Header Media

Many people sit in an auditorium and listen to a speaker in an orange dress in front of a projector screen
Six students wearing blue A Better Chance tshirts; four pose and hold a fifth while the sixth crouches below
A student with medium brown skin and black hair in a ponytail speaks to an adult across a table

At a Glance


2019 QUICK FACTS

Enrollment

Of 2,206 Scholars:

  • 1,474 in Independent Day Schools
  • 604 in Independent Boarding Schools
  • 128 in Community Day Schools

Scholar Ethnicity

  • 62% Black/African American
  • 16% Latino/Hispanic
  • 14% Multiracial/Biracial
  • 8% Asian/Pacific Islander

Member Schools by Type

Of 329 Member Schools:

  • 203 are Independent Day Schools
  • 106 are Independent Boarding Schools
  • 20 are Community Day Schools
Black-and-white historic photo of people standing before a house porch with the sign "ABC House"

On A Better Chance

  • Founded in 1963
  • Recruits students of color in grades 4 through 9
  • Only national organization of its kind

Mission and History  -  Reach and Impact

2019 CLASS PROFILE

Gender Breakdown

For Matriculated Students:

  • 58% Female
  • 42% Male

Grade Distribution

Average Grade Range:

  • 95 – 100: 40%
  • 89 – 94: 41%
  • 81 – 88: 17%
  • 75 – 80: 2%

Admissions Statistics

  • Applications Received: 2,003
  • Students Referred: 827
  • Scholars Accepted: 600
  • Scholars Placed: 471
A group of smiling middle school aged kids poses on a step
Stylized image of two sacks with "$" on them and piles of coins

$19 million

in Financial Aid leveraged for our new 2019 Scholars

Schools Currently Attended by A Better Chance Scholars

All of these member schools had at least three Scholars matriculate in 2018.

All

Abington Friends School

Jenkintown, Pennsylvania

Archer School for Girls, The

Los Angeles, California

Atlanta Girls’ School

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta International School

Atlanta, Georgia

Barrie School

Silver Spring, Maryland

Bay School of San Francisco, The

San Francisco, California

Bentley School

Oakland, California

Berkeley School, The

Berkeley, California

Black Pine Circle School

Berkeley, California

Brooks School

North Andover, Massachusetts

Cate School

Carpinteria, California

Church Farm School

Exton, Pennsylvania

Clinton A Better Chance

Clinton, New York

College Preparatory School, The

Oakland, California

Convent & Stuart Hall Schools of the Sacred Heart

San Francisco, California

Cranbrook Schools

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Crystal Springs Uplands School

Belmont & Hillsborough, California

Darien A Better Chance

Darien, Connecticut

Deerfield Academy

Deerfield, Massachusetts

Drew School

San Francisco, California

Eastside College Preparatory School

Palo Alto, California

Edmund Burke School

Washington, District of Columbia

Episcopal High School (Virginia)

