MGA Partners With OneGoal To Support Path To College For Atlanta Area High School Students

Author: News Bureau
Posted: Thursday, October 10, 2024 12:00 AM
Category: Pressroom

Macon, GA

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Middle Georgia State University (MGA) and OneGoal have partnered to provide more metro-Atlanta high school students with high-quality postsecondary pathways and help them succeed after they enroll.

“OneGoal has demonstrated success with increasing student access to postsecondary institutions,” said Dr. Stephen Schultheis, MGA’s vice president for Enrollment Management. “We are excited and honored to be partnering with OneGoal as we work together to increase the number of students enrolled and achieving success at our University.”

"At OneGoal, we believe that every student deserves the support and resources needed to achieve their greatest postsecondary aspirations,” said Taylor Ramsey, OneGoal executive director. “Partnering with Middle Georgia State University represents a significant step toward ensuring that more students in Georgia have the opportunity not only to access higher education but to thrive once they get there. We are excited to work alongside MGA to break down barriers and create lasting pathways to success for our students."

OneGoal collaborates with school districts nationwide to ensure that postsecondary planning, preparation, and support are not treated as extracurricular activities, but as integral components of the high school experience for all students.

In Georgia, OneGoal serves 16 high schools in the Atlanta metropolitan area, representing 1,400 high school students seeking to gain access to postsecondary institutions. OneGoal works with these high school students through a specific class they take in their junior and senior years, and by providing extensive counseling and support services. Through the program, students can gain a thorough understanding of what to expect when attending a university.

For its part, MGA will work with OneGoal on increasing awareness of the institution and by dedicating resources to support students that enroll through the program. MGA will provide these students with additional support, which will complement the advising and academic support that all students receive. MGA and OneGoal’s objectives for this partnership are:  

  • Increase the number of students who apply to MGA and earn degrees.
  • Increase the number of accepted students who successfully enroll at MGA by eliminating logistical and financial barriers to entry over the senior year of high school and the summer months.
  • Ensure student success throughout the college years, so students are supported and stay on track to graduate.
  • Create a community of support and resources that are easily accessible to all OneGoal students who enroll at MGA from low-income families, who are also often first-generation college students.

The partnership will serve students at the following high schools:

  • Benjamin Banneker High School, Atlanta
  • Benjamin E. Mays High School, Atlanta
  • Booker T. Washington High, Atlanta
  • Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High, Atlanta
  • Decatur High School, Decatur
  • Frederick Douglass High School, Atlanta
  • Global Impact Academy, Fairburn
  • Hapeville Charter Career Academy, Atlanta
  • Lithonia High School, Lithonia
  • Maynard H. Jackson High School, Atlanta
  • McDonough High School, McDonough
  • North Atlanta High School, Atlanta
  • South Atlanta High School, Atlanta
  • Stockbridge High School, Stockbridge
  • The B.E.S.T. (Best Engineering, Science, and Technology) Academy, Atlanta
  • Westlake High School, Atlanta

“We are the second institution in the state to partner with OneGoal,” Schultheis said. “This is an excellent example of a non-profit and higher education partnership seeking to promote access and success. It is a unique way of working together.”

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About OneGoal

OneGoal transforms postsecondary advising and support so that every student can define their own future. Striving to build a movement to close the opportunity gap, OneGoal works side by side with partner schools and districts to build their knowledge and capacity. The result is more equitable and effective support for all students. OneGoal’s unique approach, honed over 15 years, prioritizes strong human relationships—and it has proven to deliver real student impact. Of OneGoal high school graduates, 80% enroll in a postsecondary institution, and 72% of those who enroll persist one year after high school. An independent study by the University of Chicago found that OneGoal students are about 40% more likely to earn postsecondary degrees than students from similar backgrounds.