National College Transition Network

ABE to College Transition: A Resource for ABE and ESOL Teachers and Programs

X-CEL ADULT EDUCATION
7 Glenvale Terrace
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Don Sands, Executive Director
Tel: (617) 522-2590
Fax: (617) 522-2590
Email:: x-cel@x-celeducation.org
Website: www.x-celeducation.org

X-Cel Adult Education was established to provide quality adult education services throughout Greater Boston, by partnering with other community non-profit organizations that provide physical space, while X-Cel provides the adult education services.

X-Cel Adult Education currently serves more than 300 adult students at 12 different sites throughout Greater Boston. We offer ESOL classes, Pre-GED classes, GED Prep classes, and college prep classes, including a mentoring program. Our classes meet in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings.

Our college transition program meets at The Salvation Army Community Center, 23 Vernon Street, in Roxbury, MA. Our program runs three cycles per year. Each cycle runs 14 weeks, two evenings per week from 6:00 – 9:00pm. Our Spring cycle runs from January though May with 15 students. Our Summer cycle runs from May through August with 12 students. Our Fall cycle runs from September through December with 15 students. We focus on reading/writing skills, math skills, basic computer/Internet skills, college readiness skills, and we provide assistance with applying for financial aid, selecting a college and major, applying to the college, taking the college placement test, and registering for classes. In addition we now have a mentoring component, which matches mentors with each of our college transition graduates who are beginning their first semester in college. Many of our mentors are past college transition graduates who are in the second, third or fourth semester in college.

We have been collaborating with several area colleges, but our primary collaborating colleges are Bunker Hill Community College and Roxbury Community College. Both colleges have been very helpful, by providing separate orientations, open houses and campus tours for our students, as well as advice and counseling. In general, we bring our entire class to take the college placement test at one time, and the Bunker Hill Assessment Center has been very supportive in that area.

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