College Open Houses: To Go, or Not to Go? Is it College Admission Help?
Snow may be covering the football fields on many campuses, but colleges all over the country are blooming with open houses. Often scheduled to coincide with high school vacations like Presidents Day and Spring Break, these day-long programs offer juniors and their parents the chance to take a close look at a college, and see if perhaps it should be a must add to the list of 6-8 colleges students should have as possible schools come fall of their senior year.
Visiting college campuses is an absolute must for all juniors. Counselors report an amazingly high number of juniors who have never been on a college campus, except for the occasional football game. These students really need to hit the college trail, if only to get a feel for what makes one college different from another; just like families buying houses (yes, they used to do that) know they have to walk around a house and see the neighborhood, students need to try on a campus and see if it feels like home, since that’s what a college will be for the next few years.
At the same time, open houses might not be the best time to visit. For starters, open houses bring a huge number of visitors to campus at the same time, which means it’s business as unusual for a campus—and how can you get a sense of what a 1200 student campus is really like if 600 high school students and parents are in the mix that day? In addition, maybe what you need on a day off from high school is—well, a day off. Visiting colleges is important, but if you’ve just finished a tough slate of final exams, maybe a trip to the paintball palace is a better use of the day.
What’s the best way to tell if the open house is a must do? Check the schedule of activities. Many open houses consist of a welcome from the admissions office, a tour, a chance to sit in on a class, an information session on the college, and a chance to ask about financial aid. This is all essential material, but there’s a good chance you can still get all of this information (often in the exact same format) if you visit campus some other time. Check out the college’s Visit Us Web site to find out what’s available on non-open house days, and look closely to make sure you can sit in on classes; if all of this is regularly available, the open house becomes a can do, not a must do—talk with your parents, and make your best call…
…and whenever you visit, do your best to do both the tour and the information session. Tours tend to be a good overview of what the college sees as its best stuff; if the tour guide talks more about student organizations than academics and spends more time showing you the workout facilities than the science labs, that says something about what the college values, and that’s important for you to compare to what you value. The information session usually offers more details about the college—here’s the time to ask about study abroad, research opportunities, and admission requirements. Most of this information is also covered when the college visits your high school, but Mom and Dad won’t hear it at your high school, and it wouldn’t hurt you to hear this lowdown as a family—so do both whenever you go, and be sure to debrief in the car.
College Open Houses: To Go, or Not to Go? Is it College Admission Help?
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
College students get big boost in aid for College Grants
College students get big boost in aid for College Grants
Stimulus bill, fed budget offer larger grants, more loan options
Marisa Schultz / The Detroit News
Michigan college students are in line to benefit this year from the largest increase ever in federal student aid spending, under measures rolled out in the early days of the Obama administration.
Between the president's budget proposal, and last month’s economic stimulus act, students and their families are poised to have greater access to grant programs, more options for low-interest federal loans and tax credits geared toward reducing the debt burden and, ultimately, the impact of rising tuition costs.
"This is landmark legislation for students, families, colleges and universities," Terry Hartle, senior vice president at the American Council on Education, said of the stimulus funds. "It provides the biggest increase in student aid spending in the nation's history."
The relief will be especially welcome in Michigan, where the average public university tuition approaches $9,000, making it one of the most expensive states in the nation in which to earn a college degree. With annual tuition hikes -- averaging 7 percent last year -- the gulf between federal financial aid and the cost of an education has widened significantly over the past decade.
While the Obama measures would increase direct aid to students, it's too early to tell whether the state will allocate the stimulus money in a way that will allow Michigan universities to freeze tuition this year.
University leaders, however, say the investment in education presents many opportunities.
"It has the potential to be a great boost for Michigan families and universities," said Michael Boulus, executive director of the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan.
Among the key provisions of the stimulus funds and Obama's budget proposal:
• Grants: The stimulus act increases the maximum Pell Grant -- federal gift aid for the neediest students -- from $4,731 to $5,350 this year and $5,550 by 2010. The move is expected to increase the number of recipients by 800,000 for a total of 7 million students.
Students would receive $500 more on average, said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Finaid.org. The boost will increase access and lessen the need for student loans.
Getting more Pell Grant money and taking out fewer loans is good news to Eastern Michigan University student Chris Rolston, 18.
"I would feel relieved," said Rolston, who pays for school between loans, his federal work study and about $900 in Pell Grants. He worries whether he can repay the money he borrowed. "It's just hard to pay back with the economy. The only job I have is through the school, and it's hard to find more jobs around here."
The president's budget aims to stabilize Pell Grant funding by increasing the award by the rate of inflation plus 1 percentage point annually, ensuring the grant keeps pace with tuition prices.
