In Aurora, staff who once sat where their scholars sit now are proving that the surest way to close an opportunity gap is to have someone on the other side who's already crossed it.
Miles, Milestones, and Match Day: Adwoa’s Cross-Country Journey to PGY1
Closing the Gap Between Diploma and Degree
Since launching in 2011 in partnership with Aurora Public Schools, College Track Aurora has worked to connect students in Colorado’s third-largest city to the state’s economic opportunities — and the need is clear. More than 80% of Aurora residents earn a high school diploma, but fewer than 30% go on to earn a bachelor’s degree. That gap is exactly where College Track Aurora does its work, and why it matters so much.
Located just east of Denver, the site serves scholars from two partner high schools, Rangeview and Gateway, and taps into strong local scholarship ecosystems — including the Daniels Fund and the Boettcher Foundation — to help open doors beyond high school.
What sets the team apart is its depth: several staff members bring six to eight years of tenure, and some are College Track Aurora alumni themselves — scholars who came up through the program and came back to build it further.
At College Track Aurora, our scholars come from diverse backgrounds but share one common goal: to earn a college degree and create a better future for themselves and their communities. Here’s a closer look at the talented students we’re proud to support.
93% first-generation college students
90%from under-resourced communities
87% from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds
Executive Site Director
Scarlett McFarland
15559 E Iliff Avenue
Aurora, CO 80013
(720) 748-7736
The site is open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM.
