A11. Strengthening College/CBO Partnerships to Improve the ...
A11. Strengthening College/CBO Partnerships to Improve the Admissions Process for First Generation and Underrepresented Students
Tisleen Singh, College Greenlight (IL) Veronica Hauad, University of Chicago (IL) Jillian Hiscock, College Possible (MN) Jonathan April, College Greenlight (IL)
|Introductions Jonathan April, MBA General Manager, College Greenlight [email protected]
Tisleen Singh, MS Account Executive, College Greenlight [email protected]
|Introductions Veronica Hauad, MA Deputy Dean of Admissions Director of Equity and Access Programming University of Chicago [email protected]
|Introductions
Jillian Hiscock, MEd National Partnerships Manager College Possible [email protected]
|Why this topic? Collaboration between colleges and CBOs is fundamental for improving the admission process and outcomes for first-gen, low-income and underrepresented students. We’ve seen the success of CBO-college partnerships and have found that while both parties are working towards the same goal, often each group is left unsure of how to best support each other.
|What we looked for: CBOs
Colleges and Universities
• What do they look for when recommending a college to students?
• If and how do they recruit from CBOs?
• Are they actively seeking to grow their network of colleges?
• What challenges are there in identifying good fit CBOs?
• If and how they forge college partnerships?
• How can CBOs make their students more admissible?
• What challenges are they facing in working with colleges and supporting their students through the search and application process?
• What does an ideal CBO partnership look like?
|Challenges Facing Colleges in working with CBOs 1. Identifying CBOs that will be a good fit for their institution Learning about them, who they work with, and determining the quality of students they work with - do they have the preparation to make it at the school? Getting CBOs to be open to working with a broader range of schools. Tracking CBOs and their students in a system/process that is mainly organized around students/High Schools.
|Challenges Facing Colleges in working with CBOs 2. Communicating to CBO students how to best showcase themselves and be successful in applying How important are each of these factors when recruiting first-generation and underrepresented students?
Of the factors that you evaluate during the admissions process, in which areas can firstgeneration and underrepresented students benefit from improvement?
Very Important Extracurriculars Standardized test scores Non-cognitive factors (grit, persistence) Grades
Applying early Demonstrated Interest Performance on… Explaining academic… Essays Ability to tell their story
22% 22% 53% 80%
0%
45% 45% 49% 66% 70% 85%
50%
100%
|Challenges Facing Colleges in working with CBOs 3. Overcoming challenges of not being a “100% meet need” school or brand-name institution
• 100% meet needs vs. not • Selective vs. non selective • Being known vs. not being known
|Challenges Facing CBOs in working with Colleges 1. Difficulty in finding colleges that will be financially supportive to their students 90% of advisers stated financial aid packages were “very important” when recommending a student apply to a college
99% of advisers stated financial aid was “very important” when recommending students enroll in a college
| Challenges Facing CBOs in working with Colleges 2. Having the time, network, and resources to connect. Smaller CBOs face tough challenges:
46% of CBOs stated lack of time to conduct research on lesser-known colleges prevented them from recommending new schools
56% said their CBO is overlooked by colleges and/or colleges don’t believe their students are admissible
|Challenges Facing CBOs in working with Colleges 3. Finding information on student support services specifically for underrepresented students. Other Important Factors to CBOs When Recommending Colleges
58% of CBOs stated it was difficult to find information for first-gen and underrepresented students on college’s sites.
Retention Rates On-campus support for underrepresented… Average amount of aid Close to home
0
50
Very Important
100
|Recommendations for Colleges & Universities • Determine what type of partnership you want from the top down – include leadership •Good will, mission/community driven or admission driven by yield • Appoint a CBO liaison and charge your entire staff with CBO outreach •CBO Liaison is your key contact •Set the expectation that your staff will connect with CBOs during travel season •
Use the College Greenlight CBO Directory •Identify groups that align with your recruitment initiatives •Get a sense for CBOs in your secondary territories or in your backyard •Email them, visit them, connect!
|Recommendations for Colleges & Universities • Develop a CBO Communication Plan •Create a 1-pager on your college for CBOs and identify which students would be successful on your campus beyond grades and test scores. Include material on support services, special scholarships, and bridge programs. Who is your contact person? •Create a CBO e-newsletter • Make sure your admission site and promo materials include information on student support services specifically for first-gen, underrepresented students. • Showcase the value of your institution beyond good financial aid • Highlight support services, student outcome data, internship programs. • What is the ROI for your institution?
|Recommendations for Colleges & Universities • Visit days just for CBOs • CBO visit days that include unique, meaningful information you wouldn’t present at a typical open house • CBO counselor breakfast • Help bring the students to your campus- bus-in or fly-in programs, summer academic programs • These students need more assistance getting to campus visits! • Conduct workshops at CBOs • Student essay writing workshops • Professional development workshops for staff on how you review applications.
|Recommendations for Colleges & Universities • Consider tracking CBO students in your application reader • Consider allocating specific CBO scholarships for those groups you wish to partner with. • If you’re not a 100% meet need school, consider allocating full tuition, half tuition, room & board, etc scholarships for a CBO you want to partner with.
