First Graduate
About
First Graduate provides comprehensive support helping students and their families navigate the complex educational pathways that lead to college and career success. Through providing dedicated coaching, workshops, events, and support to first-generation students to prepare them for college and career success, their vision is to increase economic equity, transforming lives in families where parents often hold multiple low-wage jobs. With their support, students are becoming engineers, financial managers, biomedical technologists, and more.
One of the most unique aspects of our program is that they prepare students for the workforce at developmentally appropriate levels from middle school through college and into their first career field positions. They receive one-on-one coaching, workshops, and special support to create resumes, cover letters, networking skills, and mentoring for career readiness. Students get help accessing resources, maintaining a high level of academic performance, and exploring potential career pathways through internships, jobs, and professional networks.
First Graduate has a 23-year history of success in helping low-income San Francisco students complete high school and earn the first college degrees in their families. Their focus on career readiness helps students transition into high-demand fields, addressing both personal and economic aspirations.
- 99% of First Graduate seniors graduate from high school, compared to the 79% average in San Francisco County
- 99% of their students enroll in college immediately after high school, more than double the national average of 46%
- 90% of First Graduate students complete the coursework required for eligibility at California’s four-year public colleges, compared to only 60% of SFUSD students
- 78% of First Graduate students who enroll in four-year colleges graduate within six years, vastly outperforming the 32% national average
- 68% of their students participate in the First Graduate program from seventh grade through college graduation, demonstrating students‚ and their families‚ strong, lasting commitment.