Educational reform in the United States has focused on several factors such as academic achievement, performance on standardized test scores, dropout rates, the mandate of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 (Dee and Jacob, 2010) and other changes. A new call for a broader and bolder strategy for educational reform that focused on enrichment programs, workshops for parents and school health services was issued by Steen and Noguera, 2010. They also encouraged school counselors to seek out and connect with programs in the community that offered enrichment activities outside of school hours. Given the importance of out of school enrichment programs, this presentation explores the experiences, practices and perceptions of first generation college students that enhanced their desire to remain in school and graduate. In addition, it will examine the influence of academic factors and practices as well as extracurricular experiences and participation in Upward Bound, a special enrichment program, on their graduation rate.