"The more we can minimize borrowing, the better off they will be when they graduate," said Val Meyers, associate director of the Office of Financial Aid at Michigan State University , where about 6,500 students received Pell Grants in the 2006-07 school year.
• Student loans: The federal Perkins loan program would undergo a massive expansion that would allow all colleges and universities to participate in this low-interest loan program. The number of participating schools would grow from 1,800 to 4,400, giving 2.7 million new low-income students access to the loans. The loan volume would go from $1 billion to $6 billion, a move that may lessen the need for private, costlier student loans.
The 5 percent interest rate would stay the same, but interest would accrue while students are in school, under Obama's budget proposal.
The Obama budget proposal would effectively eliminate banks as lenders of federal money and instead insist students borrow directly from the federal government. Michigan's 15 public universities use the direct student loan program, but most community and private colleges still use the bank-based program and would have to convert under the Obama budget proposal.
The bank-as-lender program was already on "life support" since many banks have dropped out of the student loan business amid financial turmoil, and taking away their subsidies could save $4 billion a year, according to Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
• Tax credits: Families making up to $180,000 will see nearly $14 billion for tuition tax credits, raising the credit from $1,800 to $2,500 for money spent on tuition, fees and now textbooks, under the stimulus act. For the first time, families that don't owe taxes can get up to a $1,000 rebate. The budget proposes to make this tax credit permanent.
• Work study: The stimulus act increases work-study funds by $200 million, which would enable 81,000 more students to qualify for campus job programs, Kantrowitz said.
• Job retraining: Michigan will receive about $193 million for worker retraining programs, said Mike Hansen, president of the Michigan Community College Association, which represents all 28 public colleges in Michigan.
This stimulus money, state leaders say, means more people can access the state's No Worker Left Behind program that pays for tuition of displaced workers seeking training in emerging careers. With the high unemployment rate, that program has developed wait lists, and the demand is huge for more funding, Hansen said.
The bottom line is that "community colleges, as one of the leading training providers, will be the beneficiary of much of that money," Hansen said.
• College completion: Obama's budget proposal calls for a $500 million grant program for federal-state-local partnerships to improve retention and graduation rates, particularly for low-income students. Details were not clear on how money would be divvied up, but funds would support research into what works to help increase the college completion rate, according to the administration.
College students get big boost in aid for College Grants
Stimulus bill, fed budget offer larger grants, more loan options
Marisa Schultz / The Detroit News
Michigan college students are in line to benefit this year from the largest increase ever in federal student aid spending, under measures rolled out in the early days of the Obama administration.
Between the president's budget proposal, and last month’s economic stimulus act, students and their families are poised to have greater access to grant programs, more options for low-interest federal loans and tax credits geared toward reducing the debt burden and, ultimately, the impact of rising tuition costs.
"This is landmark legislation for students, families, colleges and universities," Terry Hartle, senior vice president at the American Council on Education, said of the stimulus funds. "It provides the biggest increase in student aid spending in the nation's history."
The relief will be especially welcome in Michigan, where the average public university tuition approaches $9,000, making it one of the most expensive states in the nation in which to earn a college degree. With annual tuition hikes -- averaging 7 percent last year -- the gulf between federal financial aid and the cost of an education has widened significantly over the past decade.
While the Obama measures would increase direct aid to students, it's too early to tell whether the state will allocate the stimulus money in a way that will allow Michigan universities to freeze tuition this year.
University leaders, however, say the investment in education presents many opportunities.
"It has the potential to be a great boost for Michigan families and universities," said Michael Boulus, executive director of the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan.
Among the key provisions of the stimulus funds and Obama's budget proposal:
• Grants: The stimulus act increases the maximum Pell Grant -- federal gift aid for the neediest students -- from $4,731 to $5,350 this year and $5,550 by 2010. The move is expected to increase the number of recipients by 800,000 for a total of 7 million students.
Students would receive $500 more on average, said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Finaid.org. The boost will increase access and lessen the need for student loans.
Getting more Pell Grant money and taking out fewer loans is good news to Eastern Michigan University student Chris Rolston, 18.
"I would feel relieved," said Rolston, who pays for school between loans, his federal work study and about $900 in Pell Grants. He worries whether he can repay the money he borrowed. "It's just hard to pay back with the economy. The only job I have is through the school, and it's hard to find more jobs around here."
The president's budget aims to stabilize Pell Grant funding by increasing the award by the rate of inflation plus 1 percentage point annually, ensuring the grant keeps pace with tuition prices.
"The more we can minimize borrowing, the better off they will be when they graduate," said Val Meyers, associate director of the Office of Financial Aid at Michigan State University , where about 6,500 students received Pell Grants in the 2006-07 school year.
