College & Career Success
The Double Discovery Center recognizes that a young person’s readiness for college and career success reflects the extent to which they possess the contextual skills and awareness to gain access to a “best fit” postsecondary institution; and to effectively leverage the necessary resources to support their successful navigation and progress through college to degree attainment. Minimally, this requires that students are able to research different institutions of higher education to critically assess “best fit”; apply to college and for financial aid; develop appropriate relationships with peers and professors; and be resourceful learners and self-advocates with a strong sense of self-efficacy. According to Conley, many students fail to apply to college because the process is unfamiliar and daunting for them and their families such that they feel intimidated and overwhelmed.
With this in mind, DDC’s college & career success programming is designed to address four core questions:
- How does the course/activity contribute to students’ acquisition of the knowledge and skills necessary for “best fit” college access and persistence to degree attainment?
- How does the course/activity contribute to students’ acquisition of the awareness and skills necessary for career exploration and development?
- How does this course/activity develop the social-emotional capacity and traits of students through developmentally appropriate strategies?
- How does this course/activity use instructional pacing that allows students to achieve and demonstrate proficiency in a defined set of college-ready benchmarks?
Our Objectives
College Access & Persistence
Empower students with skills, knowledge, and awareness to effectively navigate the college admissions process. Offer high-quality, individualized college counseling to maximize college admissions process outcomes. Develop their ability to manage the environmental and social dynamics that they will encounter when transitioning into new educational settings.
Career Explorations & Development
Engage students in a diverse set of experiences wherein they explore a range of careers as well as acquire the skills, knowledge, and awareness to conceptualize a professional track for themselves and create plans to support that career pathway. Assist students in making connections between their post-secondary plans and post-undergraduate career goals.