Posse Atlanta

Posse started because of one student who said, “I never would have dropped out of college if I had my posse with me.” That simple idea of sending a group of students to college together to act as a support system for one another was the impetus for a program that today has become one of the most comprehensive college access programs in the United States.

Vanderbilt University was Posse’s first partner institution and took a Posse of five students from New York City in 1989. Four years after setting foot on Vanderbilt’s campus, all five members of Vanderbilt Posse 1 graduated with honors and accolades.

Since then, Posse has sent 3,638 Scholars to top-tier colleges and universities throughout the country. Nationally, Posse Scholars have won $402 million in scholarships from Posse’s partner institutions and are persisting and graduating at a rate of 90 percent—significantly above the national average.