Grant Summary
$10,000 over five months for Up Next, a mobile text messaging system that helps students navigate their pathway to college with nudge reminders such as registering for the SAT/ACT, filing the FAFSA, and meeting college application deadlines. Up Next is a part of former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher campaign to inspire all students to complete their education beyond high school. In its pilot year (2016), Up Next texted nearly 100,000 students with an engagement rate two to three times higher than similar texting interventions. Reach Higher has launched a second campaign to expand its outreach and develop a pathway to sustainability, including newly developed memoranda of understanding with entities such as New York City Department of Education and Achievement First charter network.