By Rachel E. Durham, William Caritj,  Meria Carstarphen, Walter Fields, & Francesca Gamber

 After High School is the newest edition in BERC’s long-running series of College Access Fact Books.  First published in 2011, this series examines the destinations of college-bound Baltimore City Public High School students.  The 2026 edition follows City Schools graduates from the Classes of 2015 through 2024.  This report has been co-authored with researchers from the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities (NCEED) at Morgan State University.

Like previous reports in the series, After High School is organized around three main sections, which feature general enrollment trends (by cohort, by high school type, type of college where students enroll, the most common college destinations); the process of applying to college (completing three or more applications, completing FAFSA, and incidence of summer melt); and finally, college degree completion within six years.

New to this edition are stories from six recent Baltimore City Public Schools graduates that detail their unique college search, application, and enrollment experiences.  Their reflections add to the data a window into how individual students find information, access supportive programs and mentors, and make decisions about applying to, and paying for, college.