AT NO COST TO YOU, GET FUNDING FOR Pass With Flying Colors WHEN YOU:
Buy a Home / Sell a Home / Lease Commercial Property

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Prepare the Next Generation for Success With Your Next Real Estate Transaction

Pass With Flying Colors (PWFC) helps increase college graduation rates for low-income, first-generation young adults in Chicago’s low-opportunity communities. As a member of Investing In Communities®, PWFC can receive support at no cost to you, through nearly any brokered real estate transaction, including home purchases and sales and leases for office, retail, industrial, and medical space. Be the first to use IIC’s free web platform to support PWFC. With your help, PWFC can help more first-generation college students, preparing them for college and a successful graduation. 

Since 2010, PWFC has developed programs that help promote college attendance and graduation. Instead of leading students through high school graduation to college acceptance, PWFC operates an 8 year approach to college success. The staff, volunteers and board of directors work together, providing students who would ordinarily be less likely to attend college a pathway to success. 

Since 2016, Executive Director Jessica Paulsen has targeted issues that are central to college acceptance and graduation for first-generation students. With the College Ready and College Success programs, as well as with a dedication to make college dreams come true, Jessica Paulsen and the incredible PWFC staff help provide promising young adults a chance at the educational and civic future they deserve. 

College Dreams Made Possible

For many young adults who hope to be the first in their family to graduate college, it’s rarely ever a lack of effort or dedication that keeps them from achieving their college dreams. The various neighborhoods in Chicago that PWFC serves are some of the most low-income and low-opportunity areas of the country. Without the financial resources needed to help propel high school students to the next level, many young men and women, through no fault of their own, see their future hopes and dreams fade. Attending and graduating from college become more attainable when PWFC gets involved, and two major programs make that possible. 

College Ready Program

The College Ready program works with students from 9th to 11th grade to prepare them for college. A number of the resources that these students rarely receive, but require for success, are provided by PWFC, including: 

• Weekly one-on-one meetings with staff;
• College visits to area campuses; and 
• Various trips to cultural centers and community service opportunities that help build a connection between students and their community.

College Success Program

Once finished with the College Ready program, 12th grade students begin the College Success program. At this stage, PWFC connects students with their best-match college or university. The students are also coached on what to expect in their first year of college and benefit from: 

• Financial aid counseling;
• Career-readiness workshops; and
• Assistance securing summer employment and internships.

Your Purchase, Sale, or Lease Can Help Underserved Students Attain College Degrees

At no cost, anyone interested in helping underserved, first-generation college students succeed and graduate can do so through virtually any brokered real estate transaction. For example, a $300,000 home purchase or sale  can generate $1,300 of unrestricted support for Help Pass With Flying Colors to continue its efforts in Chicago’s most underserved neighborhoods. Use IIC’s free platform to find agents that specialize in the type, price range, and even the neighborhood where you want to buy or sell. Or use IIC to make arrangements with an agent you already have in mind. Get started today!