Guiding the Way to Higher Education:

Families, Counselors, and Communities Together

AndStep-by-Step to College Workshops

for Students

An Important Policy Issue

• Six out of every ten jobs in our economy depend on workers with at least a two-year college degree.

• A shortage of 14 million college-educated workers is predicted by 2020.

• Despite extensive financial aid expenditures, the gap between low-income and high-income students attending college today is roughly the same as that participation gap in the 1960s.

• Improving academic preparation for college and ensuring affordability, especially for low-income students and students of color, has widespread support from researchers, policymakers, and advocates.

Underrepresentation

African-American, Latino and Native American students are still significantly underrepresented in college in general and in four-year colleges in particular.

College Enrollment rates:• First-generation students - 59% • Students with parent with a 4-year degree - 93%.

Rural students, despite better high school graduates rates, enroll in college at rates 6% lower than the national average, and 8% lower than their metropolitan counterparts.

Underrepresentation

• 76 percent of high-income high school graduates immediately enroll in a college or trade school. Only 49 percent of low-income graduates enroll immediately.

• 86 percent of high-income, high achieving secondary school students go on to college, while only 50 percent of low-income, high achievers enroll in postsecondary education.

• Young people whose family income is under $25,000 have less than a 6 percent chance of earning a four-year college degree.

Research Evidence On College Access Gap

• Lower financial barriers to college affordability

• Ensure better academic preparation for college

• Encourage counselors to advise students for college and focus schools on their college preparatory mission

• Increase the quality and quantity of college entrance and financial aid information

• Engage families as college preparation partners

Families As College Preparation Partners• Family encouragement stimulates students forming

college plans by 8th grade in time to take a college preparatory high school curriculum.

• Family support and early educational plans predict students 1) developing and maintaining college aspirations, 2) sustaining motivation and academic achievements, and 3) actual college enrollment.

• Consistent communication among students, parents, and school personnel predicts increased enrollment in college.

• The major need of parents is to have an accurate understanding of college costs and the financial aid system

www.nacacnet.org

NACAC Resources – Guiding the Way to Higher Education

• Families, Counselors, Communities Together (FCCT)– Prepared programs for parents

• Step-by-Step to College– 3 separate curriculums – middle school,

early high school, late high school

www.nacacnet.org

FCCT Purpose

Provide information to parents and guardians that will help them become informed, confident

advisors to their children about postsecondary academic

options.

• Overview

• Using the Guide

• Essentials– Objectives, Message, Introductions, Discussion

Questions, Activities

• Essential Resources

• Resource Bibliography

** Workshop Evaluations included**

FCCT - Layout

www.nacacnet.org

www.nacacnet.org

Essential IBuilding a Foundation for

Educational Success

• Importance of families to student success

• Provide methods of collaboration between families and schools

• Identify how families become involved in students’ education

• Explain study skills

www.nacacnet.org

Essential IISetting the Stage for Dreams

to Become Reality

• Early planning and exploring educational options

• Research the benefits, and become aware of hard work and necessary planning

• Encourage students to dream and set goals

• Early financial planning

www.nacacnet.org

Essential III

Charting a Challenging High School Experience

• Postsecondary education

• Educational routes

• Interest, values and abilities as pertains to decision-making

• Record of achievement

www.nacacnet.org

Essential IV

Follow the Road to College

• High school to college transition

• College application process

• Educational goals

www.nacacnet.org

Essential V

Paying for College

• College costs and financial aid

• Financial planning

Step-by-Step to College

• 45-60 minute student centered lesson plans with optional parent sessions

• Sequential program• middle school students in grades 7 and 8• early high school students in grades 9, 10,

and first semester grade11• late high school students in the second

semester of grade 11 and grade 12

Middle School Curriculum

• Challenge students to see college admissions and attendance as a goal

• Help students assess their interests, strengths, and academic habits

• Explain concepts about college options and financial aid

Middle School Curriculum

• Provide a template for building a college preparatory curriculum

• Encourage students to build a profile and support network to help them reach their college goals

Early High School Curriculum

• Instill the belief that college is accessible and affordable

• Demonstrate ways for students to build a strong curricular and extracurricular foundation

• Develop an understanding of and a plan for standardized testing

Early High School Curriculum

• Promote the need for self-motivation and a network of adult mentors

• Assess career interests and aspirations as a way to research college options

Late High School Curriculum

• Develop a strategic plan for the college search and application process and the transition to college

• Review standardized test questions and schedule test dates

• Provide more in-depth analysis of career interests

Late High School Curriculum

• Guide students through the application and essay process

• Walk students through the financial aid process

Middle School Session I:It’s All About Me: My Future Goals

• Activity #1: Peer Connections Handout: Ice Breaker Bingo• Activity #2: What Do You Like Handout: My Interests Chart• Activity #3: Making a Name for Myself Handout: Career Fact Sheet/Business Card Exercise

Early Awareness Resource List

• NACAC- FCCT and Step-by-Step to College www.nacacnet.org

• Center for Student Opportunity http://www.csopportunity.org/

• College For Every Student www.collegefes.org

• College: Making It Happen www.certicc.org/collegemakingit.aspx

• Dream to Reality http://www.collegezone.com/counselorzone/265.htm

Early Awareness Resource List

• ECMC Foundation – The College Place http://www.ecmcfoundation.org/thecollegeplace/

• Get Ready for College www.getreadyforcollege.org

• KnowHow2Go www.knowhow2go.org

• Pathways to College www.pathwaystocollege.net