Penn and Heights Philadelphia recently launched a new in-person college admissions course aimed at Philadelphia high school students. The course, titled the College App Classroom, will be available to students across the School District of Philadelphia starting this fall. This free, modular program consists of 28 lessons divided into five units, providing students with practical skills and knowledge necessary for handling the college admissions process. These topics include writing strong personal essays, understanding financial aid, finding the right college fit, and completing application requirements.

The College App Classroom is packaged as a digital toolkit that includes detailed lesson plans, slides, worksheets, a facilitator guide, and three representative case studies that students follow throughout the curriculum. This toolkit aims to simplify the process for schools by providing all necessary materials to implement the course effectively.

Building on the success of previous pilots, the College App Classroom was tested at seven School District of Philadelphia schools and through the Penn Rising Scholar Success Academy (Penn RSSA). Over two years, nearly 1,000 students benefited from these pilot programs. Collaborating with school administrators, Heights staff led the curriculum sequence in partner schools, while the Penn RSSA pilot offered additional lessons during a summer program. These pilots showcased the program’s flexibility and effectiveness in supporting students throughout the academic year and beyond.

Sean Vereen, President of Heights Philadelphia, emphasized the importance of the College App Classroom in creating greater access to pathways to economic mobility for Philadelphia youth. He stated, “The College App Classroom course is designed to guide students and families through the challenging and often too complicated college application process. This effort is fundamental to our goal of putting these resources and tools in the hands of students, schools, and our community so that young people have what they need to reach new heights.”

Whitney Soule, Vice Provost and Dean of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania, highlighted the collaborative effort behind the College App Classroom. She explained, “When Penn sat down to update our Applying to College 101 course two years ago, we found an opportunity to build something entirely new with Heights that has the potential to really move the needle on college access in Philadelphia and beyond. We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students and facilitators who tell us that the course helps them better understand, manage, and handle what has become an increasingly complex and stressful process of applying to college. We hope to continue expanding access to this resource and to connect with any schools interested in learning more about the College App Classroom.”

The College App Classroom builds on the success of Applying to College 101, Penn Admissions and Heights’ free online course that has reached nearly 10,000 students worldwide since 2023. By combining Penn’s admissions expertise with Heights’ deep knowledge of college and career pathways, the program offers accessible, practical guidance for first-generation and low-income students while providing valuable support for students and families of all backgrounds.

For more information on the College App Classroom and to learn how to bring the course to your school, visit the official portal directly: official portal.

News is prepared from public university announcements for general guidance. Policies change frequently; confirm current details with each university admissions office.