4.23.2007 - 09:00am ET

(CSRwire) NEW YORK, April 23, 2007 – Higher education is one of the most effective ways to break the cycle of poverty, according to College Summit, a nonprofit organization dedicated to seeing that all college-ready students, regardless of socio-economic background, go to college. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. workers with a bachelor's degree earn nearly $1 million more over their lifetime than those with a high school diploma. Unfortunately, each year, nearly 200,000 college-capable high school graduates from low-income families do not enroll.

Deloitte & Touche USA LLP has teamed with College Summit to address many of the factors that contribute to this complex social problem and increase the rate at which college-capable high school students from low-income families apply to and enroll in college. Deloitte's commitment includes pro-bono services and a philanthropic donation valued at $2 million.

"Low-income high school students who earn A's on achievement tests enroll in college at the same rate as high-income students who receive D's, which tells us that college access goes beyond academic preparation," said J.B. Schramm, Founder & CEO of College Summit. "Our goal is to redefine how high schools measure success. We're working with Deloitte to change the perception that high school graduation is a destination; it should be seen as a launch pad for a brighter future."

Business leaders agree. "Competition for talent and the need for diversity in the workplace are intense. By both encouraging qualified students to pursue a higher education and holding our high schools accountable for the future instead of the past, Deloitte and College Summit are working to build a more-robust pipeline of future talent," added Barry Salzberg, Managing Partner of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP and a new board member of College Summit. "This long-term relationship also aligns with Deloitte's broader community involvement strategy. It enables our people to contribute their talent and experience to make a deep, sustainable impact on our local communities."

Over the past decade, College Summit has worked in partnership with public high schools and school districts to build their capacity to increase college enrollment. College Summit trains influential students in peer leadership and completion of the college application process. After receiving professional development training, teachers and counselors use a college planning curriculum and technology tools to guide an entire senior class in creating post-secondary plans and applying to college. Data and accountability tools from College Summit allow school leaders to manage student outcomes.

Collectively, College Summit partner schools have realized a 15 percent increase school-wide in applications sent to colleges from one year to the next. To date, College Summit has served more than 15,000 high school students across 10 states, and trained more than 700 teachers and counselors in college planning.

"I wouldn't be where I am right now if it weren't for College Summit," said College Summit alumnus Bock Parkinson. "I knew I wanted to go to college, but I didn't really know what steps to take. No one in my family had graduated from college.” Parkinson now has a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado and is pursuing a Masters degree in School Counseling at the University of Phoenix.

In addition to its philanthropic commitment, Deloitte is also helping College Summit establish college enrollment as a standard performance benchmark for all high schools. For that to happen, education administrators need comprehensive, accurate and uniform information on their enrollment rates, which currently does not exist.

Deloitte's pro bono commitment to College Summit involves a team of consultants who are building a scalable database capable of accurately measuring and reporting district-wide college enrollment rates. Completion of this database tool is scheduled for the fall of 2007. In addition, Deloitte partners and employees will be volunteering as board members, strategic advisers and as writing coaches at College Summit sites across the country.

Later in the year, College Summit and Deloitte will launch the Deloitte Awards for College Enrollment Achievement and Innovation, which will recognize schools in each College Summit community for innovation and measurable improvement in college enrollment rates.

About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Swiss Verein, its member firms and their respective subsidiaries and affiliates. As a Swiss Verein (association), neither Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu nor any of its member firms has any liability for each other's acts or omissions. Each of the member firms is a separate and independent legal entity operating under the names "Deloitte", "Deloitte & Touche", "Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu" or other related names. Services are provided by the member firms or their subsidiaries or affiliates and not by the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Verein.

Deloitte & Touche USA LLP is the U.S. member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Its subsidiaries provide audit, tax, consulting and financial advisory services through more than 34,000 people in the US.

About College Summit
Since 1993, College Summit has been helping public high schools across the country increase the college enrollment rate of low-income students. For the last four years, the organization has been recognized annually by Fast Company magazine and Monitor Group as a leading social entrepreneur "changing the world." College Summit has served over 15,000 students to date and 6,500 students across 10 states this school year alone. College Summit has pioneered a solution that partners school districts, their high school students, educators, colleges and investors together to build the capacity of high schools to increase college enrollment rates school wide. For additional information, visit www.collegesummit.org.

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