The case for "completion-conscious" college advising

One of my wishes in the new year is that more adults who are offering college application advice to students begin to practice “completion-conscious college advising.”

At TeenSHARP , with this term, we mean the type of college advising that increases the likelihood that students will actually graduate from college within four years.

Research tells us that “only 40% of Black students graduate from four-year universities and colleges within even six years, compared with 64% of white students” and that “45% and 31% of Latino students are no longer enrolled at two-year and four-year institutions” after three years. These persistence and completion rates perpetuate the “debt but no degree” problem and, ultimately, the widening wealth gap.

However, in far too many schools and nonprofit organizations, students continue to receive well-intentioned advice that leads them to similar negative results. For example, recently, one of our TeenSHARP seniors wrote, “I know Lynn University is not part of TeenSHARP’s colleges, but my counselor said to apply.”

Our team quickly showed this student Lynn University’s statistics on the College Scorecard. The scorecard showed that the average low-income student (with a family earning $0-$30,000 per year) pays $32,389 to attend Lynn University, and the graduation for Pell-eligible students is 55 percent. Advising this student to apply to this college is neither cost nor completion-conscious!

We take a long-term view at TeenSHARP, knowing we are committed to our students for over a decade, from high school through college and beyond.

Their success hinges on matching not just to a college but to the right college.

In 2025, let's give students the gift of the best-in-class college advice— the type we would want for our children or closest family members.

And while you're here...

Here's some good news we're celebrating at TeenSHARP:

TeenSHARP seniors Ifunanya and Onyinyechi recently got accepted Early Decision to Barnard College with full rides

TeenSHARP seniors Ifunanya and Onyinyechi recently got accepted Early Decision to Barnard College with full rides—each receiving $94,782 per year with no loans! And as remarkable as this story is, it's consistent with the "twinning at TeenSHARP" track record. We've had several sets of twins over the last fifteen years at TeenSHARP with similar results. Brandon and Jordan Navarro (Carleton College '22), Mayvis Bayarmaa (Middlebury College '27) and Angela Bayarmaa (Barnard College '27), Kelly and Joana Perez (Cornell University '25), Deborah Olatunji (UPenn ‘24) and Dorcas ?. (Northeastern ‘24), and Bonnie (Gettysburg '25) and Terry Coley (Drexel Univ '25 - Liberty Scholarship!) have all left their mark at TeenSHARP.

Arely Reyes was accepted Early Decision to Amherst College

Arely Reyes was accepted Early Decision to Amherst College with $88,770 in grants and no loans! Arely is the daughter of first generation Mexican-Americans and is the president of the newly created Latino Student Union at her high school— Conrad Schools of Science— in Delaware.

Nia Naylor recently as Staff Assistant in newly-elected US Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester’s office

TeenSHARP alumna Nia N. (Howard University ‘24) recently started work as a Staff Assistant in newly-elected US Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester’s office. On LinkedIn, Nia noted the historic nature of the opportunity given that Senator Blunt Rochester “was sworn in as the first Black woman to serve as a U.S Senator for Delaware – and only the fourth Black woman ever in this position.” Nia Naylor was elected as president of student government while a student at Howard University. We are excited about the impact she will make in this new role.

Robert Young graduated from Cornell University and Deborah Olatunji graduated from UPenn

Robert Young recently graduated from Cornell University and Deborah Olatunji recently posted on LinkedIn about graduating from UPenn debt-free! Robert’s sister Alexis Young (Emory University ‘22) and Deborah’s sisters Dorcas (Northeastern ‘24) and Miracle Olatunji (Northeastern ‘22) are also TeenSHARP alumni.