Seattle Colleges: Seattle Promise and the Path to UW Program

Author: 
Cedric B. Howard
January
2025
Member Spotlight

The Seattle Promise Initiative, a pioneering program launched by the City of Seattle, aims to ensure that all public high school graduates in Seattle have access to higher education without the financial burden of tuition. An innovative component of this initiative is the Path to UW program, a collaboration between the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning, Seattle Colleges, and University of Washington (UW). The program provides targeted support to Seattle Promise students as they transfer from community colleges to one of the most competitive universities in the nation.

Launched in winter 2022, the Path to UW program offers a variety of services designed to increase students’ academic readiness, facilitate the transfer process, and build a sense of community among Seattle Promise students. Through dedicated advising, workshops, and summer seminars led by UW faculty, the program supports students as they transition to UW. Despite its successes, challenges remain, particularly those related to financial support and equitable engagement across student demographics. This article examines the program’s impact and suggests ways to improve it for all students, particularly those from historically underserved backgrounds.

Program Overview and Structure

The Path to UW program is specifically designed to serve students who are enrolled in the Seattle Promise Initiative—a program that provides free tuition for Seattle Public Schools graduates attending one of the three Seattle Colleges. The program supports students from high school graduation through earning their associate degree by providing guidance on how to successfully apply to UW, prepare for university-level coursework, and transition into the academic community at the university.

Key components of the Path to UW program include:

  • Dedicated advising: Path to UW advisors work closely with students to provide personalized guidance, helping them meet both academic and transfer requirements. The advisors meet students where they are—at their community college campus—to provide direct, individualized support.
  • Workshops and seminars: Workshops help students with specific tasks, such as writing transfer application statements, understanding the financial aid process, and adjusting to the demands of a four-year university.
  • Summer bridge seminars: These credit-bearing seminars help students prepare for UW’s rigorous academic environment, allowing them to experience what it is like to take university-level courses while earning credits that count toward their degrees. Informed by feedback from UW faculty, the seminars are writing- and research-intensive and focus on current, relevant topics.

2022-2023 Advising and Engagement

During the 2022-2023 academic year, the Path to UW program engaged 270 students, about 19 percent of the 1,400 Seattle Promise scholars enrolled at Seattle Colleges. This level of engagement speaks to the program’s effectiveness in reaching students who are ready for the next steps in their educational journey. However, it also underscores the need for expanded engagement efforts to ensure that all eligible students are taking full advantage of the resources available to them.

Engagement metrics for the 2022-2023 academic year include:

  • Over 500 emails were exchanged with 173 students, highlighting frequent communication between advisors and students.
  • More than 300 advising appointments were facilitated with 157 students, illustrating strong demand for personalized academic support.
  • Sixty-five drop-in advising sessions were held with 41 students, showing that some students also sought more informal guidance.
  • Seventy students attended at least one workshop, which was designed to help students prepare for the transfer process and provide valuable information on succeeding at UW.
  • Twenty-seven students participated in the Year 1 Summer Seminar and 10 students participated in the Year 2 Summer Seminar, both of which are integral to ensuring students’ academic preparedness and smooth transition to UW.

These statistics reflect the engagement of students in essential activities that build their academic and social capital, but also suggest that there may be gaps in participation among certain groups.

Path to UW Impact on Fall 2023 Admissions

One of the most important outcomes of the Path to UW program has been its impact on transfer admissions to UW. The fall 2023 admissions cycle revealed impressive results, further cementing the program as a successful model for facilitating equitable transfer pathways.

In total, 105 Seattle Promise students applied to UW for fall 2023, an increase from 84 applicants the previous year, reflecting growing awareness and interest in the Path to UW program. The program’s admission rate was also significantly higher than the general Seattle Promise population: Eighty-two percent of Path to UW applicants were admitted to UW compared to 59 percent of Seattle Promise students who did not engage with the program and 69 percent of all Washington community college students.

