\ iGraduate Road Map to Success Day 1, PART A Why iGraduate? 1

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iGraduateRoad Map to Success

Day 1, PART AWhy iGraduate? 1

Why ‘Ascending Lights iGraduate:Road Map to Success’?

•Good paying JOBS are urgently needed for members of our community…

AS WELL AS…

•for the good of our local economies.

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•College education is the path to the good paying jobs in the modern workplace.

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•Of the 20 fastest growing occupations today, more than half require an associate’s degree or higher.

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•A college degree increases one’s chance of employment by nearly 50%.

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Why Ascending Lights iGraduate?

• A college degree results in higher salaries than people with a high school diploma.

www.college.gov

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10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

No High School High School 2-Year Degree 4-Year Degree

Annual Salary & Educational Attainment

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•We believe in the vital importance of our local community colleges as pathways to occupational and financial success.

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Of those individuals attending public colleges in California 70 to 75% are enrolled in community colleges.

These colleges are playing a critical role in meeting the state’s demand for highly skilled workers.

Los Angeles Times, October 20, 2010 8



And..“Because community colleges serve groups that are underrepresented in other higher education systems, they are essential for reducing racial/ethnic disparities in educational attainment.”The Public Policy Institute of California

But tragically……… 9



Only about 1/3 of those students in the California community college system ever earn a degree, certificate, or transfer after 6 years.

Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy

And…10



Of those students who failed to obtain a degree or transfer within 6 years …85% eventually dropped out!


Why?

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The problem is that “California community college students increasingly enter the system with little in their personal experiences that equip them to succeed in college without proactive and continual guidance.”


But sadly…12



At one California community college, “…Getting more than 10 minutes of one-on-one time with an academic advisor is almost impossible.”

Inside Higher Ed, May 29, 2012

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At another community college, there are “13 full time counselors available to serve more than 30,000 full time and part time students.”

The Telescope, April 23, 2012

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Why ‘Ascending Lights iGraduate:Road Map to Success’ ?

“Pasadena City College had to turn away 2,500 students who sought counseling over a recent 6 month period.”

Inside Higher Ed, May 29, 2012

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The available academic planning tools including websites are all there. But students don’t necessarily have the expertise and knowledge to bring all those pieces together and utilize them in a way that’s best for them.

P.J. DaMaris, Counseling Services Chairwoman, Palomar College, The Telescope, April 23, 2012

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So, with such an impossible shortage of qualified community college counselors, what is the solution?

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A viable solution is to “…use paraprofessionals (A.A. and B.A. level) to do much more of the routine and bureaucratic advising, leaving the Master’s Degree level counselors available for the more critical services that they are trained to provide.”

The Campaign for College Opportunity18



… And that is exactly what Ascending Lights Leadership Network has been doing for almost 20 years.And now with Ascending Lights iGraduate…We are training qualified members of the community to use our proven academic planning and mentoring systems so that they can fill the void for much needed volunteer “paraprofessional” mentors.

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SO LET’S BEGIN!

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iGraduate:Road Map to Success

A MENTOR TRAINING AND SUPPORT PROGRAM …

INTENDED TO HELP COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS TO:

• apply to college• choose a college major and career,• develop a personalized Road Map to Success

or Academic Plan,• discover available student services,• obtain free financial aid, and• graduate with a college certificate or degree 21

WHAT IT IS:iGraduate

Road Map to Success

• A SUBSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE COUNSELING DEPARTMENTS OR OTHER STUDENT SERVICES

• New state laws require students to have counselor approved Academic Plans on file at their colleges.

• Students must meet with college counselors to fine tune, and obtain approval for, their academic plans.

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WHAT IT IS NOT..iGraduate

Road Map to Success

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iGraduate provides general direction only.•Resources, tools, and information provided by iGraduate are intended for informational purposes only. •iGraduate provides no warranty about the content or accuracy of content offered. •iGraduate advises mentors, trainers, and students to check with the community college for the most current and accurate information regarding academic planning and other requirements or resources.

WHAT IT IS NOT..iGraduate

Road Map to Success

STUDENTS ATTEND COMMUNITY COLLEGE

FOR ONE OF THREE REASONS

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Community College

Career Certificate

Associate Degree

University Degree

The Road Maps to Success

Career

Career

Career

Up to 70 units can count toward

requirements for a four year degree

Associate Degree and/or

Transfer

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(Resource Tab 6, #1 in your workbook)

In this seminar, we will use a case study to help you learn how to construct a

Road Map to Success

for a student wishing to earn an Associate’s Degree and transfer to a four year university

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Documents

\ iGraduate Road Map to Success Day 1, PART A Why iGraduate? 1