• Student loans: The federal Perkins loan program would undergo a massive expansion that would allow all colleges and universities to participate in this low-interest loan program. The number of participating schools would grow from 1,800 to 4,400, giving 2.7 million new low-income students access to the loans. The loan volume would go from $1 billion to $6 billion, a move that may lessen the need for private, costlier student loans.
The 5 percent interest rate would stay the same, but interest would accrue while students are in school, under Obama's budget proposal.
The Obama budget proposal would effectively eliminate banks as lenders of federal money and instead insist students borrow directly from the federal government. Michigan's 15 public universities use the direct student loan program, but most community and private colleges still use the bank-based program and would have to convert under the Obama budget proposal.
The bank-as-lender program was already on "life support" since many banks have dropped out of the student loan business amid financial turmoil, and taking away their subsidies could save $4 billion a year, according to Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
• Tax credits: Families making up to $180,000 will see nearly $14 billion for tuition tax credits, raising the credit from $1,800 to $2,500 for money spent on tuition, fees and now textbooks, under the stimulus act. For the first time, families that don't owe taxes can get up to a $1,000 rebate. The budget proposes to make this tax credit permanent.
• Work study: The stimulus act increases work-study funds by $200 million, which would enable 81,000 more students to qualify for campus job programs, Kantrowitz said.
• Job retraining: Michigan will receive about $193 million for worker retraining programs, said Mike Hansen, president of the Michigan Community College Association, which represents all 28 public colleges in Michigan.
This stimulus money, state leaders say, means more people can access the state's No Worker Left Behind program that pays for tuition of displaced workers seeking training in emerging careers. With the high unemployment rate, that program has developed wait lists, and the demand is huge for more funding, Hansen said.
The bottom line is that "community colleges, as one of the leading training providers, will be the beneficiary of much of that money," Hansen said.
• College completion: Obama's budget proposal calls for a $500 million grant program for federal-state-local partnerships to improve retention and graduation rates, particularly for low-income students. Details were not clear on how money would be divvied up, but funds would support research into what works to help increase the college completion rate, according to the administration.
College students get big boost in aid for College Grants
Monday, March 2, 2009
USA Funds Introduces Online Loan College Counseling for Parent-Borrowers
USA Funds Introduces Online Loan College Counseling for Parent-Borrowers
INDIANAPOLIS -- USA Funds(R), the nation's leading education loan guarantor, announces the introduction of a new component of its suite of online counseling programs for federal education loan borrowers. USA Funds Parent PLUS Guide(SM) entrance counseling is designed to help parent-borrowers make more-informed decisions about the use of Federal PLUS loans to help finance their children's college studies.
"Parents should be aware of the unique terms and conditions of PLUS loans before they borrow," said Denise B. Feser, USA Funds senior vice president, customer relations. "Postsecondary institutions can offer this counseling to parents to help them understand their rights and responsibilities as PLUS loan borrowers, and even integrate the program into the loan application process."
Federal PLUS loans are federally guaranteed loans that parents can use to help pay a dependent undergraduate student's college costs. Parent PLUS loan borrowing has grown to nearly $7 billion annually.
USA Funds Parent PLUS Guide offers the following features:
• A glossary of education loan terms.
• Items parents should consider before taking out a PLUS loan.
• A description of the PLUS loan Master Promissory Note, the adverse-credit check and the alternatives for parents with adverse credit.
• PLUS loan terms and conditions.
• Borrower rights and responsibilities, including the responsibility of the parent to repay the PLUS loan.
• PLUS loan repayment plans and options for PLUS loan borrowers who need payment relief.
• The definition and consequences of default.
• USA Funds Parent PLUS Guide is part of the USA Funds Loan Counselor(R) suite of online loan counseling tools. Other components include:
• USA Funds Stafford Loan Guide(SM) entrance counseling for undergraduates.
• USA Funds Student Loan Transition Guide(SM) exit counseling for undergraduates.
• USA Funds Grad Guide(SM) entrance and exit counseling for graduate and professional students.
For more information about USA Funds Parent PLUS Guide and the other components of USA Funds Loan Counselor, visit www.usafunds.org/financial_aid and select "Debt Management" and "USA Funds Loan Counselor."
USA Funds Introduces Online Loan College Counseling for Parent-Borrowers
INDIANAPOLIS -- USA Funds(R), the nation's leading education loan guarantor, announces the introduction of a new component of its suite of online counseling programs for federal education loan borrowers. USA Funds Parent PLUS Guide(SM) entrance counseling is designed to help parent-borrowers make more-informed decisions about the use of Federal PLUS loans to help finance their children's college studies.
