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College Access Initiative

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... participate in College Goal Sunday. 12 agencies operate or support college resource centers ... Educate about the college admissions process and financial aid ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: College Access Initiative


1
College Access Initiative
Session 8
  • Tim Fitzgibbon
  • National Council of Higher Education Loan
    Programs (NCHELP)
  •  
  • La Toya Sykes
  • Brian McGill
  • College Access Initiative Work Group
  •  

2
College Access Initiative
  • Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
  • Each guaranty agency shall promote access to
    postsecondary education by
  • Providing a comprehensive listing of
    postsecondary education opportunities, programs,
    publications and other services available in
    their designated state
  • Publicizing information for students and
    traditionally underrepresented populations on
    college planning, career preparation, and paying
    for college

3
Background
  • The 35 guaranty agencies
  • State and non-profit entities
  • Administer the Federal Family Education Loan
    (FFEL) Program
  • Inform students and parents of educational and
    financial aid opportunities
  • Provide an extensive range of services and
    programs that increase awareness of
  • Importance of higher education
  • Opportunities Available
  • Financial support

4
Guaranty Agencies Promote Access
  • Guaranty agencies
  • Reach out to millions of students and families to
    inform them about how to
  • Prepare for college
  • Plan for their career
  • Pay for their postsecondary education
  • Manage their finances
  • Work with partners to identify schools and
    communities with low college-going rates and
    target specialized services and scholarships to
    improve those rates

5
Guaranty Agencies Promote Access
  • Last year, guaranty agencies
  • Provided more than six million pieces of college
    awareness, financial aid and financial literacy
    materials
  • Participated in more than 8,400 financial aid
    workshops and events that reached more than
    900,000 students and families and more than 7,800
    school guidance counselors
  • 17 agencies actively participate in College Goal
    Sunday
  • 12 agencies operate or support college resource
    centers
  • 7 agencies involved in federal TRIO programs
  • 14 agencies directly involved in a state GEAR UP
    Program

6
Examples of Access Programs
  • Im Going To College early awareness program
  • Fifth and sixth grade students from schools with
    large low-income populations
  • One month learning about college culminating in a
    day on a college campus, including interaction
    with students and professors
  • Reached 4000 thousand students in four states in
    FY 2005

7
Examples of Access Programs
  • Trailblazer Program
  • Comprehensive three-day training workshop
    presented on a college campus by guaranty agency
    staff and other financial aid professionals
  • Educate about the college admissions process and
    financial aid
  • One high school junior is nominated by each
    public and non-public high school in the state
  • Each Trailblazer shares knowledge of financial
    aid procedures with peers throughout their senior
    year of high school

8
Examples of Access Programs
  • Program for High Schools with a large number of
    low-income students
  • Identify those who would most benefit from
    additional tutoring and grant incentives
  • Schools selection committee focuses on students
    with potential who may not have sufficient
    motivation or resources to pursue postsecondary
    education
  • Up to 100 students a year are eligible to earn
    6,000 each in scholarships for their
    postsecondary education

9
Examples of Access Programs
  • Guaranty agencies partner with a range of
    organizations (TRIO, GEAR UP, College Goal
    Sunday, Schools, Community Organizations,
    Libraries, State Agencies, Churches, YMCAs) to
  • Leverage services
  • Reach more schools, students and families

10
Examples of Access Programs
  • ExampleTax Assistance Program (TAP) is provided
    by a non-profit organization
  • Guaranty agency provides intensive training for
    1600 TAP tax assistance volunteers
  • Volunteers can also assist with FAFSA completion
    questions
  • In 2005, TAP volunteers helped more than 1,100
    individuals complete a FAFSA.
  • Average TAP client is a single mother with an
    annual income below 15,000

11
Financial Literacy
  • Promote Financial Literacy Early in the Process
  • Reach Parents Before They Become Parents
  • Reach Students Before They Become Borrowers
  • Stress Basic Money Management
  • Promote Responsible Borrowing
  • Ensure Understanding of Return on Investment
  • Promote Choices That Recognize Wants vs. Needs

