The Reach Higher Initiative was started by former First Lady Michelle Obama during her time at the White House. First launched in 2014, Reach Higher works to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university. Through its Better Make Room and UpNext campaigns, Reach Higher has celebrated more than a million students going to college, championed the school counseling community, and nudged hundreds of thousands of first-generation and low-income students to complete their college and FAFSA applications. In 2019, Reach Higher joined the Common App, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to promoting access, equity, and integrity in the college admissions process.