"Parents should be aware of the unique terms and conditions of PLUS loans before they borrow," said Denise B. Feser, USA Funds senior vice president, customer relations. "Postsecondary institutions can offer this counseling to parents to help them understand their rights and responsibilities as PLUS loan borrowers, and even integrate the program into the loan application process."
Federal PLUS loans are federally guaranteed loans that parents can use to help pay a dependent undergraduate student's college costs. Parent PLUS loan borrowing has grown to nearly $7 billion annually.
USA Funds Parent PLUS Guide offers the following features:
• A glossary of education loan terms.
• Items parents should consider before taking out a PLUS loan.
• A description of the PLUS loan Master Promissory Note, the adverse-credit check and the alternatives for parents with adverse credit.
• PLUS loan terms and conditions.
• Borrower rights and responsibilities, including the responsibility of the parent to repay the PLUS loan.
• PLUS loan repayment plans and options for PLUS loan borrowers who need payment relief.
• The definition and consequences of default.
• USA Funds Parent PLUS Guide is part of the USA Funds Loan Counselor(R) suite of online loan counseling tools. Other components include:
• USA Funds Stafford Loan Guide(SM) entrance counseling for undergraduates.
• USA Funds Student Loan Transition Guide(SM) exit counseling for undergraduates.
• USA Funds Grad Guide(SM) entrance and exit counseling for graduate and professional students.
For more information about USA Funds Parent PLUS Guide and the other components of USA Funds Loan Counselor, visit www.usafunds.org/financial_aid and select "Debt Management" and "USA Funds Loan Counselor."
USA Funds Introduces Online Loan College Counseling for Parent-Borrowers
A Bigger Federal Role for College Grants and College Funding
A Bigger Federal Role for College Grants and College Funding
The proposal would tie Pell Grants to inflation for the first time and make the government the direct lender for all federally backed student loans
By Gale Holland
The government proposes to take on a greatly expanded role in making college affordable and in ensuring that students earn degrees or credentials.
Pell Grants would be tied to inflation for the first time since their inception, providing annual raises for recipients. The grant program also would be turned into a entitlement program with guaranteed funding, like Social Security or Medicare.
"We're ending the era of zero responsibility, and making an investment critical to our economic future," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a conference call with reporters.
Pell Grants are the bedrock of college aid, but soaring tuition and fees over the last two decades have eroded their value. Twenty years ago, the grants covered 50% of the cost of education at a public college, including room and board, and 20% at a private college. By 2008, the figures had slipped to 32% of public college costs and 13% of private costs.
President Obama also proposes that the government become the direct lender for all federally backed student loans, ending subsidies to private lenders and saving the government $4 billion annually.
The subsidized program provided $56 billion in loans to 6 million students last year. The government's direct loan program provided $14 billion in loans to 1.5 million students.
Kevin Bruns, executive director of America's Student Loan Providers, opposed the proposal, saying guaranteed loans from private lenders had been "a rare source of stability for families. Now is not the time to talk about abolishing them."
Obama is seeking to significantly boost Perkins loans, which colleges award to students with unexpected expenses. The money had been allocated to a limited number of institutions under a formula that favored older, more established private colleges and excluded community colleges, said Sandy Baum, senior policy analyst for the College Board.
Under Obama's proposal, that money would be available to 2.7 million students at all 4,400 higher- education institutions.
The president resisted calls to raise loan limits, which some analysts said could trigger spiraling tuition or over-borrowing.
In another initiative, the president is seeking $2.5 billion to partner with states in programs to keep college students on track until they finish their education.
Just under half of the nation's college students obtain a degree or certificate, Baum said.
Obama also called for simplifying the complicated financial aid application process, but he did not say how he would do it.
Several analysts said they are waiting to see details in what could be the pivotal element in the plan.
"If they don't simplify the system, it will never be as effective as it could be," Baum said.
Many higher-education advocates praised the budget proposals.
"It goes beyond anything any of us could have wished for," said Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Assn. of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and a frequent critic of higher-education funding schemes.
"It's visionary," he said. "You'd have to go back to Lyndon Johnson to find a commitment to education like this. This isn't just more money, it's intelligently spent money."
A Bigger Federal Role for College Grants and College Funding
The proposal would tie Pell Grants to inflation for the first time and make the government the direct lender for all federally backed student loans
By Gale Holland
The government proposes to take on a greatly expanded role in making college affordable and in ensuring that students earn degrees or credentials.
Pell Grants would be tied to inflation for the first time since their inception, providing annual raises for recipients. The grant program also would be turned into a entitlement program with guaranteed funding, like Social Security or Medicare.
"We're ending the era of zero responsibility, and making an investment critical to our economic future," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a conference call with reporters.
