Guiding the Way to Higher Education:

1
Guiding the Way to Higher Education Families,
Counselors, and Communities Together And Step-by-S
tep to College Workshops for Students
2
An Important Policy Issue
Patricia M. McDonough Professor, Higher Education
Organizational Change Vice Chair, Department of
Education Co-Director, Educational Leadership
Program Graduate School of Education
Information Studies UCLA

• 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.

3
Underrepresentation
Patricia M. McDonough Professor, Higher Education
Organizational Change Vice Chair, Department of
Education Co-Director, Educational Leadership
Program Graduate School of Education
Information Studies UCLA

• 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.

4
Underrepresentation
Minnesota Office of Higher Education

• 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.

5
Research Evidence On College Access Gap
Patricia M. McDonough Professor, Higher Education
Organizational Change Vice Chair, Department of
Education Co-Director, Educational Leadership
Program Graduate School of Education
Information Studies UCLA

• 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

6
Families As College Preparation Partners
Patricia M. McDonough Professor, Higher Education
Organizational Change Vice Chair, Department of
Education Co-Director, Educational Leadership
Program Graduate School of Education
Information Studies UCLA

• 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

7
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

8
FCCT Purpose

• Provide information to parents and guardians that
  will help them become informed, confident
  advisors to their children about postsecondary
  academic options.

9
FCCT - Layout

• Overview
• Using the Guide
• Essentials
• Objectives, Message, Introductions, Discussion
  Questions, Activities
• Essential Resources
• Resource Bibliography
• Workshop Evaluations included

10
Essential I

• Building 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

11
Essential II

• Setting 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

12
Essential III

• Charting a Challenging High School Experience
• Postsecondary education
• Educational routes
• Interest, values and abilities as pertains to
  decision-making
• Record of achievement

13
Essential IV

• Follow the Road to College
• High school to college transition
• College application process
• Educational goals

14
Essential V

• Paying for College
• College costs and financial aid
• Financial planning

15
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

16
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

17
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
  

18
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

19
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

20
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

21
Late High School Curriculum

• Guide students through the application and essay
  process
• Walk students through the financial aid process

22
Middle School Session IIts 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

23
Early Awareness Resource List

• NACAC- FCCT and Step-by-Step to College
  www.nacacnet.org
• Center for Student Opportunity http//www.csopport
  unity.org/
• College For Every Student www.collegefes.org
• College Making It Happen www.certicc.org/collegem
  akingit.aspx
• Dream to Reality http//www.collegezone.com/counse
  lorzone/265.htm

24
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