ScholarMatch remains committed to providing quality college support services to first-generation, low-income students.

Dear Community,

We hope that you are taking great care during this difficult time as we collectively adjust to this new reality.

ScholarMatch is taking the COVID-19 pandemic very seriously to protect the wellbeing and safety of our community. Earlier this month, we closed our drop-in centers in San Francisco and Los Angeles and have rapidly pivoted to offer all of our programs and events online, drawing on the strength of our existing virtual services.

ScholarMatch is deeply committed to serving students during this difficult time and has stepped up our support services to address the significant, new challenges faced by our students.

We recognize that the abrupt closure of high schools, colleges, and universities across the United States has had a disparate impact on first-generation, low-income students, like those we support. We have taken immediate action to:

Hold virtual office hours every Monday-Thursday to support high school students in completing college applications.

Despite our college centers being temporarily closed, we are committed to providing critical college access support to students who rely on our services. Students will continue to have access to staff virtually to discuss financial aid award letters, scholarships, and their upcoming transition to college. Students already in our virtual program nationwide continue to have access to their personal College Coach, as well as to these new standing drop-in virtual office hours.

Provide ScholarMatch emergency grants to college students displaced by school closures.

Our students’ basic needs are being threatened with schools around the country closing. To combat these financial hardships, our college students will have access to flexible emergency funding to help cover housing, transportation and movings costs, food and supplies, mental health support, and other needs.

Lend laptops to students who do not have access to reliable technology.

Students who do not have access to a computer at home can apply to borrow a laptop from one of our college drop-in centers. Access to reliable technology is essential for students to complete homework assignments, attend online lectures, communicate with colleges and universities, and more.

Despite these proactive measures, we know that there is so much more we need to do to support students in the time ahead.

We urgently call on our community to provide immediate support for our students who face tremendous financial challenges with housing, food and supplies, technology, and more.

With students forced to leave campus and their work-study jobs, many face unstable housing, no access to Internet or reliable technology, and unstable income to support themselves and their families. Our students need your support more than ever right now. Please consider donating to our student emergency grants.

If you have the time and energy to spare after prioritizing care for yourself and your loved ones, you can also consider volunteering as a College Coach to provide direct mentorship and support to our students going through the college application process.

We are incredibly grateful for the support of our community during these challenging and uncertain times. Thank you for standing with our students in our collective commitment to make college possible.

In community,

ScholarMatch

ScholarMatch’s mission is to support first-generation college students earn a bachelor’s degree within five years. We provide individualized advising, targeted financial support, and career mentoring all the way to college graduation. Learn more about our work supporting first-generation students at scholarmatch.org.

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