Pell Grants are the bedrock of college aid, but soaring tuition and fees over the last two decades have eroded their value. Twenty years ago, the grants covered 50% of the cost of education at a public college, including room and board, and 20% at a private college. By 2008, the figures had slipped to 32% of public college costs and 13% of private costs.
President Obama also proposes that the government become the direct lender for all federally backed student loans, ending subsidies to private lenders and saving the government $4 billion annually.
The subsidized program provided $56 billion in loans to 6 million students last year. The government's direct loan program provided $14 billion in loans to 1.5 million students.
Kevin Bruns, executive director of America's Student Loan Providers, opposed the proposal, saying guaranteed loans from private lenders had been "a rare source of stability for families. Now is not the time to talk about abolishing them."
Obama is seeking to significantly boost Perkins loans, which colleges award to students with unexpected expenses. The money had been allocated to a limited number of institutions under a formula that favored older, more established private colleges and excluded community colleges, said Sandy Baum, senior policy analyst for the College Board.
Under Obama's proposal, that money would be available to 2.7 million students at all 4,400 higher- education institutions.
The president resisted calls to raise loan limits, which some analysts said could trigger spiraling tuition or over-borrowing.
In another initiative, the president is seeking $2.5 billion to partner with states in programs to keep college students on track until they finish their education.
Just under half of the nation's college students obtain a degree or certificate, Baum said.
Obama also called for simplifying the complicated financial aid application process, but he did not say how he would do it.
Several analysts said they are waiting to see details in what could be the pivotal element in the plan.
"If they don't simplify the system, it will never be as effective as it could be," Baum said.
Many higher-education advocates praised the budget proposals.
"It goes beyond anything any of us could have wished for," said Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Assn. of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and a frequent critic of higher-education funding schemes.
"It's visionary," he said. "You'd have to go back to Lyndon Johnson to find a commitment to education like this. This isn't just more money, it's intelligently spent money."
A Bigger Federal Role for College Grants and College Funding
Saturday, February 28, 2009
College Admission News: Benefits of Early College Planning Debated
College Admission News: Benefits of Early College Planning Debated
By Candice Evans
Staff Writer
Delaware Media Group
PRINCESS ANNE -- As students scramble to meet fast-approaching college application deadlines, they are often told to "look beyond the name" in Greg Montressor's guidance office.
"Picking a college requires a lot of thought and research," said Montressor, who schedules appointments with Washington High School seniors during the college selection process. "I always ask, 'Have you had a chance to visit the campus yet?' "
Last week, the National Association for College Admission Counseling released new research that suggests high school students avoid the college early-admissions frenzy because they may be more likely to regret their decision later in life.
"Many young people are being pressured into making college choices before they are developmentally ready," said Michigan State University sociologist Barbara Schneider, author of a report that examines the psychological and social implications of admission policies.
Though she said that case "has yet to be made empirically," she cites her forthcoming research, implying "students who make these choices very early without having opportunities to explore other options, (in their 20s) report some dissatisfaction with their college choices and lives."
David Hawkins of the nonprofit NACAC said the findings support some members' concerns that students are being rushed.
This year, about 37 percent of Salisbury University's applicant pool utilized the nonbinding "early action" option, which went into effect at the college nearly five years ago, said Aaron Basko, director of admissions.
"It eases some of that anxiety that goes along with the college decision process," said Basko, whose office notified early-bird students of their acceptance in January. "It just allows students to get that answer faster without tying them down."
Maureen Williams, guidance counselor at James M. Bennett High School, said she generally recommends students apply early if they decide that a particular college is "above and beyond all other schools."
Austin Wigley, 18, began planning his future at Duke University after attending a basketball game in the eighth grade. The JMB senior, who was named the male winner of Maryland's 2008 Wendy's High School Heisman Program, applied "early decision," which constitutes a binding commitment to enroll in the North Carolina school in September. He also filled out 10 applications for other colleges just in case he didn't make the cut.
"A lot of schools have great basketball teams," said Wigley, who received his Duke acceptance letter in December. "But after looking at Duke as whole, it really sold me."
Tyrone Young, director of admissions and recruitment at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, said most of the college's prospective students often wait until after Christmas to tour the campus.
The college may not offer an early-admissions option, but Young said that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
"Students need (a chance) to feel connected to the university, even to the highest level of the president," he said.
College Admission News: Benefits of Early College Planning Debated
By Candice Evans
Staff Writer
Delaware Media Group
PRINCESS ANNE -- As students scramble to meet fast-approaching college application deadlines, they are often told to "look beyond the name" in Greg Montressor's guidance office.
"Picking a college requires a lot of thought and research," said Montressor, who schedules appointments with Washington High School seniors during the college selection process. "I always ask, 'Have you had a chance to visit the campus yet?' "
Last week, the National Association for College Admission Counseling released new research that suggests high school students avoid the college early-admissions frenzy because they may be more likely to regret their decision later in life.