The program’s impact on fall enrollment was equally impressive. Of the 72 students who were admitted to UW, 60 students (82 percent) enrolled at the university for fall 2023, in stark contrast to the enrollment rate of less than 50 percent among non-participating students. This success is attributable to the comprehensive support provided by the program, including advising, workshops, and the summer seminars that equip students to thrive at UW. The Year 2 Summer Seminar proved especially effective, with all 10 students who participated in the seminar enrolling at UW in fall 2023.

Equitable Engagement Performance Across Student Groups

While Path to UW has shown strong overall engagement and success, it is critical to evaluate how students from diverse backgrounds are impacted by it. The program has demonstrated high and equitable engagement among students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); low-income; and first-generation. These student groups historically face barriers in accessing and succeeding in higher education, and their participation and success in the Path to UW program are key measures of its effectiveness in fostering equity.

Engagement data for fall 2023 show that the program performed well across diverse student populations, but disparities remain:

  • Low-income students faced a 2-point gap in their application rates compared to their peers, and this gap continued into fall enrollment, where a 4-point gap was observed. This suggests that financial barriers remain an obstacle to enrollment, despite university acceptance.
  • Among BIPOC students, there was a 2-point gap in fall enrollment compared to non-BIPOC students, reflecting a broader national trend in which students from historically marginalized communities often face additional challenges in transitioning from community colleges to four-year institutions.
  • The most significant gap appeared among first-generation students, where a 5-point gap in fall enrollment was observed. First-generation students often experience unique challenges, including a lack of familial support in navigating the transfer process, greater financial instability, and additional cultural barriers that make their transition to university more difficult.

These findings highlight the need to implement targeted interventions to ensure that our colleges’ diverse students receive the support necessary to close these gaps and successfully transition to UW.

Addressing Disparities: The Role of Financial Aid and Scholarships

The disparities observed in the application, admission, and enrollment rates for low-income, BIPOC, and first-generation students suggest that financial barriers continue to impede access to higher education, even with support from the Seattle Promise program. Although Seattle Promise covers tuition for eligible students, additional financial challenges—such as fees, textbooks, and living expenses—remain significant obstacles for many students, particularly those from low-income households.

To address these disparities and ensure that all students can succeed in their transition to UW, it is crucial to bolster financial aid and scholarship offerings within the Path to UW program. Recommendations for improving financial support include:

  • Expanding need-based scholarships to ensure that low-income students have the resources necessary to cover the full cost of attending UW. This may include grants to cover textbooks, housing, and transportation costs, which often pose significant challenges for students already burdened by financial strain.
  • Providing merit-based scholarships to incentivize students to remain engaged with their academic goals and alleviate some of the financial pressures they face.
  • Creating emergency grant funds for students who encounter unexpected financial difficulties during their transfer process, which could be critical in preventing them from having to drop out or delay transfer.
  • Expanding work-study opportunities that allow students to gain meaningful employment while earning funds to support their education. This can also help students build important professional skills that will benefit them after graduation.

Additionally, stronger partnerships with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and alumni can help create new funding opportunities for students. These initiatives can provide the additional financial resources necessary to bridge the gap between tuition coverage and the full cost of attendance.

Looking Forward: Expanding Access and Reducing Gaps

The Path to UW program has shown tremendous promise in fostering equitable access to higher education for Seattle Promise students. However, there are still significant gaps that need to be addressed. As the program continues to grow, its success will depend not only on expanding student participation but also ensuring that all students—regardless of their background—have access to the resources they need to thrive. By strengthening advising services, expanding financial aid, and fostering deeper community partnerships, the Path to UW program can continue to serve as a model for how cities, community colleges, and universities can work together to provide equitable educational opportunities for all students.

Dr. Cedric B. Howard is Associate Vice Chancellor, Strategic Enrollment Management, at Seattle Colleges in Seattle, Washington.

Opinions expressed in Member Spotlight are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the League for Innovation in the Community College.