Why Are We Unique?

The Dream Project is unique because it sends students who have the opportunity to understand issues of socially mobility and educational opportunity from an academic perspective. The University of Washington Dream Project complements the work that many organizations are doing to make education more widely available. In addition to this academic understanding, the UW students also have a strong training and understanding of what makes a strong personal statement, how to apply for the FAFSA, identifying and applying for scholarship opportunities and, through our partnership with EAN, SAT/ACT preparatory instruction.

When we assemble a class of UW students from many different backgrounds to discuss issues of educational opportunity and social mobility and giving them an opportunity to contribute by working with highly capable high school students we will graduate a more empathetic graduating class. Unlike any other program, the University of Washington Dream Project allows students to both learn about issues that plague people in our community and given the opportunity to change the lives of those individuals.

In the process of having the UW students work with the high school students we create a community in waiting.

Other Efforts at the UW Campus

The Pipeline Project, the Carlson Center, the Focus Program, the GEAR UP program and Upward Bound as well as many more not mentioned, all work toward the same goal of expanding educational opportunities and reducing education inequality. It goes without saying that these programs have done an excellent job. The Dream Project seeks to augment the efforts of these programs by addressing an aspect of educational access and inequality that has not been fully addressed to date. The Dream Project seeks to bring both capable, disadvantaged—first generation and/or low-income—potential students and current UW students together to help both. Current student gain as much from participation in The Dream Project as do the potential high school Dream Scholars. The program meets an unfilled need by bringing the two groups together to help each learn from the other.