College Edge | Emotional Intelligence for College Persistence | TGG
Thurman Group Global - College Edge

Getting In
Was The
Easy Part.

One in three first-generation college students leaves without a degree. Not because they are not smart enough. Because no one prepared them emotionally for what college actually demands. College Edge is the clinical solution, built as a lifetime practice that begins in summer and continues through career.

2x
First-generation students more likely to leave without a degree
Common App 2025, n=785,300
45 pts
Graduation gap between highest and lowest income groups
Pell Institute, 2024
+9%
Retention odds per one-unit EI stress resilience increase
JEHD, 2025
+11%
College graduation lift from structured EI programs
UBC/U Illinois/Loyola, 97K students
The Problem

The Gap Is Not Academic.
It Is Emotional.

Students who leave college are not academically underprepared. They are emotionally underprepared. They struggle with stress management, fight impostor syndrome, and lack the interpersonal skills to navigate relationships and institutional culture.

These are measurable, developable emotional intelligence competencies. The exact skills that predict whether a student persists or leaves are the same ones the EQ-i 2.0 assessment measures and College Edge develops.

College Edge is the only program in the Southeast delivering clinically validated EQ-i 2.0 and DISC Communication Mapping assessments, administered by an OTD clinician-educator, specifically designed to close this gap.

EQ-i 2.0 SUBSCALE RELEVANCE TO COLLEGE PERSISTENCE

Stress ResilienceStrongest predictor of retention (JEHD 2025)
Self-RegardProtects against impostor syndrome
Impulse ControlReduces at-risk behavior Year 1
FlexibilityNavigates institutional culture shift
Social ConnectionBuilds campus belonging
Choose Your Path

Find Yourself.
Find Your Door.

College Edge serves three buyers. The path is different depending on who is making the decision.

Path 1

For Students and Families

Tiered programs from summer bridge through Year 1 of college. Built for the family making a completion investment, not just an admission decision.

Path 2

For Schools and Institutions

Partnership programs for private schools, faith-based schools, HBCUs, and community colleges. Foundation, Growth, and Premier contracts available.

Path 3

See the Research

The clinical evidence, the FMU pre/post EQ-i 2.0 study, and the structural analogy behind College Edge. Built for the board member, the academic, and the parent who needs proof.

The Clinician Behind the Program

Not a Coach.
A Clinician-Educator.

Dr. Tremayne Thurman, OTD, holds a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina. He is one of a small number of certified EQ-i 2.0 and Maxwell Method DISC practitioners in the Southeast delivering clinical assessments to high school and college students.

College Edge is not a workshop. It is a clinical intervention designed with peer-reviewed methodology.

OTD
MUSC Graduate
EQ-i 2.0
MHS Certified
DISC
Maxwell Method Certified
FMU Pre/Post Study: Fall 2026A pre/post EQ-i 2.0 data study is currently underway at Francis Marion University. The first publication drawing on the partnership is expected in Fall 2026.
The Southeast OpportunityThe Southeast is the only US region projected to grow its high school graduate population through 2041. College Edge is positioned at the center of that growth.
College Persistence Program

Three Stages. One Journey. A Lifetime Practice.

College Edge is not a one-time program. It is a practice that begins the summer before college, deepens through the degree, and continues into your professional career. Tap any stage to see what gets built.

1
Summer Before
The Foundation
Summer bridge launch
2
Year 1
The Continuation
12-month structured support
3
Years 2 to 4
The Compounding
Annual renewal practice
4
Career and Beyond
The Application
Lifetime EQ practice

The Foundation

Summer Before College
Begins with Launch

The summer before college is the most strategic moment in a student's preparation, and almost no one uses it well. The Launch tier gives your student a clinical map of how they are wired emotionally, how they communicate under pressure, and where they will need to grow before campus arrival.

What Gets Built
  • EQ-i 2.0 baseline assessment
  • DISC behavioral profile
  • 60-minute 1:1 report debrief
  • Parent debrief and partnership
  • Shared EQ vocabulary at home
  • Weekly persistence call community
Ready to see what each stage costs? The full pricing page lays out every tier, every payment option, and the Parent Partner Add-On.
See Full Pricing
The 20-Year Return

Every Graduate Is a
Future Alumni Donor.

The most research-supported predictor of alumni giving is not income, not degree major, and not solicitation frequency. It is the student's sense of belonging during enrollment. College Edge builds the emotional intelligence that builds belonging.

Drezner and Pizmony-Levy, 2021 | NAIS Median School: $1.51M annual giving, 2024

5.6x
More likely to donate: connected graduates vs. uninvolved peers
Souto-Otero and Donnelly, 2024
4th yr
Consecutive year of declining alumni donor counts
CASE VSE Survey, 2025
See the Full ROI Case for Schools
The Persist Method

One Method.
A Complete Ecosystem.

College Edge is the consumer and institutional applied layer of The Persist Method, the EQ-grounded approach to college persistence developed by Dr. Tremayne Thurman, OTD. Every entry point below draws from the same clinical method.

GET IT
FREE
CHAPTER 1
01 Summer 2026

Persist, Your Destiny Awaits

The book. A clinical and personal field guide to persistence by Dr. Tremayne Thurman, OTD. Free Chapter 1 available now. Full book launches Summer 2026.

Get Chapter 1 Free →
02 Summer 2026

The Persist Workbook

The companion workbook. Practical exercises and EQ-grounded prompts to deepen the book's lessons. Pairs with the College Edge cohort sessions.

Coming Summer 2026
03 2027

The Persist Method Online

The self-paced course. Twelve modules, video lessons from Dr. Thurman, OTD, and downloadable practice tools.

Coming 2027
04 Available Now

Senior Year Life Skills Lab

Twelve-week curriculum from Chapter 9. Sleep, money, time, food, body, communication, anchor. Pairs with senior-year college prep programming.

From $497
See Lab →
05 Available Now

College Edge Launch

The consumer summer bridge tier. For families ready to invest directly in their student's pre-college EQ work.

$1,000 / student
See Launch Tier →
06 Available Now

College Edge Momentum

The consumer twelve-month tier. For graduates already enrolled in college who need ongoing EQ coaching support.

$2,497 / student
See Momentum →
07 Available Now

College Edge Persist Advantage

The consumer premium twelve-month tier. The most comprehensive coaching engagement through Year 1 of college.

$3,997 / student
See Persist Advantage →
08 Available Now

The Persist Workshop

The institutional engagement. Half-day, full-day, and multi-day programs for faculty, college counseling teams, advancement staff, and trustees.

Included in Growth and Premier
See School Tiers →
09 2027

Certified Facilitator Program

For school counselors, advisors, and faculty who want to deliver The Persist Method at their school year-round under TGG licensing.

Coming 2027
Ready to Begin

Your Students Deserve
More Than Admission.

They deserve completion. College Edge gives them the emotional intelligence to make it happen.

Academic Leadership Voice

From the Business and Economics Faculty.

"Technical competence may open the door to leadership, but emotional intelligence determines whether a leader can sustain trust, influence people, and guide an organization effectively. Dr. Thurman's message underscores that leadership development is not a one-time event but a continuous process."

Dr. Rodney L. McCrowre
Assistant Department Chair, Assistant Professor of Management | Fayetteville State University, Broadwell College of Business and Economics