Overcoming the 3 Roadblocks to Getting to and Through College College Knowledge Challenge

Dr. Keith Frome Ed.d Co-Founder, College Summit, Inc. Washington, DC Headmaster, The King Center Charter School Buffalo, NY

What is COLLEGE SUMMIT? 3

Founded in 1993, College Summit partners with high schools in low income communities to provide curricula, professional development, technology, peer leadership training and milestone and outcomes data to increase postsecondary success rates 4

The College Access Issue: “In today’s economy, a college degree is in greater demand than ever before. Unfortunately, issues such as rising tuition costs and confusion about complex college admission and financial aid processes keep many qualified students from entering college. Many of those who do enroll face additional challenges finding the support and resources they need to graduate. These factors have left today’s young Americans less likely to obtain college degrees than members of their parents’ generation.” THE NATIONAL COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK 5

6 The Current State of Postsecondary Access Definitions: When we use the term “college” we mean any postsecondary education with value in the market-place. “College” therefore refers to community colleges, 2-year colleges, 4-year colleges, technical and vocational schools.

The College Graduation Trajectory of High Income vs. Low Income Kids 7

College Going Changes Families and Communities Those who have attended college: Are more likely to be employed and have higher wage jobs Report increased job satisfaction Are more likely to volunteer for youth, civic, or community organizations Are more likely to read books at home three or more times/week Children of college-educated parents: Are more likely to graduate from high school and continue on to college Are more likely to enjoy higher cognitive development Daughters of college-educated mothers are considerably less likely to become unmarried teen parents 8

If college is so important, why aren’t more low income students enrolling and graduating from college? 9

Roadblocks for College Entrance and Completion for Low-income Students Information on college selection, admissions, and financial aid requirements and processes Information on college transfer, scholarship, and graduation requirements and processes INFORMATION Positive influence from college-going peers Connection and modeling from successful college attaining peers PEERS Strong college planning skills Strong career planning skills PLANNING 10

What makes A DIFFERENCE? 11

Successful College and Career Planning 12 PLANNING

Successful College Planning Establishing emerging career goals and envisioning a positive future possible self Navigating curricular requirements for college admissions from 9th through 12th grades and developing a comprehensive college-ready course of study, including honors, A.P. and I.B. courses Preparing for SAT and ACT, including taking the PSAT Building a strong high school resume, including extra-curricular activities, athletics, work, internships, and community service Identifying teachers who can write strong Letters of Recommendation Developing a relevant college List Creating a transition plan and budget for college, including an understanding of how to sustain financial aid once in college. 13 PLANNING

Successful Career Planning Charting the pathway(s) from college major to career, including work experience and graduate school Tapping into campus resources for help with academics as well as personal and career development Establishing strong time and money management skills Considering the practical, financial, and educational implications of college major options Tracking remedial, distribution, and major course requirements, and sequencing courses into a four-year graduation plan 14 PLANNING

Essential College Enrollment and Persistence Information 15 INFORMATION

Essential College Enrollment and Persistence Information Students need to know: When are college application deadlines, and what is required to be competitive for admission(individual or common application?) When are FAFSA and State aid application deadlines, and what information/documentation is required? How to adjudicate FA and admission offers? How to develop a plan to sustain FA once enrolled in college. What is expected on the College Application essay and how to write a compelling statement? 16 INFORMATION

Essential College Enrollment and Persistence Information (cont.) What colleges have high retention and graduation rates for low- income, minority students? When (and how much)is the deposit required for enrollment, and when will first semester tuition be due; when and how should freshman register for their first semester? Which majors lead to which careers? What academic and time requirements are necessary for the successful completion of an intended degree? 17 INFORMATION

What is required to sustain the financial aid package throughout college; what additional aid/scholarship opportunities are available for performing, enrolled students? How do I access support on a college campus to ensure graduation? What is required to transfer from a two-year to a four-year institution? What are the starting salaries and longer-term salary ranges for various career options; what are the graduate school and internship/experience requirements for identified careers? What is the monthly debt service on the student loan and how does that relate to the expected monthly salary? 18 INFORMATION Essential College Enrollment and Persistence Information (cont.)

College-Going Peers 19 PEERS

The Power of Peer Support and Social Networks for College Success Harness the positive influence of peers in students’ imagining of what is possible for themselves Create opportunities for peers to demonstrate, practice, and grow their grit and advocacy skills with one another Explore the possible pathways from high school to and through college to career Generate opportunities for students to in turn to their peers when obstacles appear on their path to college Encourage students to participate in a college bridge and/or orientation program 20 PEERS

The Power of Peer Support and Social Networks for College Success (cont.) Create information sharing networks about financial, academic, extra- curricular and career opportunities Orient and Motivate students to engage with campus advising resources Get Students involved in campus extra-curricular activities Connect students with major- and aspirational career- aligned mentors Generate opportunities to overcome obstacles through help from others who have faced and surmounted similar obstacles. 21 PEERS

What Drives Postsecondary Success? Information: Provide Accurate, Accessible, Easy-to-Access, Easy-to-Use, Relevant and Sensitive Information about Navigation and Possibility Training: Train users to access and employ and follow through on college navigation information; build the capacity to use the information to maximize its impact on the trajectory of a student’s life Management: Provide on-going coaching so that students are nurtured and nagged to follow through on necessary tasks to enroll in and graduate from postsecondary institutions 22

Current Platform: The Schools Themselves What Successful Schools Are Doing to Increase Postsecondary Achievement College-Going Culture: College is the default expectation for all students Focus on Freshman: College planning and college-ready academic remediation begin immediately for high school freshmen; colleges ensure that first-year students are well supported and guided Postsecondary Success Metric: College Achievement is the ultimate metric of success Universal Support: Academic rigor is a necessary but not sufficient condition for college success; college navigation support is provided for all students during the school day and on campus Peer Leadership: Students use organizing and social networking techniques to create college going and college success culture for their schools Implementation Management: College navigation programs are measured for milestone achievement outcomes 23

A New Platform: The College Knowledge Challenge. Mobile Apps Available for All Students Collegeknowledgechallenge.org Targeted Innovation: Apps focus on one or more of the three major roadblocks (e.g. planning, information, or peers) Understanding: Apps understand the realities of 1st generation students Interactivity: Deliver a user-friendly interface that provides information AND support/coaching to students Social Engagement: Social networking drives engagement and impact Accessibility: Apps are accessible to 1st generation students, in terms of pricing and distribution Data: Apps yield insight into what drives application, enrollment and persistence. 24

Your Questions? 25