College Access Initiative

College Access Initiative

Tim FitzgibbonNational Council of Higher Education Loan Programs

(NCHELP)

La Toya SykesBrian McGill

College Access Initiative Work Group

Session 8

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

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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

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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

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Examples of Access Programs

• “I’m 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

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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

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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

– School’s 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

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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

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Examples of Access Programs• Example—Tax 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

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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

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College Access Initiative - Implementation

• NCHELP—facilitating a work group of guaranty agency representatives—College 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 Initiative’s 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

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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

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College Access Initiative – Comprehensive Listing

• College Access Initiative Work Group (continued)

– Creating a central location for students, families and educators to visit—so 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 portal—with information for each state

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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

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Going2college.org Features

• Comprehensive information about

– career planning

– planning for postsecondary education

– finding a college

– paying for college

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• 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

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• 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

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• 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.

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• 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!

“Utah - A State’s Perspective”

Brian McGill, M.Ed., LPC

Manager of School & Outreach Services

College Access

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.

• UHEAA’s 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

UHEAA’s 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

UHEAA’s 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 counselor’s 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 Utah’s 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).

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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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Paying for College

• 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

ACCESS AFFORDABILITY

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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

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Education and Training PayMedian Income by Education Level

$22,437$30,356

$45,776

$65,301

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

$70,000

HS Diploma AA, AS, Cert. BS Degree AdvancedDegree

Avg. Income for Utah Adults

Institute for Higher Education Policy (2005): The Investment Payoff, Appendix 1

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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 associate’s degree.

- ACT Ready for College=Ready for Workforce Training, May 2006.

35

A Changing Workforce

• More than 2/3 of new jobs require some postsecondary education

37%

22%

10%31% No High School

High School DiplomaSome PostsecondaryBachelor's Degree

Source: Carnevale, Anthony P., and Donna M Desrochers, Standards for What? The Economic Roots of K-16 Reform, Educational Testing Service, 2003.

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Lack of Preparation• Many high school students are not preparing

themselves for college

1. 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.

2. In 2006, only 24 percent of these students tested ready for college-level coursework in all three

areas (biology, algebra and English comp).

3. The number of these students who don’t meet the benchmarks increases between 10th and 12th

grades because they aren’t taking rigorous courses their last two years of high school. (2006 ACT, Measuring

College Readiness.)

3143

74

2742

69

0

20

40

60

80

College Biology College Algebra College EnglishComposition

Utah

Nation

Pe

rce

nt

Re

ad

y

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Lack of Participation• The chance of enrolling in college by age 19 has declined by 11%

compared with a national decline of 2%.

Participation

UtahTop

States

20061992 2006

Young Adults (60%)

18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college 41% 34% 41%

Working-Age Adults (40%)

25- to 49-year-olds enrolled part-time in any type of

postsecondary education 3.9% 3.9% 5.1%

*Measuring Up, 2006, **Updated from original Measuring Up Report Card

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Lack of Participation

24

83

100

17

36

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Graduate with associate's in 3years or bachelor's in 6 years

Still enrolled in 2nd year

Immediately enter college

Graduate from HS 4 yearslater

Ninth graders

Utah Students

The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Policy Alert Supplement “Utah’s Educational Pipeline,” April 2004

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Lack of Completion• The percentage of the population holding bachelor’s 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

Both Sexes Male Female

Age Group Utah U.S. Utah U.S. Utah U.S.

25 to 34 years 25.4 27.5 25.6 25.7 25.3 29.4

35 to 44 years 26.3 25.9 29.8 25.8 22.7 26.0

45 to 64 years 30.1 26.4 35.6 29.3 24.7 23.7

65 years and over 19.2 15.4 26.8 20.5 13.3 11.8

•Source: Utah Foundation, June 2004, Utah’s Higher Education Graduates

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Lack of Completion

83.2

56.5

79.9 68.7

80.4

83.6

72.3

52.4

80.4 70.9

27.1 19.8

9.8

36.4

9.1

24.4

26.1

14.3

10.4

44.1

11.5

87.7

89.9

26.1

0102030405060708090

100

Total White Black Hispanic Asian/PacificIslander

AmericanIndian/Alaska

Native

UT - % With High School Diploma or Higher US - % With High School Diploma or Higher

UT - % With Bachelor's Degree or Higher US - % With Bachelor's Degree or Higher

Source: Bureau of the Census, 2000 (updated 2003)

Highest Level of Educational Attainment,Age 25+, by Race/Ethnicity

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Percent of Adults with an Associate’s Degree or Higher - 2003

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25 to 3445 to 54

Source: Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, American Community Survey

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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

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• Over 100,000

5,434

19,578

38,606

24,000

05,000

10,00015,00020,000

25,00030,00035,000

40,000

2003 2004 2005 2006

Fiscal Year

Accounts Created

05 - 06

04 - 05

03 - 04

02 - 03

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• Over 734,000

94,627173,578

221,732 246,926

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

2003 2004 2005 2006

Fiscal Year

Visits / Sessions

05 - 06

04 - 05

03 - 04

02 - 03

45

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

Plan Select eBackPack Apps Pay Careers

Modules

UtahMentor Module Usage

2003

2004

2005

2006

46

33,039

75,111 81,710108,129

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

2003 2004 2005 2006

Fiscal Year

eBackpack

05-06

04-05

03-04

02-03

47

20,71534,669 34,951

54,994

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

2003 2004 2005 2006

Fiscal Year

Plan for College

05-06

04-05

03-04

02-03

48

6,43317,332

22,822

41,856

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

2003 2004 2005 2006

Fiscal Year

ACT/SAT/GRE Prep

05-06

04-05

03-04

02-03

49

575,6111,029,493

1,804,5842,391,528

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

2003 2004 2005 2006

Fiscal Year

UtahMentor Page Views

05-06

04-05

03-04

02-03

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1,872,7974,576,344

9,224,48410,996,935

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

2003 2004 2005 2006

Fiscal Year

UtahMentor Site Hits

05-06

04-05

03-04

02-03

Over 30 Million

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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 thisat no costto the student

Documents

College Access Initiative