National college enrollment has leveled off, as conversations continue about the value of college. That uncertainty also exists alongside real structural barriers that shape many students’ paths, including cost, access, and a lack of sustained support. Against that backdrop, Breakthrough’s 2025 postsecondary data tells a different story.
Since 2011, 80% of Breakthrough students have enrolled in postsecondary education. This year’s graduating class was the largest in Breakthrough’s history, with 1,625 students, and more than 4,000 Breakthrough alumni are currently enrolled in two- or four-year institutions across the country.
Breakthrough’s class of 2024 enrolled at rates 18 percentage points above low-income students nationally and 11 points above the national average. But perhaps most striking: Breakthrough students enrolled 6 percentage points above higher-income peers. A gap that has long defined educational opportunity is beginning to close – one that Breakthrough is helping narrow.
College persistence is holding for Breakthrough students, too. After an expected dip for the class of 2020, more recent cohorts have returned to pre-COVID patterns – a sign that Breakthrough’s support is working beyond students’ initial enrollment decision.
What’s driving this? Breakthrough’s model supports students through the transition points where others may fall through the cracks. With personalized counseling, tutoring, scholarship application support, and a community that stays connected well into college, Breakthrough students are set up for success and supported as they work towards it.
“When I look at this data, what stands out is what’s possible when students are supported consistently over time,” says Samantha Geary, College Access and Success Manager. “These outcomes reflect the strength of a model that stays with students through every transition. At a time when questions about the value of college are growing, that kind of support matters more than ever.”
Not every Breakthrough student will choose college. Our goal is that every student is prepared to pursue and succeed in college if they choose. And what we’re seeing is that preparation is working. With sustained support, students are expanding what’s possible for themselves in systems that have long underserved them.
These results show what’s possible not just for Breakthrough students, but for all students when given the rigor, community, and support they need and deserve. The takeaway is clear: this is work worth investing in.