"Many young people are being pressured into making college choices before they are developmentally ready," said Michigan State University sociologist Barbara Schneider, author of a report that examines the psychological and social implications of admission policies.
Though she said that case "has yet to be made empirically," she cites her forthcoming research, implying "students who make these choices very early without having opportunities to explore other options, (in their 20s) report some dissatisfaction with their college choices and lives."
David Hawkins of the nonprofit NACAC said the findings support some members' concerns that students are being rushed.
This year, about 37 percent of Salisbury University's applicant pool utilized the nonbinding "early action" option, which went into effect at the college nearly five years ago, said Aaron Basko, director of admissions.
"It eases some of that anxiety that goes along with the college decision process," said Basko, whose office notified early-bird students of their acceptance in January. "It just allows students to get that answer faster without tying them down."
Maureen Williams, guidance counselor at James M. Bennett High School, said she generally recommends students apply early if they decide that a particular college is "above and beyond all other schools."
Austin Wigley, 18, began planning his future at Duke University after attending a basketball game in the eighth grade. The JMB senior, who was named the male winner of Maryland's 2008 Wendy's High School Heisman Program, applied "early decision," which constitutes a binding commitment to enroll in the North Carolina school in September. He also filled out 10 applications for other colleges just in case he didn't make the cut.
"A lot of schools have great basketball teams," said Wigley, who received his Duke acceptance letter in December. "But after looking at Duke as whole, it really sold me."
Tyrone Young, director of admissions and recruitment at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, said most of the college's prospective students often wait until after Christmas to tour the campus.
The college may not offer an early-admissions option, but Young said that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
"Students need (a chance) to feel connected to the university, even to the highest level of the president," he said.
College Admission News: Benefits of Early College Planning Debated
College Counselors Help Charter Grads Stay in College
College Counselors Help Charter Grads Stay in College
By Jennifer Mrozowski / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- University Prep High School was founded with a mission to graduate 90 percent of its students and send most to college.
A year and a half after the Detroit charter school graduated its first class, the plan seems to be working -- in a city where just over half the students graduate from high school.
School officials credit financial aid to students and a full-time counselor who tracks their progress.
"With support, urban students can get into college, but few stay in," said Doug Ross, founder of the U Prep schools and CEO of New Urban Learning, the non profit that manages the schools. "The better we get at preparing them, the easier it is for them to stay in and finish."
Of the class of 2007, comprised entirely of African-American students, 83 percent re-enrolled in the same four-year universities as sophomores, while 57 percent re-enrolled in the same two-year colleges -- surpassing national averages.
A 2008 study by ACT showed that nationwide, 73 percent of freshmen re-enroll in the same four-year public colleges, and 54 percent re-enroll in public two-year colleges. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, analyzed by the Washington D.C.-based Education Trust, show re-enrollment rates for African-American students are significantly lower.
A key component of the students' success is College Success Counselor Chandra Davis-Evans, who visits the grads on their campuses to discuss their grades. She e-mails them regularly, holds forums on financial aid tips and other topics and meets with college officials to discuss strategies to assist the students.
What she's learning about the students' strengths and weaknesses in college is being used to improve the curriculum at the Detroit high school.
University Prep officials, which pledged to graduate 90 percent of high school students and send 90 percent to post-secondary schooling, say tracking students' progress is vital to knowing if the school is meeting its mission. Michigan high schools are required to track college retention rates, and Detroit Public Schools' officials say the district doesn't track those statistics.
Daria Hall, director of K-12 policy at the Education Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to closing the achievement gap between students, said only about half of states are able to match enrollment records between K-12 education and higher education institutions.
Too few high schools track their students' college progress, she said.
"If (college) students are not doing well, we need to find out what the K-12 system can do to better prepare students," she said.
Shannon Junior, 20, who is attending Wayne State University, credits Davis-Evans' visits and counseling with helping him stay in school. While at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Ill., last year, his grades were slipping. He was homesick and struggling with bills. Davis-Evans sensed he needed a good talking-to, he said.
"I kind of was like 'I don't want her to know how bad I was doing, but she wanted to know," he said.
Over a plate of shrimp alfredo at Red Lobster, which Davis-Evans paid for, Junior told her of his struggles. The college success counselor talked to him about the merits of being at college near home and a support network.
Taking Davis-Evans' advice, Junior transferred and his grades have improved at Wayne State, he said. U Prep also awarded Junior a $1,000 scholarship.
Providing scholarships to graduates, most of whom are low-income, has become central to U Prep's college retention strategy, Ross said.
