Field trips touted as adding to college success rate
Community Charter School of Cambridge officials point to its annual “Out To College” field trips as part of its success placing graduates in college. Since 2009, every graduate has gained admission to college, with 85 percent going to four-year schools, officials said.
The latest field trip was April 13, with ninth-, 10th– and 11th-graders heading off to colleges throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island or Connecticut to see campuses, meet college students and hear from recruiters.
“In today’s high-tech world, students can access a plethora of information about colleges via the Internet. They can also attend college fairs, meet with admissions representatives and read brochures. But nothing compares to setting foot on a college campus and envisioning themselves as college students,” said Nadira Hairston, the school’s director of guidance.
Students are split by grade level into six groups, given teacher chaperones and travel throughout Southern New England.
One group went to College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. Another visited Wheaton College. Groups also saw Brandeis University, Bentley University, The University of Connecticut, Wesleyan University, Trinity College, Quinnipiac University, Providence College and Bryant University.
“The goal of this trip is not to promote any particular college as a choice for students,” Hairston said. “The purpose is to expose our students to the college experience.”
“Not only will the trip make college more tangible; it will also allow students to develop a frame of reference to help them choose a college that matches their needs and preferences in the near future,” she said.
The independent, tuition-free, public charter school, based in Kendall Square, accepts students from Cambridge, Boston and surrounding towns into its college preparatory middle and high school programs.
“We don’t measure student success by MCAS scores,” Head of School Paula Evans said. “We measure our success by how well CCSC students succeed at the college level.”
For information on the school, call (617) 354-0047 or go to ccscambridge.org.
Justin T. Martin is chief communications officer for the Community Charter School of Cambridge. He can be reached at [email protected]
