What is GSP?
Graduate Support Program
CCC continues its relationship with students beyond eighth grade by guiding them through high school and their higher education journey. The Graduate Support Program (GSP) provides social-emotional, financial, and academic support to our high school and college-aged alumnae.
Overview
Middle School: We Coach
High school preparation is integrated throughout our middle school curriculum, and GSP encourages all middle school students and their families to view their high school choice as a building block for the future. In High School Prep class, the GSP team helps students build connections, learn independence, and engage in self-advocacy while they are coached to evaluate and choose their best-fit high school* based on academic, financial, and social factors.
Families are included as partners in this process through meaningful communication, resource-based workshops, and 1:1 meetings. Additionally, the GSP team engages in school visits to strengthen the collaboration between CCC and our high school partners.
*Definition of best-fit high school
GSP works in collaboration with families and students to determine what characteristics of a high school are most important for that student. Families make an informed decision about their student’s best-fit high school through dialogue, reflection, and a thorough review of her academic and social-emotional profile.
High School: We Champion
In high school, GSP seeks to strengthen our partnership with graduates and their families, and our advocacy is fully tailored to each student’s unique path. The GSP team visits students at their respective high schools, builds strong relationships with high school staff, identifies external resources, and provides over $170,000 in high school financial aid annually. In addition, the GSP team partners with high school guidance departments and serves as a supplemental resource for graduates throughout the college application process.
We believe connection and a sense of belonging are essential components to our graduates’ success in high school. Our after-school programming fosters a joyful community where graduates can reflect, learn, socialize and affirm one another. Graduates return to our building for weekly fellowship, study support, workshops, tutoring, and more and have opportunities to be leaders by designing workshops and sharing insights with their younger CMS sisters.
College and Beyond: We Stay Connected
The GSP team supports our high school graduates as they develop and achieve their long term educational goals, and they receive sustained comprehensive guidance through their college graduations. The GSP team advises college students with academic planning and accessing campus resources and student aid forms. In addition, every CMS alum in college receives an annual stipend to assist with incidentals, books, and travel home.
After college graduation, alumnae embark upon their chosen career paths and become leaders in CCC’s community as mentors, tutors, and role models to our current students and other graduates.