Alexandria, Virginia

Episcopal School of Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

Friends’ Central School

Wynnewood, Pennsylvania

Galloway School, The

Atlanta, Georgia

George School

Newtown, Pennsylvania

Germantown Friends School

Philadelphia,Pennsylvania

Grace Church School

New York, New York

Groton School

Groton, Massachusetts

Hamden Hall Country Day School

Hamden, Connecticut

Harvard-Westlake Middle School

Los Angeles, California

Head-Royce School

Oakland, California

Holton-Arms School, The

Bethesda, Maryland

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School

Atlanta, Georgia

Hopkins School

New Haven, Connecticut

Lawrenceville School, The

Lawrence Township, New Jersey

Lick-Wilmerding High School

San Francisco, California

Lovett School, The

Atlanta, Georgia

Madeira School, The

McLean, Virginia

Maret School

Washington, District of Columbia

Marin Academy

San Rafael, California

Marist School

Atlanta, Georgia

Menlo School

Atherton, California

New Roads School

Santa Monica, California

Orme School, The

Mayer, Arizona

Pace Academy

Atlanta, Georgia

Paideia School, The

Atlanta, Georgia

Phillips Academy

Andover, Massachusetts

Phillips Exeter Academy

Exeter, New Hampshire

Pingry School, The

Bernards Township, New Jersey

Poly Prep Country Day School

Brooklyn, New York

Polytechnic School

Pasadena, California

Potomac School, The

McLean, Virginia

Princeton Day School

Princeton, New Jersey

Prospect Sierra School

El Cerrito, California

Radnor A Better Chance

Radnor, Pennsylvania

Redwood Day School

Oakland, California

Sage Hill School

Newport Coast, California

San Francisco University High School

San Francisco, California

St. Andrew’s School

Middletown, Delaware

St. Margaret's School

Tappahannock, Virginia

Tabor Academy

Marion, Massachusetts

Thacher School, The

Ojai, California

The Agnes Irwin School

Rosemont, Pennsylvania

The Athenian School

Danville, California

The Kew-Forest School

Queens, New York

Urban School of San Francisco

San Francisco, California

Waldorf School of Atlanta

Decatur, Georgia

Walker School, The

Marietta, Georgia

Webb Schools, The

Claremont, California

Wesleyan School

Peachtree Corners, Georgia

Westminster Schools, The

Atlanta, Georgia

West Nottingham Academy

Colora, Maryland

Westridge School for Girls

Pasadena, California

Westtown School

West Chester, Pennsylvania

Woodberry Forest School

Woodberry Forest, Virginia

Woodside Priory School

Portola Valley, California

Woodward Academy

College Park, Georgia

Middle States

Logo in navy blue with text: "AFS, Abington Friends School"
Abington Friends School

Jenkintown, Pennsylvania

Logo with slate blue text: "Barrie" - with three green leaves as the dot on the i
Barrie School

Silver Spring, Maryland

Logo stating "Church Farm School | CFS, Inspiring Boys - Fulfilling Dreams. To right, stylized white belltower on red.
Church Farm School

Exton, Pennsylvania

Logo with black arch with Cranbrook Schools written top with three seals below: a yellow shield, a blue archer, a green tree.
Cranbrook Schools

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

White text on crimson field: "BURKE, EDMUND BURKE SCHOOL"
Edmund Burke School

Washington, District of Columbia

Gray stylized front of building top, under which burgundy text: "EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL"
Episcopal High School (Virginia)

Alexandria, Virginia

Friends’ Central School
Friends’ Central School

Wynnewood, Pennsylvania

Illustration of green tree on white
George School

Newtown, Pennsylvania

Initials GFS to left with text "GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL" to right. Green on white.
Germantown Friends School

Philadelphia,Pennsylvania

Blue text above, with laurel branch crossing the H: HOLTON. Below, brown text: HOLTON-ARMS SCHOOL.
Holton-Arms School, The

Bethesda, Maryland

Red field outlined in black with white text: "The Lawrenceville School" below seal of lamp, laurel, column, and 1810.
Lawrenceville School, The

Lawrence Township, New Jersey

A white "M" on a red circle with black text underneath: "MADEIRA"
Madeira School, The

McLean, Virginia

In dark green, the word "MARET" with, below in brown, "NOSCERE VIVERE EST - TO LEARN IS TO LIVE" divided by a fleur-di-lis
Maret School

Washington, District of Columbia

blue on white logo with shield left with caduceus topped by eagle over a book, with text right: "PINGRY - EXCELLENCE & HONOR"
Pingry School, The

Bernards Township, New Jersey

Circular seal to left with motto "Labor Omnia Vincet" and text right: "The Potomac School"
Potomac School, The

McLean, Virginia

Circular Seal, blue on white, with text around: "PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL" with shield surrounded by laurels in center.
Princeton Day School

Princeton, New Jersey

A Better Chance Radnor in text below, a blue and white open book with a door in the front cover above.
Radnor A Better Chance

Radnor, Pennsylvania

Oval seal with points top and bottom with shield topped by lion over column
St. Andrew’s School

Middletown, Delaware

Indigo Seal with text around: "St. Margaret's School - Tappahannock, VA" with a thistle center
St. Margaret's School

Tappahannock, Virginia

Logo of a gold slashed circle around blue letters spelling "AIS"
The Agnes Irwin School

Rosemont, Pennsylvania

Burgundy text on white: "West Nottingham Academy"
West Nottingham Academy

Colora, Maryland

Logo primarily in pale blue on white with W on white circle outlined in white then brown and text beneath: "Westtown School"
Westtown School

West Chester, Pennsylvania

Seal in black, green, and orange with shield with three pines and an orange chevron and text: "Woodberry Forest School" etc
Woodberry Forest School

Woodberry Forest, Virginia

Northeast

logo with a green shield crossed in black outlined by white to left and text to right: "Brooks School"
Brooks School

North Andover, Massachusetts

A Better Chance Clinton in text below, a blue and white open book with a door in the front cover above.
Clinton A Better Chance

Clinton, New York

Darien A Better Chance
Darien A Better Chance

Darien, Connecticut

Stylized green door image above black text: "Deerfield Academy"
Deerfield Academy

Deerfield, Massachusetts

Slate blue on white. Heraldic Shield seal to left, text to right: "GRACE"
Grace Church School

New York, New York

Burgundy text on white: "Groton"
Groton School

Groton, Massachusetts

A white-on-green seal picturing three pines and two Hs in center, with text around: Hamden Hall Country Day School - 1912
Hamden Hall Country Day School

