At Barrier Breakers®, we’ve already supported over 7,000 students on their journeys to higher education, helping them secure over $490 million in scholarships. With 95% of our students identifying as first-generation (those without a parent who went to college traditionally in the US), we know firsthand the transformative power of access, opportunity, and personalized guidance.

You Can Fund a Student’s Future—From the First Step to the Final Goal

At Barrier Breakers®, we serve two critical groups of first-generation students:

High school students from low-income backgrounds navigating the path to college and through graduation
College graduates seeking admission to law school and long-term support to thrive in the legal profession

In 2025, we have 86 students who need your support to join our life-changing programs at no cost to them.

Why It Matters

For many first-generation and low-income students, navigating the college and law school admissions process is overwhelming. Without personalized guidance, they face barriers that can derail their dreams.

We provide one-on-one admissions advising with current and former deans, professional private counselors, and expert writers to low-income students at no cost. This personalized support increases their chances of attending schools that change the trajectory of their lives—and their communities.

Our virtual model allows us to serve students across the country no matter where they live, but we also know that deep, local engagement creates lasting change. That’s why we are developing Barrier Breakers Impact Hubs—strategic partnerships in key cities where we partner with nonprofits, schools, and community organizations. Right now, we're in Trenton, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL; and the DC/Maryland area while continuing our virtual nationwide programming. We aim to be in Chicago, Houston, L.A., and Boston by 2027.

📊 Our Results:

90% of college applicants receive at least one merit scholarship
95% get into one of their top 3 college choices
54% of law school applicants are admitted to a Top 14 law school
66% receive at least a half-tuition scholarship, and 34% receive full-tuition scholarships

These students aren’t just getting into schools—they’re breaking generational cycles and proving what’s possible.

How You Can Make a Difference

$2,400 (or $200/month) = Supports a student from 10th/11th grade through college graduation (6-7 years)
$1,600 (or $134/month) = Supports a law school applicant through graduation (4 years)

Give once. Give monthly. Or rally your friends, family, workplace, or church to sponsor a student together.

Your Gift Changes Lives

🎓 Support College-Bound High School Students

Your gift helps first-gen students from Title I schools receive personalized college counseling and mentorship from 10th grade through college graduation.

💡 Program Includes:

Biweekly 1:1 college counseling sessions
SAT/ACT diagnostics, college list strategy, application, and essay support
Scholarship and honors college applications
Group transition-to-college meetings
4 years of ongoing mentorship once they enroll

Students Needing Sponsorship:

✅ 40 students from Lincoln High School (Philadelphia)
💵 $2,400 per student → $96,000 total
✅ 6 students from HomeWorks Trenton (NJ)
💵 $2,400 per student → $14,400 total

⚖️ Support Future Law Students

Your gift helps first-gen law school applicants—many already in the workforce—access expert advising and community support from application through law school graduation.

💡 Program Includes:

1:1 advising with current or former law admissions deans
Expert essay editing and feedback (17+ hours of support)
Monthly group cohort meetings
Ongoing mentorship throughout law school

Students Needing Sponsorship:

✅ 36 students on the Law Scholars waitlist (4 already funded)
💵 $1,600 per student → $57,600 total

Together, we can break barriers and transform futures.

Have questions? Don't hesitate to reach out to us at hello@barrier-breakers.org! You can also learn more about our work and how to get involved with us on our website.

Barrier Breakers® was started by our founder, Sydney Montgomery, a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School and the first lawyer in her family. She pivoted from practicing law to educational consulting full-time in 2020 and transitioned the company to a non-profit at the end of 2022 so that she could expand her support to first-generation and marginalized students like her.

Sponsor a First-Generation Student's Path to College or Law School

By Barrier Breakers, Inc.

Sponsor a First-Generation Student's Path to College or Law School

Help a student from high school to college—or from college to courtrooms.