"We decided we had to get into the scholarship business," he said, adding that most students struggle financially because there is a gap between college tuition and financial aid.
In 2007, U Prep students received $125,000 in scholarships from the school through private fundraising, Ross said. The Thompson Education Foundation, which financed the startup of the school, also provided thousands of additional dollars in scholarships. Even more money was awarded to the class of 2008. Their financial support is contingent on the school continuing to meet its graduation goals.
The school currently has 512 students in high school and 1,620 students in the full system, which includes two elementary and a middle and high school. In 2007, its high school graduation rate was 93 percent, and up to 98 percent last year.
Davis-Evans also makes sure students are on top of filling out financial aid forms.
Henry Ford Community College student Princess Collins, 21, visited Davis-Evans recently after she had trouble logging into the federal financial aid Web site.
"It's good that we can come to her whenever we have questions about college," she said. "She's a good resource."
Tracking college retention rates has given a window into how the students are faring academically, Ross said, which is helping improve the high school curriculum. Officials found U Prep graduates in demanding programs, like the University of Michigan, need more rigorous math and heavier workloads.
The high school has since increased the math courses for students who are struggling. The school also reduced students' participation in unpaid internships to two days a week one trimester a year, instead of every trimester, to allow more time for tougher coursework.
The class of 2008 had to agree to authorize U Prep to see their college grades if they received school scholarships. Future years' scholarship winners might be more dependent on the grades they receive in high school, Davis-Evans said.
Though two $50,000 grants paid for Davis-Evans' position the first two years, Ross said the school is committed to finding a way to fund it permanently. Students like Junior think that's invaluable.
"Ms. Evans is one of the main reasons I'm still in school," Junior said. "She motivates me."
College Counselors Help Charter Grads Stay in College
By Jennifer Mrozowski / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- University Prep High School was founded with a mission to graduate 90 percent of its students and send most to college.
A year and a half after the Detroit charter school graduated its first class, the plan seems to be working -- in a city where just over half the students graduate from high school.
School officials credit financial aid to students and a full-time counselor who tracks their progress.
"With support, urban students can get into college, but few stay in," said Doug Ross, founder of the U Prep schools and CEO of New Urban Learning, the non profit that manages the schools. "The better we get at preparing them, the easier it is for them to stay in and finish."
Of the class of 2007, comprised entirely of African-American students, 83 percent re-enrolled in the same four-year universities as sophomores, while 57 percent re-enrolled in the same two-year colleges -- surpassing national averages.
A 2008 study by ACT showed that nationwide, 73 percent of freshmen re-enroll in the same four-year public colleges, and 54 percent re-enroll in public two-year colleges. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, analyzed by the Washington D.C.-based Education Trust, show re-enrollment rates for African-American students are significantly lower.
A key component of the students' success is College Success Counselor Chandra Davis-Evans, who visits the grads on their campuses to discuss their grades. She e-mails them regularly, holds forums on financial aid tips and other topics and meets with college officials to discuss strategies to assist the students.
What she's learning about the students' strengths and weaknesses in college is being used to improve the curriculum at the Detroit high school.
University Prep officials, which pledged to graduate 90 percent of high school students and send 90 percent to post-secondary schooling, say tracking students' progress is vital to knowing if the school is meeting its mission. Michigan high schools are required to track college retention rates, and Detroit Public Schools' officials say the district doesn't track those statistics.
Daria Hall, director of K-12 policy at the Education Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to closing the achievement gap between students, said only about half of states are able to match enrollment records between K-12 education and higher education institutions.
Too few high schools track their students' college progress, she said.
"If (college) students are not doing well, we need to find out what the K-12 system can do to better prepare students," she said.
Shannon Junior, 20, who is attending Wayne State University, credits Davis-Evans' visits and counseling with helping him stay in school. While at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Ill., last year, his grades were slipping. He was homesick and struggling with bills. Davis-Evans sensed he needed a good talking-to, he said.
"I kind of was like 'I don't want her to know how bad I was doing, but she wanted to know," he said.
Over a plate of shrimp alfredo at Red Lobster, which Davis-Evans paid for, Junior told her of his struggles. The college success counselor talked to him about the merits of being at college near home and a support network.
Taking Davis-Evans' advice, Junior transferred and his grades have improved at Wayne State, he said. U Prep also awarded Junior a $1,000 scholarship.
Providing scholarships to graduates, most of whom are low-income, has become central to U Prep's college retention strategy, Ross said.
"We decided we had to get into the scholarship business," he said, adding that most students struggle financially because there is a gap between college tuition and financial aid.
In 2007, U Prep students received $125,000 in scholarships from the school through private fundraising, Ross said. The Thompson Education Foundation, which financed the startup of the school, also provided thousands of additional dollars in scholarships. Even more money was awarded to the class of 2008. Their financial support is contingent on the school continuing to meet its graduation goals.