Hamden, Connecticut

Red text on top: "Hopkins" - gray text below: "SCHOOL"
Hopkins School

New Haven, Connecticut

Blue on white, a seal with a such over a garden being pollinated, with text below, "Phillips Academy ANDOVER"
Phillips Academy

Andover, Massachusetts

Red text on white: "EXETER"
Phillips Exeter Academy

Exeter, New Hampshire

Logo with image of bell tower in white and navy at left with navy text on gray at right: "POLY PREP COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL"
Poly Prep Country Day School

Brooklyn, New York

Seal in burgandy on white with two masted ship under full sail in and text: "TABOR ACADEMY - ALL-A-TAUT-O - 1876 - 1916"
Tabor Academy

Marion, Massachusetts

Seal in red and navy wreathed in laurels with central hand holding torch. Text between and around: "KEW-FOREST SCHOOL" etc
The Kew-Forest School

Queens, New York

Northwest

Dark purplish-blue square with text "THE BAY SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO" over it, BAY emphasized by size.
Bay School of San Francisco, The

San Francisco, California

Navy on white logo with "Bentley School" across bottom and stylized peaked roof image with "1920 Scire Desidero" top.
Bentley School

Oakland, California

Logo with stylized mirror image of a B to left and text "The Berkeley School" at right, with screened colorful image behind.
Berkeley School, The

Berkeley, California

Logo with text "Black Pine Circle School, A School of Thought" and a black circle with a smaller green circle partly over it.
Black Pine Circle School

Berkeley, California

Medium blue on white seal with text "The College Preparatory School, mens conscia recti, founded 1960"
College Preparatory School, The

Oakland, California

Logo with lion rampant on blue and black striped field surrounded by swirl of red on left with Convent & Stuart Hall text rt.
Convent & Stuart Hall Schools of the Sacred Heart

San Francisco, California

White on blue logo with an arch to left and text to right: "Crystal Springs Uplands School"
Crystal Springs Uplands School

Belmont & Hillsborough, California

Green text on white: "DREW"
Drew School

San Francisco, California

Burgundy text top: "EASTSIDE," black text bottom: "COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL"
Eastside College Preparatory School

Palo Alto, California

Dark Green top text: Head-Royce School. Lighter green below: scholarship - diversity - citizenship
Head-Royce School

Oakland, California

Black text top: Lick-Wilmerding. Gold ribbon with white text below: "High School - 1895"
Lick-Wilmerding High School

San Francisco, California

A square logo on black with white "MARIN" above red "ACADEMY", topped by two peaks composed of several colorful triangles.
Marin Academy

San Rafael, California

Blue illustrated tree to left in yellow circle with blue text to right: "Menlo School"
Menlo School

Atherton, California

Dark gray text on white, "PROSPECT SIERRA" - with the
Prospect Sierra School

El Cerrito, California

Logo with large stylized "R" in red to left and text to right: "REDWOOD DAY"
Redwood Day School

Oakland, California

logo with red on white with illustration of building facade left and text right: "San Francisco University High School" etc
San Francisco University High School

San Francisco, California

Purple on white logo with stylized U build of three different shaded rectangles at left and text right: "Urban"
Urban School of San Francisco

San Francisco, California

various blues on white with text "PRIORY" with a cross inside the "O"
Woodside Priory School

Portola Valley, California

Southeast

Logo with gold curving laurel to left with text to right: "Atlanta Girls' School"
Atlanta Girls’ School

Atlanta, Georgia

Logo with text "
Atlanta International School

Atlanta, Georgia

Navy text: the galloway school" with large "g" from "galloway" to left.
Galloway School, The

Atlanta, Georgia

Burgundy on White logo with text, "HOLY INNOCENTS" EPISCOPAL SCHOOL" below shied with concentric letters H and I
Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School

Atlanta, Georgia

Blue on white with large text on bottom: Lovett. On top, a seal with a white cross on a blue shield.
Lovett School, The

Atlanta, Georgia

Logo with single line of text: "Marist" in blue on a yellow rectangle, "School" in yellow on a blue rectangle.
Marist School

Atlanta, Georgia

Pace Academy
Pace Academy

Atlanta, Georgia

White text on blue: "THE PAIDEIA SCHOOL"
Paideia School, The

Atlanta, Georgia

Logo of text in pale orange on a purple irregular pentagon: "the waldorf school of atlanta"
Waldorf School of Atlanta

Decatur, Georgia

White on burgundy logo with tower on shield bottom and text top: "Walker"
Walker School, The

Marietta, Georgia

Green on white logo with gazebo image left and text right: "WESLEYAN SCHOOL"
Wesleyan School

Peachtree Corners, Georgia

Green seal on white with text "the Westminster Schools - Atlanta"
Westminster Schools, The

