OUR PROGRAM
From College Dreams
to College Degrees
We walk with first-generation, low-income students from junior year of high school through college graduation to help them get to and through college.
100%
of our scholars go to college
High School Scholar:
College Access
College Scholar:
College Success
The path to a degree is full of obstacles. Our scholars don't walk it alone.
For our scholars, earning a college degree means clearing barrier after barrier: complicated admissions, confusing financial aid, unexpected bills, hard classes, and more. The barriers are real.
We're the first people our scholars call when barriers get in their way.
Six years. Two stages. One degree.
Here is what how our program progresses for our scholars from junior year of high school through college graduation.
High School Scholars: College Access
Junior Year
Scholars are nominated by their high school counselors and begin with Green Halo Scholars.
Senior Year
Weekly Tuesday night meetings, advising, applications, and financial aid. We help scholars get into a college that fits.
College Scholar: College Success
The College Years
Coaching and connections through all four years. We help scholars get through college graduation.
Graduation
A degree, a career, and a scholar who comes back to mentor the next one.
Getting into college is only part of the equation. Scholars also need to know what they can afford, where they fit, and who to call when something goes wrong. That's why our support doesn't stop at the acceptance letter.
High School Scholars
College Access: Helping Scholars Find Their Best Fit
Applying to college is overwhelming for any family. For a student who is the first in their family to do it, there is no one at the dinner table who has been through it. We fill that gap.
Through one-on-one advising, mentoring, workshops, and campus visits, scholars build a strong college list, finish their applications, understand their financial aid, and choose a school with confidence.
And we look past the acceptance letter. We help each scholar find a college that fits academically, socially, and financially, with a hard look at what they can actually afford.
What College Access includes:
Weekly Guidance
- Weekly Tuesday night scholar meetings during senior year, June through May
- Individualized college advising with our staff
- One-on-one mentoring from a volunteer
Getting in to College
- College search and fit guidance
Application support - Academic tutoring and test prep
- College visits and panel discussions with admissions officers
Financial Guidance
- FAFSA and financial aid assistance
100%
The result: 100% of our scholars go to college, and at least half start with their full cost of attendance covered.
Your gift funds the advising that gets scholars in the door.
ARE YOU A STUDENT? Ask your school counselor about Green Halo.
Hear from our Scholars and Mentors
"I have been accepted to St. Francis and Loyola so far and received scholarships from both. Green Halo has provided me with the tools and guidance I needed to navigate my college journey. It feels good to know there’s always someone ready to lend out a helping hand."
Lizeth | Green Halo Scholar
"At the beginning, college was intimidating, but my mentors at Green Halo guided me through everything. I applied to 19 colleges, most were acceptances. Now. I'm being helped with scholarships and am very grateful for my mentors and everyone on the Green Halo team who have made me feel confident in my college process."
Nubia | Green Halo Scholar
"With the help of the amazing team at Green Halo, I was able to receive a full scholarship at one of the most prestigious business schools in the country, where I am majoring in Supply Chain Management and Business Sustainability."
Alex | Green Halo Alum
College Scholars
College Success: Supporting Students Through Graduation
Getting to college is only the beginning.
A surprise bill. A failed midterm. A campus office no one explained. For many first-generation students, one of these is enough to end a college career.
Green Halo stays alongside our scholars all the way through, with the coaching and connections they need to stay enrolled, graduate, and step into a career.
What College Success includes:
Staying on track
- Monthly student success surveys, so we catch problems early
- One-on-one coaching
When money gets tight
- Textbook grants and emergency funding
Getting ready for what's next
- Career development programming and career coaching
- Internship and networking opportunities
A community to lean on
- Access to mental health and support resources
- Alumni and peer connections
96%
The result: 96% of our scholars stay in college. Then they graduate, start careers, and come back to mentor the scholars behind them.
Your gift is the emergency fund, the textbook, and the coach on the other end of the phone.
Help a scholar get to and through college
75% of first-generation, low-income students never finish college. With you, more students right here in DuPage County will.