College Choice Foundation to expand to Birmingham schools

The 3-year-old College Choice Foundation has helped seven Homewood students find and afford their dream college and has three more on the way. 

In 2018, the foundation wants to open its services to students in Birmingham City Schools, too.

The College Choice Foundation was started by Homewood parents Josephine Lowery, Cassandra Joseph, Nancy Hale and Mark Bateman to help low-income students get accepted into and afford elite colleges. They work with students on ACT preparation, filling out applications, taking college tours and applying for scholarships, as well as covering some of the fees that pop up along the way.

Joseph said their college-age students have accepted more than $1.6 million in total scholarships so far, including universities such as Boston College and American University, and some are getting ready for study abroad and graduate school. 

Lowery said the ACT test scores for students working with the foundation increase by an average of four points. “Those stories certainly fuel us,” Lowery said.

This year, the foundation will spread its reach by accepting applicants from Birmingham City Schools who need help applying to colleges and finding scholarships to make higher education affordable. They will be working with several existing education and career-readiness groups established in Birmingham schools.

“We like a challenge, so we thought it would be really beneficial to not only the students and families of Birmingham, but also a way of making sure the College Choice Foundation becomes a sustainable type of foundation,” Joseph said.

Lowery said they plan to accept the same number of students each year because of the level of “intensity” the foundation puts toward one-on-one counseling, assistance and communication with parents and students during their junior and senior years, and even once they enter college.

Applications opened in February and will be open until May 1. Visit collegechoicefoundation.org for more information.