Atlanta, Georgia

Red text top: "WOODWARD ACADEMY" - black underline then black text below: "ESTABLISHED 1900"
Woodward Academy

College Park, Georgia

Southwest

Purple on white logo with three concentric squares to left and, to right, "Archer The Archer School for Girls"
Archer School for Girls, The

Los Angeles, California

Blue on white circular seal in the style of an engraving with a ship under sail toward shore. Text includes "Cate School"
Cate School

Carpinteria, California

Red text: "THE EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF LOS ANGELES"
Episcopal School of Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

A black, gold, white, and red seal, square, with crowned lion rampant two fleurs-de-lis,
Harvard-Westlake Middle School

Los Angeles, California

Text in a single line: "new roads" in orange-red, "school" in browner red, followed by an image of two arcs curving together
New Roads School

Santa Monica, California

Logo with V with an arch over and a line under it in a black and red circle, with text below: "THE ORME SCHOOL" etc
Orme School, The

Mayer, Arizona

Orange background with partial seal watermark with white text at front: "POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL"
Polytechnic School

Pasadena, California

Logo with green stylized bridge to left and text right, "SAGE HILL SCHOOL"
Sage Hill School

Newport Coast, California

Orange on white logo with deco-esque pegasus over text: "THACHER"
Thacher School, The

Ojai, California

Black on white logo with doric column to left, text at right: "The Athenian School"
The Athenian School

Danville, California

White on Blue, with text: "Webb | The Webb Schools"
Webb Schools, The

Claremont, California

Olive green on white logo with large "W" and a sprig of 3-lobed leaves
Westridge School for Girls

Pasadena, California

 

A Better Chance put me on the path to have options that allowed me to travel around the world ten times over and currently have my dream job.

Michael Gary
Head of the Friends Select School, Nonprofit Founder, and Life-Long Learner &
A Better Chance Alumnus in Pomfret School's Class of 1982
96%
96%

of A Better Chance graduating high school seniors immediately enrolled in college

83%
83%

of Alumni have earned a Bachelor’s degree

White illustration of mortarboard surrounded by stars
50%

of Alumni have earned a Master’s or other
professional degree

Alumni Accomplishments

Most Popular Colleges and Universities

In the last 56 years, fifty or more Alumni matriculated from the following highly selective and national institutions:

Amherst College (117)
Barnard College (128)
Boston College (90)
Boston University (200)
Brown University (257)*
Bucknell University (52)
Carleton College (103)
Case Western Reserve University (80)
Colgate University (85)
Columbia University (328)*
Connecticut College (76)
Cornell University (223)*
Dartmouth College (178)
Duke University (164)

Emory University (111)
Fordham University (97)
George Washington University (113)
Georgetown University (128)
Harvard University (283)*
Hobart & William Smith Colleges (75)
Howard University (213)*
Morehouse College (91)
New York University (224)*
Northeastern University (102)
Northwestern University (113)
Oberlin College (122)

Occidental College (81)
Ohio State University (60)
Ohio Wesleyan University (59)
Pomona College (72)
Princeton University (148)
Rutgers University (105)
Spelman College (95)
Stanford University (197)
Syracuse University (147)
Temple University (86)
Trinity College (CT) (93)
Tufts University (216)*
University of California, Berkeley (132)

University of California, Los Angeles (85)
University of Massachusetts, Amherst (61)
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (67)
University of Pennsylvania (415)*
University of Rochester (72)
University of Southern California (145)
University of Virginia (131)
Vassar College (96)
Wellesley College (91)
Wesleyan University (274)*
Williams College (143)
Yale University (224)*

* Denotes top 10 institutions with the highest A Better Chance Alumni matriculation rates

2019 Alumni Destinations

The class of 2019 included 384 graduates, and 99% of them went directly on to undergraduate studies after high school. 
Three or more students matriculated at each of the following institutions:

Baylor University (3)
Boston University (7)
Bowdoin College (3)
Brown University (8)
Columbia University (8)
Davidson College (4)
Drexel University (5)
Emory University (6)
George Washington University (3)
Georgia State University (4)

Harvard University (4)
Haverford College (4)
Howard University (15)
Lehigh University (3)
Loyola Marymount University (3)
Loyola University Maryland (3)
Loyola University New Orleans (3)
New York University (10)
Oberlin College (3)
Pennsylvania State University (4)

Princeton University (5)
Rhodes College (6)
Saint John's University (New York) (3)
Seattle University (3)
Spelman College (5)
Syracuse University (8)
Temple University (3)
Tulane University (3)
University of California, Los Angeles (6)
University of Connecticut (3)

University of Miami (7)
University of Notre Dame (4)
University of Pennsylvania
(5)
University of Southern California (3)
Ursinus College (4)
Vanderbilt University (3)
Wellesley College (3)
Wofford College (3)
Yale University (5)