The founder of a Dallas nonprofit focused on helping students succeed in their post-high school education says there are serious “flaws and gaps” in the education system, leading to a lack of degree acquisitions across Texas. said to have led to the failure of

“Our mission is to lift our children out of intergenerational poverty with a career-ready degree, but sadly our state and our country are trying to get our children out of high school at least through life. “They’re doing a terrible job of transitioning them to affordable wages, especially first-generation low-income kids,” said ScholarShot founder Fleece U.

He started the nonprofit in 2009 after realizing he needed to advise students through the college process. It’s already a difficult transition, especially for those who are the first in their family to receive higher education and may come from low-income households.

Hooper also gets data from the state to cover issues he said are affecting the entire state. He mentioned his 60 x 30 plan for the state. The plan was created to address the problem of not having enough students completing higher levels of education to eventually earn a certificate or degree that will serve the Texas workforce and economy. .

“This will hurt some people’s feelings, but advice from high schools is very, very flawed statewide. Do nothing to get.

He said less than 26% of those who tried succeeded. He said nine of his 10 first-generation low-income students attending Texas colleges drop out.

“But on the other side, our colleges are happy to accept student grants and loans, but they don’t guarantee student success,” Hooper said.

“When we had to try, we heard it from a lot of colleges across the state,” they said. “How do you feel after this meal?” I hope this helps shed some light on this issue.

The ScholarShot program seeks to bridge the gap and turn dropouts into degrees through financial assistance, planning, budgeting, and guidance on how to get to college and get your first job.

“The system is designed to look good, but it sadly puts our children at risk.ScholarShot focuses on the hundreds of people in our system who It’s about helping children.

The organization consists of 8 employees, with 4 active academic managers, each assigned about 50 students, to help them navigate their next level of education.

“It was very helpful to me. Just the academic advice part, there was someone to explain what was going on at the university and let me know everything was under control. You I really enjoyed that aspect of it,” said Ifeoluwa Kehinde, academic manager at ScholarShot and a participant in the program.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Kehinde, 22, came to Texas as a teenager and graduated from Grand Prairie High School.

“In my mind, I was like, ‘I don’t know anything about the college system here. I learned about the program and applied for it.

She credits ScholarShot with graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in Human Development and Family Science this May. She is now mentoring others who wear the shoes she used to wear.

“I just manage some of my students and advise them to feel better mentally, socially and academically throughout their college career,” she said. You are her 18 and they give you the title of “adult” and send you off, but this is another transitional period and many students have no one to help and guide them. I don’t think there is Transitioning to this next phase of their lives. ”

Part of that counseling includes learning how to minimize student debt.

“Debt is such an evil trap. It takes less than 3 seconds for an 18-year-old to approve $7,000 or $10,000 in debt on an online portal and say, ‘What about the payments? Already in debt? Can you cover a year?” Hooper said, encouraging parents and students to be careful in finding ways to pay for school.

This is a focus of ScholarShot, and Hooper says students have a 90% success rate in obtaining a certification or degree.

“As parents and students, we are very sick of debt and be careful to avoid it,” Hooper said.

According to the nonprofit, their students owe less than a third of their student loan debt compared to their peers.

“If you’re a typical first-generation low-income kid, you’ll graduate. If you graduate from a four-year Texas school with $45,000 in debt, that means your credit isn’t worth it.” , the first day you go to work, and you are eligible and a target for subprime mortgage practices. There are many more, but if your parents allow you to get a one or two year degree or a diploma, you don’t need debt even if your school offers a four year degree. You should be able to get your degree with less than a dollar of debt,” Hooper said.

According to him, the average ScholarShot alumni is $1,500.

Students in the two-year program can receive up to $3,000 a year in financial aid, and students in four-year public schools in Texas can receive up to $6,000 a year, Hooper said.

Program details and application click hereHooper said he will begin high school senior applications in October.