Reach Higher Email Format
Higher EducationVirginia, United States11-50 Employees
Reach Higher is a higher-education initiative started during the Obama administration by former First Lady Michelle Obama, with its public launch in 2014. Based in Arlington, Virginia, it pursues to motivate students to extend their education beyond high school through campaigns such as Better Make Room and UpNext. The organization, which operates with a modest staff, engages students, families, and school counselors to promote college access and FAFSA completion, and has celebrated more than a million students moving on to higher education, with a focus on first-generation and low-income students. In 2019, Reach Higher joined the Common App, the nonprofit admissions platform that supports access, equity, and integrity in college admissions. In April 2024, Reach Higher announced a partnership with Common App to expand opportunities for students to apply to colleges, including access to more than 1,000 member schools.