In 2004, at the urging of Jane Donahue, a former College Summit writing coach who had recently moved to St. Louis and saw the need for the program in her new hometown, educators and community leaders escorted a small cohort of students from St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) to a College Summit workshop in Colorado. By the end of the weekend, nine rising seniors were ten steps ahead in the college application process, two college counselors had seen a system that would allow them to do their jobs more effectively, and seven school and community leaders had become passionately committed to bringing College Summit to St. Louis.

With additional buy-in from superintendents, school administrators, and the higher education and business communities, College Summit-St Louis began working with underserved communities in the St. Louis metropolitan area in 2005. Since that time, College Summit has impacted more than 6,500+ youth. In addition to partnering with St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) we have expanded into the Normandy district and Shearwater Education Foundation. Since working with College Summit, SLPS has achieved a 13% increase in their college enrollment rates.  Additionally, St. Louis Public Schools has met the Missouri Department of Education College Placement Accreditation Standard for 2008, 2009 and 2010. 

In 2011-12, College Summit is helping build a stronger college-going culture and helping launch 1,702 students to college and career success.

School Partners for 2011-12: Beaumont, Carnahan High School of the Future, Central VPA, Cleveland NJROTC, Clyde C. Miller Career Academy, Gateway Institute of Technology, McKinley Classical Leadership Academy, Northwest Academy of Law, Roosevelt, Soldan International Studies, Sumner, Vashon, Normandy Senior High School and Shearwater High School.