2025-2026
IMPACT REPORT OUR CHALLENGE Many students have the ability, ambition, and determination to succeed. Too often, their hard work isn't matched with the relationships, experiences, and resources that make their potential actual. College access is only the beginning. Longterm success also requires more than academic achievement. Students need social capital, meaningful real-world experiences, and trusted relationships that transform hard work with opportunity.
OUR MISSION Carolina Youth Coalition nurtures and propels high-achieving, under-resourced students to and through college.
OUR SOLUTION Future Fellows ignites academic confidence, career curiosity, and a successful transition into high school. Torch Fellows prepares Fellows to identify, gain admission to, and pay for their best-fit college pathway. College Fellows propels Fellows through college completion and into fulfilling careers.
OUR FELLOWS
406
TORCH FELLOWS 19% INCREASE FROM 24-25
80% FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS* $39,651 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME 92% PELL GRANT-ELIGIBLE* 59 HIGH SCHOOLS REPRESENTED
222
COLLEGE FELLOWS 6% INCREASE FROM 24-25
54% ATTENDED UNC SYSTEM SCHOOLS
*BASED ON 104 SENIORS IN THE CLASS OF 2026 **COMPARISON DATA BASED ON NON-FIRST GEN TESTERS
TORCH FELLOWS
5 PT
AVERAGE SENIOR ACT GROWTH 23 - AVERAGE SENIOR ACT (US AVG - 19 | NC AVG - 18) **
51%
MET 3+ ACT BENCHMARKS 26% MET ALL BENCHMARKS (US AVG - 31% | NC AVG - 25%) **
100%
COLLEGE MATRICULATION 4-YEAR (94%) | 2-YEAR (6%)
$39.7M
SCHOLARSHIPS & AID EARNED $14M SCHOLARSHIPS & AID REDEEMED
64%
OF SENIORS ATTENDING COLLEGE DEBT-FREE 73% OF BORROWERS BELOW NC AVERAGE
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IN FALL 2026, CYC FELLOWS WILL BE ATTENDING OR WILL HAVE GRADUATED FROM 72 INSTITUTIONS IN 24 STATES: APPALACHIAN STATE ^ BANGKOK UNIVERSITY BEREA COLLEGE ^ BOSTON COLLEGE BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY BROWN UNIVERSITY ^ CATAWBA COLLEGE CENTRAL PIEDMONT CC ^ COLGATE UNIVERSITY COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ^ DARTMOUTH COLLEGE DAVIDSON COLLEGE ^ DREXEL UNIVERSITY ^ DUKE UNIVERSITY EAST CAROLINA UNIV. EASTERN CONNECTICUT ST. ^ ELON UNIVERSITY EMORY UNIVERSITY FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIV. FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY FURMAN UNIVERSITY ^ GASTON COLLEGE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY ^ GEORGIA TECH ^ GRINNELL COLLEGE ^
GUILFORD COLLEGE^ HAMPTON UNIVERSITY HOWARD UNIVERSITY ^ JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIV. LIBERTY UNIVERSITY^ LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE MEREDITH COLLEGE MOREHOUSE COLLLEGE NEW YORK UNIVERSITY NC STATE UNIVERSITY ^ NORTH CAROLINA A&T ^ NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL QUEENS UNIVERSITY ^ RHODES COLLEGE ^ RICE UNIVERSITY ^ RICHMOND UNIVERSITY ROANOKE COLLEGE ^ ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ^ SPELMAN COLLEGE STANFORD UNIVERSITY TRINITY WASHINGTON UNIV. UNC ASHEVILLE UNC CHAPEL HILL ^
UNC CHARLOTTE ^ UNC GREENSBORO ^ UNC PEMBROKE UNC WILMINGTON ^ UNIVERSITY OF MAINE PRESQUE ISLE^ UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI ^ UNIVERSITY OF NW OHIO UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ^ UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND^ UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA VIRGINIA TECH WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY ^ WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST.LOUIS WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY WHEATON COLLEGE WINGATE UNIVERSITY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY ^ WOFFORD COLLEGE ^ XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA YALE UNIVERSITY^ YORK TECHNICAL COLLEGE BOLD = CLASS OF 2026 ATTENDING ^COLLEGE GRADUATES SINCE 2018
COLLEGE FELLOWS
97%
FIRST-YEAR RETENTION RATE
99%
OF ALL COLLEGE FELLOWS HAVE COMPLETED A DEGREE OR WORKFORCE PROGRAM WITHIN 6YRS
96%
99%
OF UPPERCLASSMEN REMAINED ON TRACK TO GRADUATE
97%
2- AND 4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE 92 COLLEGE GRADUATES SINCE 2018
OF ALUMNI ARE EMPLOYED OR ENROLLED IN GRADUATE EDUCATION CYC has verified outcomes for 76% of its 95 alumni.
CYC’S FOUR COHORTS OF ALUMNI EARN AN AVERAGE OF $73,315/YR — 2X THEIR PARENTS' HOUSEHOLD INCOME. | WWW.CAROLINAYOUTH.ORG
DATA INSIGHTS C O M PA N I O N TO T H E 2 0 2 5 – 2 0 2 6 I M PACT R E P O RT
Introduction This document accompanies Carolina Youth Coalition’s 2025–2026 Impact Report. Its purpose is to provide transparency, accountability, and context around the metrics presented in this report. We aim to provide a deeper understanding of the metrics used in our Impact Report, help stakeholders better understand how data is collected, why it matters, and how it reflects CYC’s mission. We invite stakeholders to engage with this data to support and grow our impact.
Key Definitions & Why They Matter First-Generation College Student Definition: A student whose parents did not complete a four-year bachelor’s degree in the U.S. Importance: First-generation students often lack access to the college-going guidance that more resourced students enjoy. Median Household Income Measurement: Collected via 1040 tax documentation during the application process. Importance: This measure helps ensure CYC is serving a high-need population. Pell Grant Eligibility Definition: A form of federal financial aid for students from low-income families based on FAFSA data. Importance: Indicates financial need; Pell eligibility is a national benchmark for under-resourced students. ACT Scores and Growth Measurement: Fellows take a baseline ACT on entry; scores are tracked per attempt using official score reports. Comparison data: We compare ACT scores to those of non-first-generation peers to highlight disparities in access to test preparation and academic support. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of CYC’s interventions in closing the opportunity gap. Due to timing, comparative ACT scores from NC and the U.S. are from the Class of 2024. We use the ACT Data Dashboard, which is available on their official website. Importance: Strong ACT scores enhance access to college and financial aid opportunities. Scholarships & Grants Earned: Total aid offered from all colleges and scholarships applied to. Redeemed: Total aid accepted and projected to be used to cover the cost of attendance (COA) at the enrolled institution. Importance: Reduces financial barriers and contributes to a debt-free graduation. College Debt-Free Projections Calculation: Based on all aid redeemed toward the COA over 4 years, and where no loans will be needed. Importance: Reducing debt improves long-term economic mobility. College Retention Metrics Measurement: CYC collects retention data through the National Student Clearinghouse database. Importance: High persistence is a predictor of college completion and success. Return on Investment (ROI) Measurement: Alumni self-report annual income; compared with the family’s household income at initial CYC intake. Importance: Reflects long-term impact on economic mobility. CYC’s first alumni graduated from college in 2023.
Data Limitations & Ongoing Improvements Some data relies on self-reporting and a small population size, which may limit generalizability.
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