The Reach Higher initiative is the First Lady's effort to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university. In today's economy, a high school diploma just isn't enough. Students have to reach higher, which is why the First Lady is working to rally the country around the President's "North Star" goal — that by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. The Reach Higher initiative will help make sure all students understand what they need to complete their education, including:

• Exposing students to college and career opportunities
• Understanding financial aid eligibility that can make college affordability a reality
• Encouraging academic planning and summer learning opportunities
• Supporting high school counselors who can help more kids get into college

In January of 2014, President Obama and the First Lady asked hundreds of college presidents to increase college opportunity for all Americans. He asked them to help because a college degree remains one of the surest pathways into the American middle class, and is an especially powerful engine of social and economic mobility.

Over this decade, nearly 8 in 10 new jobs will require some postsecondary education or training beyond high school. And of the 30 fastest growing occupations, half require a college degree. At the same time, college graduates earn an average of 77 percent more per hour than a high school graduate. President Obama set forth a goal early in his first term to guide our work in education – to lead the world with the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020.

That’s why the Administration has continued to follow up on the January College Opportunity Summit commitments, as well as move toward new ones.  The Administration announced in August that the White House will host another College Opportunity Summit on December 4, 2014. The goal of this conference (SAN DIEGO)  will build on the work launched in the first College Opportunity Summit last January, while launching initiatives in new areas. The December summit will focus on building sustainable collaborations in communities with strong K-12 and higher education partnerships to encourage college going, and supporting colleges to work together to dramatically improve persistence and increase college completion, especially for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students.