| Recommendations for CBOs •Develop a CBO profile for colleges •Connect with College Greenlight •Even if you’re a smaller group, the profile can help expand your scope to get in front of colleges •Indicate to CGL that you want to connect with colleges personally •Use a holistic approach when reviewing schools and be open minded! •“If a student is unhappy, a good financial package may not be enough to keep a student engaged and successful” •Be open to letting unique colleges visit you and you visiting them! •Don’t just look at financial aid packages, look at student outcomes, etc.
| Recommendations for CBOs •Dedicate time to building your college network and commit to adding new college partners every year. •Take advantage of interviews and supplemental essays making sure your students are able to fully explain their backgrounds •Make sure you’re working with yours students to explain any academic discrepancies or misfortunes. It’s better to give the admission rep the full story •Ask if the college will do an information interview with your student when they’re in town, or over Skype!
| Recommendations for CBOs •Create a coalition of CBOs near you. •There is strength in numbers and collaboration. Collaborate with CBOs in your community to have a large college fair, interview day, information session, etc. •Connect personally – send an email, visit them at a fair. •Have new staff send out initial intro email to colleges if experiencing high turnover.
Q&A
Thank You! • Jonathan April, College Greenlight
[email protected]
• Tisleen Singh, College Greenlight
[email protected]
• Veronica Hauad, University of Chicago
[email protected]
• Jillian Hiscock, College Possible
[email protected]
Tisleen Singh, College Greenlight (IL) Veronica Hauad, University of Chicago (IL) Jillian Hiscock, College Possible (MN) Jonathan April, College Greenlight (IL)
|Introductions Jonathan April, MBA General Manager, College Greenlight [email protected]
Tisleen Singh, MS Account Executive, College Greenlight [email protected]
|Introductions Veronica Hauad, MA Deputy Dean of Admissions Director of Equity and Access Programming University of Chicago [email protected]
|Introductions
Jillian Hiscock, MEd National Partnerships Manager College Possible [email protected]
|Why this topic? Collaboration between colleges and CBOs is fundamental for improving the admission process and outcomes for first-gen, low-income and underrepresented students. We’ve seen the success of CBO-college partnerships and have found that while both parties are working towards the same goal, often each group is left unsure of how to best support each other.
|What we looked for: CBOs
Colleges and Universities
• What do they look for when recommending a college to students?
• If and how do they recruit from CBOs?
• Are they actively seeking to grow their network of colleges?
• What challenges are there in identifying good fit CBOs?
• If and how they forge college partnerships?
• How can CBOs make their students more admissible?
• What challenges are they facing in working with colleges and supporting their students through the search and application process?
• What does an ideal CBO partnership look like?
|Challenges Facing Colleges in working with CBOs 1. Identifying CBOs that will be a good fit for their institution Learning about them, who they work with, and determining the quality of students they work with - do they have the preparation to make it at the school? Getting CBOs to be open to working with a broader range of schools. Tracking CBOs and their students in a system/process that is mainly organized around students/High Schools.
|Challenges Facing Colleges in working with CBOs 2. Communicating to CBO students how to best showcase themselves and be successful in applying How important are each of these factors when recruiting first-generation and underrepresented students?
Of the factors that you evaluate during the admissions process, in which areas can firstgeneration and underrepresented students benefit from improvement?
Very Important Extracurriculars Standardized test scores Non-cognitive factors (grit, persistence) Grades
Applying early Demonstrated Interest Performance on… Explaining academic… Essays Ability to tell their story
22% 22% 53% 80%
0%
45% 45% 49% 66% 70% 85%
50%
100%
|Challenges Facing Colleges in working with CBOs 3. Overcoming challenges of not being a “100% meet need” school or brand-name institution
• 100% meet needs vs. not • Selective vs. non selective • Being known vs. not being known
|Challenges Facing CBOs in working with Colleges 1. Difficulty in finding colleges that will be financially supportive to their students 90% of advisers stated financial aid packages were “very important” when recommending a student apply to a college
99% of advisers stated financial aid was “very important” when recommending students enroll in a college
| Challenges Facing CBOs in working with Colleges 2. Having the time, network, and resources to connect. Smaller CBOs face tough challenges:
46% of CBOs stated lack of time to conduct research on lesser-known colleges prevented them from recommending new schools
56% said their CBO is overlooked by colleges and/or colleges don’t believe their students are admissible
|Challenges Facing CBOs in working with Colleges 3. Finding information on student support services specifically for underrepresented students. Other Important Factors to CBOs When Recommending Colleges
58% of CBOs stated it was difficult to find information for first-gen and underrepresented students on college’s sites.
Retention Rates On-campus support for underrepresented… Average amount of aid Close to home
0
50
Very Important
100
|Recommendations for Colleges & Universities • Determine what type of partnership you want from the top down – include leadership •Good will, mission/community driven or admission driven by yield • Appoint a CBO liaison and charge your entire staff with CBO outreach •CBO Liaison is your key contact •Set the expectation that your staff will connect with CBOs during travel season •
Use the College Greenlight CBO Directory •Identify groups that align with your recruitment initiatives •Get a sense for CBOs in your secondary territories or in your backyard •Email them, visit them, connect!
|Recommendations for Colleges & