“Impact opened my eyes to possibilities that I wasn’t sure existed. It not only broadened my awareness of academic options, provided me the knowledge and support to navigate the application and financial aid process, but it also helped me to learn more about myself and challenged me to reach for my fullest potential.” — Jelisa Grant, NYC Impact Alum attending Dartmouth College.
PwC’s Impact program provides college prep and career mentoring to academically accomplished African-American high-school juniors. The program is part of PwC’s commitment to motivate, educate and develop the next generation.
In 2007, PwC launched Impact in New York and Washington, DC. The program now reaches six cities (Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Philadelphia, New York and DC), reaching over 450 students to date.
Impact scholars are selected through a competitive application process that includes an in-person interview. Scholars attend monthly workshops to navigate the college admissions process and enhance their career acumen. Over the course of 15 months, participants learn how to target the right schools, preparing for the SAT/ACT, planning application essays and negotiating the best financial-aid package.
Impact is designed to equip our scholars with mentoring support to help them create education strategies, exposure to careers in the accounting profession, a broader awareness of academic and professional options and information for navigating the college-planning and financial-aid processes.
We’re proud to report that in 2010, each graduating Impact scholar received an average of $42,776 in scholarships and grants from the school he or she selected. Impact’s 2010 graduates were collectively offered more than $4.5 million from all accepted schools.
Impact helps PwC forge meaningful relationships with young people while developing the next generation of diverse leaders. Through Impact, PwC plays a crucial role in expanding the talent pipeline by providing students with exposure to career role models and mentors.
Of the colleges that accepted Impact’s 2010 graduates, 51 percent are recognized as “most and more selective” by U.S. News & World Report. Collectively, they been offered more than $5.4 million in scholarships and grants from all accepted schools—and we expect these numbers to continue to develop.