On April 2, Complete the Degree, a new program targeting the hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans who have attended college but never graduated, opened its doors. Complete the Degree is a free, non-profit service offering one-on-one guidance to adults in the Chicago area who have some college credit and want to return to complete their education. Advisors at Complete the Degree work with participants to develop a personalized education completion plan. They help navigate the challenging world of financial aid, assess existing college credits, and ultimately help find a college or university setting that is the best fit for a participant who wants to earn a degree and get a better job.

Studies show that completing a college degree is a prerequisite for a growing number of jobs and has a large impact on lifetime earnings. The average wage for workers with some college but no degree in 2010 was $712 a week, while workers with a bachelor’s degree earned a weekly average of $1,038. Complete the Degree is led by four local non-profits with a commitment to adult education and success: the Chicago Workforce Investment Council, CAEL, the Illinois Education Foundation and Women Employed. The program is supported by the City of Chicago, the Chicago Community Trust, the McCormick Tribune Foundation and the Bank of America Foundation. For more information, contact Complete the Degree at www.completethedegree.org, send an email to info@completethedegree.org, or call 312-267-2580.