For the first time since the pandemic, Advise TX advisers from both DeSoto (Tatyanna Byrd) and Lancaster (Quanae Miller) High Schools have successfully gotten 100% of their seniors to complete the Dallas County Promise Path submission. Successful completion of the Dallas County Promise includes completing the Promise pledge form, submitting an admission and financial aid application to either a Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) campus or a partner university by the partner university’s deadline, be admitted, and meet the family income requirement (if applicable) to meet eligibility for this last-dollar tuition scholarship.
Upon successful completion of the program, qualified students are eligible to attend a Dallas County Community College or one of the partner institutions which include the Dallas College (all seven campuses), University of North Texas at Dallas, Midwestern State University, Texas A&M University- Commerce, Texas A&M University- Texarkana, Southern Methodist University, University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University, and the University of Texas at Arlington to complete their bachelor’s degree. The goal of the Dallas County Promise Program is to become the first American city to solve the talent gap by producing equity in college completion.
After months of hard work in getting seniors to complete the Promise Path submission, Advise TX advisers Tatyanna Byrd of DeSoto and Quanae Miller of Lancaster have worked to enable their high schools to join the elite group of 25 high schools in achieving 100%. These 25 high schools were the only ones out of a total of 69 participating high schools from across 11 school districts in Dallas County in achieving this monumental goal.
AdviseTX is part of the national College Advising Corps, an ever-growing consortium of more than 31 partner institutions (including The University of Texas at Austin) around the country who have committed to recruit and train talented, enthusiastic recent college graduates to serve as college advisers within designated high schools in 15 states.
Through this nationwide consortium of colleges and universities, the program aims to increase the number of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students entering and completing higher education. By placing recent graduates of partner institutions as college advisers in underserved high schools and community colleges, the programs work in communities across the country to provide the advising and encouragement that students need to navigate college admissions.
Advisers work full-time to help students plan their college searches, complete admissions and financial aid applications, and enroll at schools that will serve them well.
The University of Texas at Austin manages 19 college advisers who serve in 22 high schools within 10 school districts in Central Texas, Houston, Dallas, El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley. These advisers serve in their high schools for a maximum of two years.
For more information, contact Cheryl Sawyer, AdviseTX Program Director at (512) 468-0661 or cheryls@austin.utexas.edu.