12
College Access Initiative - Implementation
  • NCHELPfacilitating a work group of guaranty
    agency representativesCollege Access Initiative
    Work Group
  • College Access Initiative Work Group
  • Chaired by Steven Brooks, Executive Director of
    the North Carolina State Education Assistance
    Authority
  • Meeting regularly since February to develop
    implementation plans to fulfill the Initiatives
    two main requirements
  • Met with representatives from the Office of
    Postsecondary Education and Federal Student Aid
    to share ideas and receive feedback

13
College Access Initiative - Mission
  • Link students and families, especially those from
    groups underrepresented in higher education, to
    information and resources that enhance access to
    college and other higher education programs
  • So they can learn about
  • the college planning process, and
  • the help available to succeed
  • Promote the economic health and well-being of
    states residents and communities

14
College Access Initiative Promote Access
  • College Access Initiative Work Group
  • Sharing information and developing best practices
  • Working with an advisory committee of college
    access experts
  • Working with the access community to learn more
    about existing programs and to increase awareness
    about guaranty agency materials and programs
  • Developing resources and forums to help agencies
    expand their outreach activities to reach a
    broader number of students, families and
    organizations

15
College Access Initiative Comprehensive Listing
  • College Access Initiative Work Group (continued)
  • Creating a central location for students,
    families and educators to visitso agencies can
    display and promote a comprehensive listing of
    the programs and services in their state
  • Reached out to Mapping Your Future, a
    comprehensive college, financial aid and career
    planning Web site, which is sponsored by guaranty
    agencies, to develop a portalwith information
    for each state

16
College Access Initiative Comprehensive Listing
  • Each agency has developed the state-based section
    for their designated states in a Web site called
    www.going2college.org

17
Going2college.org Features
  • Comprehensive information about
  • career planning
  • planning for postsecondary education
  • finding a college
  • paying for college

18
Going2college.org Features
  • Click on state for visitors to learn where to
  • Get help in filling out a FAFSA
  • Learn the types of federal and state scholarships
    and grants available
  • Locate organizations and schools that offer early
    awareness and intervention programs for students,
    with a special emphasis on low-income and
    first-generation college students

19
Going2college.org Features
  • Details on
  • College resources centers in the state
  • College information and financial aid awareness
    events
  • Assistance provided to low-income, and
    first-generation college students through
    programs including Upward Bound, Talent Search,
    GEAR UP and Project Grad
  • A central location for the extensive
    postsecondary education resources offered at the
    local, state and national level

20
Going2college.org Features
  • Links by each state to a list of the access and
    outreach programs included in the National
    College Access Program Directory, hosted by
    Pathways to College Network and the National
    College Access Network, that are available in
    that state.

21
Going2college.org Features
  • Next Steps
  • NCHELP and the work group are promoting the site
    in conjunction with Federal Student Aid, schools,
    education associations, state organizations and
    access program providers
  • Help us get the word out!

22
Utah - A States Perspective
College Access
  • Brian McGill, M.Ed., LPC
  • Manager of School Outreach Services

23
Who is UHEAA?
  • UHEAA exercises delegated responsibility for
    oversight and
  • governance of the student Federal financial
    aid programs
  • on behalf of the Utah State Board of Regents.
  • UHEAA provided 25 million back to student
    borrowers
  • in 2006 through incentives, benefits, grants,
    scholarships.
  • UHEAAs cohort default rate is 2.7, which is
    4th lowest
  • nationally. The national rate is close to 5.
  • UHEAA encourages saving for college with our
  • Utah Education Savings Plan (UESP).
  • UHEAA receives no state appropriated funding.

