Public high schools are struggling to provide students with basic college-prep and career-related services. Alumni could fill the gap by sharing their knowledge and connections with students. But schools lack the capacity to cultivate the latent social capital and human capital of alumni networks toward the benefit of current students. BetterGrads is an education startup that equips students with the tools they need to tap into the vast knowledge, networking, mentoring, and fundraising potential of their school’s latent alumni networks and wider support communities.

1. Kevin F. Adler
Founder
kevin.adler@bettergrads.org

2. We help public schools
cultivate the potential of
their alumni networks.

3. Problem

4. Problem
The old incentives or participating in a high school
alumni network are now obsolete.

5. Problem
1
Every year, high schools lose their most valuable
resources when alumni leave for college.

6. Solution

7. Solution
Build and strengthen alumni networks.
Duplicate what works for colleges, with the purpose of
the network to serve current students and the school.

8. Problem

9. Problem
Nationwide, the counselor to student ratio is 1:750.*
*Education associations and advocacy groups recommend a ratio of 1:250 or lower.

10. 1:750

11. 1:750

12. Problem
California has the worst ratio in the country, with a
counselor to student ratio of 1:5000 in some districts.

13. 1:5000

14. Problem
2
Students at public high schools receive inadequate
college and career preparation.

15. Solution

16. Solution
Bundle support programs* into the alumni network.
*Tools that students use to tap into the knowledge, networking, mentoring, and
fundraising potential of the alumni networks and other professional networks
(local employers, colleges, parents, philanthropists, young professionals, etc.).

17. Problem
3

18. Problem
3
Most public high schools lack the capacity to build,
manage, and grow their own alumni support network.

19. Solution

20. Solution
Use simple technology to build active alumni networks
and run sustainable, high-impact support programs.
Teach students how to network effectively. Give them
the tools to manage and grow the networks.

21. Founder Co-Founder
Kevin F. Adler Erhardt Graeff
(Rotary Scholar, Cambridge) (Harvard GSE, Cambridge)
Advisors
Theo Armour Johann Romefort
(Autodesk, PC Plus) (Otelic, Seesmic)
Sam Lim James Armijo
(UW Dream Project) (Kareo, 8x8)
Dianne Calvi Chris Mohammed
(Village Enterprise Fund) (Rotary)

22. Get involved.
kevin.adler@bettergrads.org