Early College Programs at Wentworth

Beacon Pathways (Beacon), Wentworth's Early College Pathways Program, is an innovative educational partnership between the City of Boston and Wentworth to introduce the college experience to high school students. The goal is to increase attendance, retention, and graduation rates of Boston youth by showing them that they can succeed in college and beyond. 

As an evolution of our Dual Enrollment program, Beacon is intended to close the opportunity gap—in education and work—for Boston public high school students, encouraging them to pursue STEM degrees and careers. Beacon Pathways is also meant to provide local computer science and construction management corporations with the trained workers they seek to match up with employment demands around Boston. 

Beacon is free for participants, with Wentworth, foundations and corporate sponsors funding the initiative. Participating students take classes on Wentworth’s campus, simultaneously meeting some high school graduation requirements and earning college credits through hands-on coursework. 

Benefits for participating students in Beacon:

  • Guaranteed full-time admission to Wentworth Institute of Technology as first-year students. 
  • Be awarded a guaranteed minimum merit scholarship of $20,000 per year. This award is renewable annually for up to 8 semesters provided students meet the established standards of satisfactory academic progress. This level of commitment does not preclude eligibility for other merit and/or need-based financial aid as determined through the receipt of the FAFSA. 
  • Earn and receive up to 32 college credits toward a Wentworth degree.
  • Priority registration to RAMP, Wentworth’s pre-college summer bridge for Boston youth.

Our partner high schools for the 2022-2023 Academic Year include:

Academy of the Pacific Rim
Dearborn STEM Academy
East Boston High School
Kennedy Academy for Health Careers
Excel High School
Fenway High School
O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
New Mission High School

Interested in learning more about Dual Credit? Please contact Rebecca (Becky) Drossman, Associate Director of College Access & Success.

State-Designated Early College Partners

Wentworth is committed to collaborating with our local high schools and Boston Public Schools to revolutionize education delivery and provide equitable opportunities for underserved youth. Below are our current state-designated Early College partners who are essential to our work.

  • Dearborn STEM Academy

    Dearborn STEM Academy (Dearborn) students graduate with the 21st century skills required for college and career success, prepared to serve as thoughtful, engaged citizens, who contribute to the health, vibrancy and development of their community. In collaboration with Dearborn, Wentworth is building an Early College and Innovation Pathway models in Computer Science and Engineering.

    The partnership received Early College Designation from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2021. The partnership is currently completing its first year of designation.

  • Fenway High School

    Fenway High School (Fenway) aims to create a socially committed and morally responsible community of learners that values its students as individuals. Fenway’s goal is to encourage academic excellence and to develop intellectual habits of mind, self-esteem, and leadership skills among all students. In collaboration with Fenway, Wentworth is building an Early College and Innovation Pathway model called Entrepreneurship for Good with a focus on socially responsible creativity.

    The partnership received Early College Designation from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2022. The partnership is currently planning the implementation of designation for Year 1.

  • New Mission High School

    New Mission High School (NMHS) students graduate with the 21st century skills required for college and career success, prepared to serve as thoughtful, engaged citizens, who contribute to the health, vibrancy and development of their community. In collaboration with NMHS, Wentworth is building an Early College model in Computer Science and Engineering.

    The partnership received Early College Designation from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2022. The partnership is currently planning the implementation of designation for Year 1.

     

Partnering with Beacon Pathways

Interested in speaking with Wentworth's Beacon Pathways team? Click below to access contact information for our Beacon Pathways team members.