Our Mission & History
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Bottom Line is dedicated to helping disadvantaged students get in to college, graduate from college, and go far in life.
We achieve this mission by providing low-income and first-generation students with one-on-one guidance through the application process and during college.
History
Bottom Line began as a small operation supporting 25 high school seniors from Boston. In a time when 1 in 7 low-income students who began attending college would finish, Bottom Line's founder Dave Borgal helped all 25 students get accepted to college and 80% graduate in six years or less. Since then, Bottom Line has maintained a high level of success. |
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Today, Bottom Line functions as an exemplary college retention model and a regional support network for low-income and first-generation urban students. From Boston University to College of the Holy Cross to Brooklyn College, thousands of Bottom Line students are earning their degrees.
Bottom Line by Year
1997
Founder Dave Borgal secures a small office on the ground floor of New Mission High School in Boston and helps 25 high school seniors apply to college.
1998
Dave supports the inaugural 25 students during their freshman year of college and helps 50 new high school seniors apply to college.
2000
Bottom Line grows to 4 full-time employees and 250 students. The office moves to Amory Street in Jamaica Plain.
2002
Bottom Line's first 10 students graduate from college!
2003
32 more students graduate from college and Greg Johnson becomes the Executive Director.
2004
80% of Bottom Line's entire first high school class graduates within 6 years.
2006
Bottom Line holds the first Get In, Graduate, and Go Far Dinner.
2007
The Bottom Line community grows to 14 employees, 880 students, and 265 alumni.
2008
Bottom Line opens a second office in Worcester and supports 1,100 students across both offices. The organization is selected as an official charity of the Boston Marathon.
2009
100% of the inaugural Worcester class gets accepted to college. Bottom Line moves to a new, bigger office in Boston.
2010
Bottom Line graduates its largest class, 93 students! The organization supports nearly 1,400 students in total. Bottom Line receives the 2010 College Access Organization Award of Excellence from the National College Access Network.
2011
Bottom Line launches an office in New York City and serves an inaugural class of 121 high school seniors.