New GU Program Focuses On Fostering Diversity in the College Admissions Process
March 4th, 2021
The Reach Program is helping middle school students from underrepresented groups navigate the college application and financial aid processes.
Georgetown Reach
Georgetown Reach works with rising 8th-grade students and their families until they are accepted to the college or university of their choice to ensure they have access to the information and resources necessary to prepare them for success in the college search. By providing underrepresented students and families guidance and exposure to the college search, we seek to increase diversity at top-tier colleges and universities and create opportunities for our participants.
How does the Georgetown Reach Program work?
Georgetown Reach is a free, four-year program offered at, and funded by, Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. The program accepts rising 8th grade students, and students remain in the program through the college application process.
The primary goal of Georgetown Reach is to increase diversity at top tier universities by preparing students from underrepresented minority (URM) groups for, and exposing them to the wealth of opportunities at these institutions. Through a series of online webinars and in-person experiences, the program engages students and their parents or caregivers on how to successfully prepare for and be accepted by top colleges and universities to study any field of interest. Attending a top school like Georgetown University is not out of reach.
Once a student is accepted into Georgetown Reach, there is continued engagement with students and their parents or caregivers each year throughout the program. Customized programming is provided that addresses where students are in their academic career and what both students and families should be focused on at that particular time. Enrolling in Georgetown Reach ensures students have the resources needed beginning in 8th grade through the college application process.
Grade Year Focuses
8th Grade
Building College Awareness
- Welcome event on campus to introduce students and families to Georgetown
- Parent and caregiver seminars: high school planning, meet Georgetown alumni
- Student seminars: typical day for a Georgetown student, Reach community building
- Georgetown sporting event on campus
- Nearby college campus tour
9th Grade
Strong Start to High School
- Summer writing class (before the start of 9th grade)
- Summer writing class wrap-up on campus
- Mentor matching between Reach students and current Georgetown undergraduates
- Parent and caregiver seminars: financial aid, testing timelines
- Georgetown sporting event on campus
- Nearby college campus tour
- One-on-one college consulting meetings to ensure students are on track (end of 9th grade)
10th Grade
Gearing up for College
- Summer reading (before the start of 10th grade)
- Summer reading book discussion on campus
- Continuation of mentoring
- Parent and caregiver seminars: college admissions, college resume development
- Georgetown sporting event on campus
- Nearby college campus tour
11th Grade
Readying College Applications
- Summer reading (before the start of 11th grade)
- End of summer on-campus event for book discussion and campus tour
- Continuation of mentoring
- Parent and caregiver seminars: college application process, The Common App
- Georgetown sporting event on campus
- Nearby college campus tour
- One-on-one college consulting meetings to prepare for applications (end of 11th grade)
12th Grade
Applying to College
- Support for completing applications as needed (complete by early October)
- Celebrating college acceptances
Who is eligible for the Georgetown Reach Program?
We invite high-performing rising 8th-grade students to apply who might otherwise be overlooked or miss opportunities during their high school careers due to lack of knowledge about college planning, socioeconomic status, or other societal barriers to their long-term success. The ultimate goal is to have more minority students prepared to attend universities of Georgetown’s caliber.
Why would I consider the Georgetown Reach Program?
Georgetown Reach introduces rising 8th-grade students and their families to the college selection process and college life early enough in their academic lives to positively influence choices students make in high school. Through a combination of skills workshops, informational seminars, mentorship, and on-campus experiences, Georgetown Reach participants will be both prepared and qualified to be accepted to — and succeed at — the nation’s top-tier universities. Our goal is to ensure that members of our broader community are prepared to attend the college of their choosing when the time arrives.
Have another question for the Reach team?
Reach Program in the News
Georgetown Reach Guides Rising Eighth Graders Through the College Application Process
January 19th, 2021
Ninety-three percent of middle school students report their goal is to attend college. However, only 44% enroll in college, and only 26% graduate wit…
How Can Business Schools Tackle Racial Inequality?
September 27th, 2020
At Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, there are only three black professors. The proportion of black MiM students is five percent, but this year the school launched Georgetown Reach, a free program to raise awareness of business schools among ethnic minority teenagers.
Reach Team
George Comer
Co-director of the Reach Program, George Comer has been on the finance faculty of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business since 2001. His research focuses on the performance and behavior of institutional money managers. He also serves as Director of Underrepresented Minority (URM) Student Academic Support at the McDonough School of Business.
Why did you start Reach?
Often URM students and their families have a lot of questions about the college planning process. The goal is to provide them with information and resources so they can effectively navigate the college admissions process and make the best college choice for themselves.
Bonnie Montano
Co-Director of the Reach Program, Bonnie Montano has been on the operations faculty of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business since 2001. She teaches and has conducted research in the areas of decision sciences, data and information management, and computational modeling, and she has served as a principal (or co-principal) investigator on several federally funded research grants.
Why did you start Reach?
I am genuinely interested in supporting the increase of diversity on campus. I help with undergraduate admissions and noticed there simply are not enough diverse applicants. Georgetown Reach will ensure that the many talented URM students in our community are aware of the steps they can take in high school to be prepared to apply to schools like Georgetown.