The school currently has 512 students in high school and 1,620 students in the full system, which includes two elementary and a middle and high school. In 2007, its high school graduation rate was 93 percent, and up to 98 percent last year.
Davis-Evans also makes sure students are on top of filling out financial aid forms.
Henry Ford Community College student Princess Collins, 21, visited Davis-Evans recently after she had trouble logging into the federal financial aid Web site.
"It's good that we can come to her whenever we have questions about college," she said. "She's a good resource."
Tracking college retention rates has given a window into how the students are faring academically, Ross said, which is helping improve the high school curriculum. Officials found U Prep graduates in demanding programs, like the University of Michigan, need more rigorous math and heavier workloads.
The high school has since increased the math courses for students who are struggling. The school also reduced students' participation in unpaid internships to two days a week one trimester a year, instead of every trimester, to allow more time for tougher coursework.
The class of 2008 had to agree to authorize U Prep to see their college grades if they received school scholarships. Future years' scholarship winners might be more dependent on the grades they receive in high school, Davis-Evans said.
Though two $50,000 grants paid for Davis-Evans' position the first two years, Ross said the school is committed to finding a way to fund it permanently. Students like Junior think that's invaluable.
"Ms. Evans is one of the main reasons I'm still in school," Junior said. "She motivates me."
College Counselors Help Charter Grads Stay in College
College Counseling Center Offers Help for Social Difficulties
College Counseling Center Offers Help for Social Difficulties
By Alex Faris
Staff Writer
Published: February 23, 2009
Whether new to campus or counting the days until graduation, college life poses an array of challenges to unprepared students.
“The biggest problem for incoming freshmen is just the run-of-the-mill transition,” said Carol Challenger, senior clinical counselor at the Student Counseling Center.
Challenger said part of that transition is learning responsibility: new students’ freedom to do what they want, when they want is easily abused. However, this isn’t the only challenge students’ face: Many students suffer from loneliness.
“Being alone all the time was the hardest thing for me,” said Caitlin Guthrie, a computer engineering freshman. “Not having someone there to talk to all the time and to pay attention to me was also hard.”
Challenger said the difficulties can be more than social. “Courses are at a higher level than high school classes, and the material is presented at a faster pace,” Challenger said. “In addition, professors are likely to assign more reading, writing and problem sets than you may be used to.”
Freshmen are not the only ones to face challenges: Challenger said seniors, although seasoned, are still susceptible to “senioritis,” the main symptom of which is “coasting,” or,” or going through classes with little difficulty.
“Many seniors who come in are suffering from senioritis, and they get after-college jitters and just need someone to talk to,” she said.
Challenger said one way to keep senioritis out of the picture is to be prepared and plan everything out. Suzanne Burks, director of University Counseling Services, said her department exists to help all students. “Many students can encounter many problems whether they are psychological or educational,” she said. “Everything we do is confidential and students should not hesitate to come in and set up an appointment. Students should use at least four since they are already paid for.”
College Counseling Center Offers Help for Social Difficulties
By Alex Faris
Staff Writer
Published: February 23, 2009
Whether new to campus or counting the days until graduation, college life poses an array of challenges to unprepared students.
“The biggest problem for incoming freshmen is just the run-of-the-mill transition,” said Carol Challenger, senior clinical counselor at the Student Counseling Center.
Challenger said part of that transition is learning responsibility: new students’ freedom to do what they want, when they want is easily abused. However, this isn’t the only challenge students’ face: Many students suffer from loneliness.
“Being alone all the time was the hardest thing for me,” said Caitlin Guthrie, a computer engineering freshman. “Not having someone there to talk to all the time and to pay attention to me was also hard.”
Challenger said the difficulties can be more than social. “Courses are at a higher level than high school classes, and the material is presented at a faster pace,” Challenger said. “In addition, professors are likely to assign more reading, writing and problem sets than you may be used to.”
Freshmen are not the only ones to face challenges: Challenger said seniors, although seasoned, are still susceptible to “senioritis,” the main symptom of which is “coasting,” or,” or going through classes with little difficulty.
“Many seniors who come in are suffering from senioritis, and they get after-college jitters and just need someone to talk to,” she said.
Challenger said one way to keep senioritis out of the picture is to be prepared and plan everything out. Suzanne Burks, director of University Counseling Services, said her department exists to help all students. “Many students can encounter many problems whether they are psychological or educational,” she said. “Everything we do is confidential and students should not hesitate to come in and set up an appointment. Students should use at least four since they are already paid for.”
College Counseling Center Offers Help for Social Difficulties
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