24
UHEAAs Outreach and College Access Programs
  • Began in 2001-2002 with one staff member
  • In 2006, through the HERA Mandate, now includes a
    staff of five.
  • 3 Primary 2 Secondary
  • Partner with statewide 9.6 million GEARUP
    program.
  • Gaining Early Awareness Readiness for
    Undergraduate Programs
  • Encompasses Four Utah Colleges and Universities
  • Grades 7 12
  • First Generational, Low Income, Ethnic Minority
    Students
  • UtahMentor.org, Going2college.org,
    StudentTracker, and support materials/resources.

25
UHEAAs Outreach Access Mission
  • is to provide access to college, and to
    assist all students and parents with making
    informed decisions about preparing,
    participating, completing, and paying for Higher
    Education in Utah.

26
Access Support Resources
  • UtahMentor.org / going2college.org Free premier
    sites for college, career, and financial aid
    planning.
  • StudentTracker (National Student Clearinghouse)
    A utility to gather real-time factual data on
    where students are enrolled, retained, and
    graduated from post-secondary education
    institutions.
  • Counselor Guidance Support Staff that provide
    student and parent groups statewide, support
    counselors role of required guidance curriculum,
    support for the SEOP (Student Educational
    Occupational Plan), statewide workshops, and
    financial literacy.
  • Emphasis on Admissions FAFSA assistance
  • Partner with Utahs Higher Education institutions
  • Organizational Partnerships Educational Boards,
    USCA, MESA, Communities, Mayoral Offices,
    Chambers of Commerce, City Councils, etc
  • Literary Resources Planning for Life After High
    School (Spanish), UtahMentor, Paying for College
    Workbooks, HS Senior College Guide Book, FAFSA
    publications.
  • ACT/SAT TestPrep Campaign of 2005 Provided
    10,000 calculators and 2 pencils to high schools
    across the state of Utah, in conjunction with the
    Fall ACT Exam dates.
  • ACG Workshops Training for all Utah secondary
    school counselors.
  • College/Financial Aid Nights Student Parent
    workshops (Admissions FAFSA).

27
UtahMentor.org Going2college.org
  • Post-Secondary Planning Utilities
  • Methodology Explore, Plan Prepare, Apply and
    Pay for College
  • Supports the 7th through 12th grade preparation
    plan in Utah
  • UtahMentor.org (state specific)
  • Primary Interactive College Information Delivery
    System
  • Enables user to save, store, update, add, delete,
    individual college planning information
    (ebackpack).
  • Going2college.org (national)
  • State by state guide to resources, assistance,
    and information, relating to post-secondary
    planning.
  • Assists students with out of state college
    planning information.

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31
Paying for College
ACCESS
AFFORDABILITY
  • Top two indicators, Fall 2006, Secretary of
    Education, Margaret Spellings to Congress
  • Helping Students Overcome Barriers
  • Educating Students about All College Options!
  • Work (Full or Part Time), Grants, Scholarships,
    Work-Study, and Student Loans

32
Overcoming Access Barriers
  • Serving Underserved Students
  • -Lower Income, Rural, Ethnic Minority, First
    Generational
  • Provide Expectations and Opportunities
  • State Scholars Initiative
  • Academic Rigor
  • Alleviate Post-Secondary Remediation
  • Understanding Cultural Differences
  • Behavior, Language, Appearance, Sense of Identity
  • REACH Training (Respecting Ethnic and Cultural
    Heritage)
  • Eliminate Tracking for Failure
  • Inadequate Academic Guidance
  • -Large Counselor Ratios
  • Tracking Post-Secondary Enrollment, Retention,
    Graduation
  • Opening Pathways to College Access
  • Setting High Expectations

Source National Association of Secondary School
Principles, Bill Melinda Gates Foundation
33
Education and Training PayMedian Income by
Education Level
Institute for Higher Education Policy (2005) The
Investment Payoff, Appendix 1
34
A Changing Workforce
  • 90 of jobs providing a wage to sustain a family
    of four typically require some combination of
    vocational training and on-the-job experience or
    an associates degree.
  • - ACT Ready for CollegeReady for Workforce
    Training, May 2006.

