Strive Five Recognition Program
Student success is ultimately the result of a complex set of factors. This is especially true for Strivers – talented and motivated students from traditionally underserved communities – who, because of their unique backgrounds and circumstances, often require an extra level of academic, financial, and social support to graduate.
Strive for College has identified benchmarks in five critical areas that we believe all postsecondary institutions should strive to achieve to mark a true commitment to college opportunity and success for all. We call these the Strive Five. Institutions who meet any of these criteria receive special recognition by way of a customized College Partner Badge and press release to highlight their exceptional achievements.
Inclusion
More than 25% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, meaning at
least 1 in 4 students come from a low-income family. Nationally, 32% of
undergraduates receive Pell Grants across all postsecondary institutions.
Diversity
More than 40% of undergraduates are Black, Latino, or Native American,
meaning nearly 1 in 2 students comes from an underrepresented minority group.
40% approximates the national average of undergraduates from
underrepresented minority groups across all postsecondary institutions.
Affordability
Colleges with a net price of under $13,500 for low-income students ($0-30K),
approximately the national average net price for students from households with
incomes under $30,000 who received Title IV federal financial aid across all
four-year institutions.
Completion
Colleges that meet or exceed the national averages for retention
(more than 81% first- year to second-year retention rate) AND
graduation (more than 51% six-year graduation rate for Pell Grant recipients).
Outcomes
More than 25% of graduates who were from the bottom fifth of incomes as
students and moved to the top fifth as adults, meaning they have among the
highest percentage of students who came from both a lower-income family
and ended up a higher-income adult.
