Five unique stories of how CPS graduates persist through the twists and turns of college
Last spring, the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research and the To&Through Project released a study on Chicago Public Schools (CPS) graduates’ post-secondary pathways. The study revealed that the normative view of college — being continuously enrolled at one institution and graduating with a bachelor’s degree — is not typical for many CPS graduates.
CPS graduates’ pathways defined a different “normal,” one in which students were more likely to transfer between institutions and take time off college than previously known.
These findings inspired us to seek out students who have made these transitions to understand more about their experiences. Read their stories below for insights into what makes persistence possible and their pushes for the field. Want to share these stories with students? Download a lesson plan that includes versions of their stories adapted for high schoolers as well as a slide deck, worksheet, and more.
