College Access Initiative

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College Access Initiative

• Patrick S. Ziegler
• Regional Marketing Director, Northeast
• Great Lakes Educational Loan Services, Inc.
•  

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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
• Initiative was recommended by guaranty agencies

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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 offered

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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

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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

• Im 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
• Schools 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
• ExampleTax 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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College Access Initiative - Implementation

• NCHELPfacilitating a work group of guaranty
  agency representativesCollege 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 Initiatives
  two main requirements
• Met with representatives from the Office of
  Postsecondary Education and Federal Student Aid
  to share ideas and receive feedback

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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 help available to succeed
• the college planning process, and
• 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 visitso 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 portalwith information
  for each state
• 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
• 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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Going2college.org Features

• 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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Going2college.org Features

• 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.
• 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