35
A Changing Workforce
  • More than 2/3 of new jobs require some
    postsecondary education

Source Carnevale, Anthony P., and Donna M
Desrochers, Standards for What? The Economic
Roots of K-16 Reform, Educational Testing
Service, 2003.
36
Lack of Preparation
  • Many high school students are not preparing
    themselves for college

Percent Ready
  • The above chart demonstrates the percentage of
    21,561 Utah high school students who took the ACT
    in 2005-2006 and tested ready for their first
    credit-bearing college-level course in three
    areas.
  • In 2006, only 24 percent of these students tested
    ready for college-level coursework in all three
    areas (biology, algebra and English comp).
  • The number of these students who dont meet the
    benchmarks increases between 10th and 12th grades
    because they arent taking rigorous courses their
    last two years of high school. (2006 ACT,
    Measuring College Readiness.)

37
Lack of Participation
  • The chance of enrolling in college by age 19 has
    declined by 11 compared with a national decline
    of 2.

Measuring Up, 2006, Updated from original
Measuring Up Report Card
38
Lack of Participation
The National Center for Public Policy and Higher
Education, Policy Alert Supplement Utahs
Educational Pipeline, April 2004
39
Lack of Completion
  • The percentage of the population holding
    bachelors degrees changes across demographic
    groups.

Utah Losing Ground in 2002Utah ranks 12th in the
nation in the 45-64 age group, but only 32st in
the nation for the 25-34 age group
  • Source Utah Foundation, June 2004, Utahs Higher
    Education Graduates

40
Lack of Completion
Highest Level of Educational Attainment,Age 25,
by Race/Ethnicity
Source Bureau of the Census, 2000 (updated 2003)
41
Percent of Adults with an Associates Degree or
Higher - 2003
42
How are we measuring our program efforts?
  • Anecdotal Feedback Surveys
  • Students, Parents, Counselors, etc
  • Site improvements based on feedback
  • UtahMentor.org Usage Statistics
  • New Milestone of 2.5 million hits in October
  • Over 100,000 Student Accounts in four years of
    operation
  • StudentTracker in all Utah High Schools
  • Enrollment, retention, and graduation
  • Aggregate vs. cohorts

43
  • Over 100,000

44
  • Over 734,000

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Over 30 Million
51
Recent Milestones
  • Averaging over 1 Million hits since Oct. 05
  • Over 100,000 Student Accounts Established
  • Over 800,000 Individual User Sessions
  • Over 30 Million Hits
  • Over 13,000 Applications Processed

52
Increase Participation
  • Implement institutional goals of increasing
    participation rates by 0.5 annually
  • This translates to 12,000 additional full-time
    students in five years, system-wide
  • This translates to 21,000 additional full-time
    students in 10 years, system-wide

53
Increase Completion
  • U.S. Department of Education The Toolbox
    Revisited, cites a rigorous course of study,
    entering college immediately after high school,
    and completing at least 20 semester hours during
    first year of college translate to a more certain
    and timely completion of a degree.

54
Higher education is central to our well-being as
individuals and as a state.
  • In the agricultural age, postsecondary
    education was a pipe dream for most Americans. In
    the industrial age, it was the birthright of only
    a few. By the space age, it became common for
    many. Today, it is just common sense for all.
  • -National Commission on the High School Senior
    Year

55
UtahMentor.org
  • SEOP Student Educational Occupational Plan
    (Grades 8-12)Career Exploration
  • College Planning (Majors Campus Exploration)
  • Test Preparation (UBSCT, ACT, SAT)
  • Admissions Applications
  • Paying for College / FAFSA Transfer
  • Scholarship Searches
  • AP/CE Articulation
  • eBackPack (Save, Store, Update, Add, Delete
    Portfolio)
  • Student Tracking Communications (Counselor
    Center)
  • StudentTracker (Track Success of GEAR UP Students
    Beyond High School)
  • Track Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation in
    College

all of this at no cost to the student
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