College Success

All Students are College Material — And Every Student Chooses Their Own Path

We believe that every student can graduate ready for college — and we support each student in making the post-high school choices that are right for them. Challenging academic classes, including our core curriculum and electives, push students to investigate, participate and build new skills.

Our core curriculum builds the academic skills students need to succeed in college, careers, leadership, and life — through active, authentic, real-world learning. In Junior Seminar, ever student explores the college and career options that are right for them. In Senior Social Justice Capstone, every student writes college essays, take on college-level research, and finalize and defend a portfolio that shares how high school has prepared them for their future path.

College Classes in High School

Advanced Placement and Early College courses offered at Common Ground — including Language & Composition, U.S. Government, U.S History, Sustainability in America, Foundations of Acting, and Shakespeare Workshop — offer additional challenge and opportunities to earn college credit. As early as sophomore year, students can also enroll in classes at Southern Connecticut State University, Yale University, Gateway Community College, and Albertus Magnus free of charge. More than 2 in 3 Common Ground seniors, and more than half of juniors, take on college credit-bearing work while still in high school.

Guidance Groups

All students work with an advisor from 9th grade through graduation on a college and career planning curriculum. In Senior guidance, in particular, students work intensively with Common Ground staff to ensure all applications and supporting documents are in on time.

College Experiences

Common Ground creates a college going culture through visits to colleges, college admissions officer visits to Common Ground and the opportunity speak to representatives from a large range of schools at a local college fair. For instance, students participate in:

• All students have multiple opportunities to visit multiple colleges — e.g., all 10th graders visit Southern Connecticut State University as part of a unit on public health.
• Common Ground hosts representatives from a variety of colleges, open to all students.
• All juniors and seniors participate in college fairs in New Haven and beyond.

Academic Supports

An all-out system of academic supports, in and outside the school day, helps all students take on college prep content. SAT prep and academic enrichment are offered during and after school.