university faculty closely in every aspect of teaching, learning, and operations in small middle and high schools. The outcome: These schools make college real for students in high-need districts.
Early College Approach
Through both institutional innovation and the professional development of teachers, the Woodrow Wilson Early College Initiative aims to make academic excellence the standard for all students, and to enable students to complete their degrees in more timely and cost-effective ways. More...
Partners
Resources
The Woodrow Wilson Foundation has developed a series of resources to support our network of Early College partnerships and other school-university partnerships focused on improving secondary education and increasing college access and success for underserved students. More...
If You’re Interested
Please note: Participation in the Early College Initiative is restricted to colleges and high schools, and is by invitation only. The Woodrow Wilson Foundation cannot enroll individual students in Early College High Schools. Interested parties may contact Rob Baird, Vice President for School-University Partnerships, at (609) 452-7007, ext. 122, for more information.
Latest News
- Three schools in the WW Early College Network opened their doors to students this fall:
- Developing a College-Going Culture in a Middle School: A Toolkit
Resources in this toolkit include surveys and interview guides, an example case study from an early college school, and a list of educational resources for teachers, students, and parents. - The Power of Partnership: How Early College Creates Rich Contexts for Engaging Faculties
The Power of Partnership describes the model of collaboration between Brooklyn College faculty and Science, Technology, and Research (STAR) Early College School faculty that has supported the success of STAR’s students since opening in 2003.
• Eastern University Academy Charter School (Eastern University) in Philadelphia, PA
• Friendship Tech Prep Academy (Friendship Public Schools and the University of Maryland) in Washington D.C.
• Newark Early College High School (Newark Public Schools, Rutgers University-Newark, and Essex County College) in Newark, NJ




