Giving Compass' Take:

• Town&Country speaks with supporters of the nonprofit, Communities In Schools, and highlights how this organization is helping low-income students stay in school, graduate high school, and receive the means necessary for college. 

• What other outlets are there for helping low-income students get into college? 

• Here's 5 ways to make the college admission process work for all. 

For students living in poverty, staying on track in school is more than a matter of hard work—it means overcoming barriers to success, like poor nutrition or having to work to support their family. By 8th grade, students living in poverty are, on average, three years behind their more affluent peers, half as likely to graduate from high school, and one-tenth as likely to graduate from college. In Los Angeles alone, 84 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.

But organizations like Communities In Schools are working to prevent dropouts, increase high school graduation rates, and get students into college. Working directly in more than 2,300 low-income schools in 25 states and the District of Columbia, CIS serves 1.5 million students who are at risk of dropping out and successfully helps 99 percent of their students stay in school. This week, the Los Angeles branch (CISLA), which serves 9,000 students in 8 schools, will mark its 13th anniversary.

Read the full article about helping high schoolers get to college by Liz Cantrell at Town&Country.