College access program alumni reflect on their experiences in the program and its impact on their skills and college outcomes
An evaluation of the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), a college access program for low-income and high-achieving public high school students, yielded favorable findings regarding the perceptions of program alumni. PUPP Alumni Survey respondents (N = 126) reported that PUPP had positively impacted their development of academic and social-emotional skills and their knowledge of college admissions and financial aid application processes and that they attended and graduated from college, including selective colleges, after completing PUPP. Some PUPP alumni believe that the program made college attendance a reality for them, while others believe PUPP enabled them to attend a more selective college than they otherwise would have. Although alumni were not immune from continued challenges, both financial and academic, during college, they tended to attribute their college enrollment and graduation successes at least in part to the personalized supports and resources PUPP provided.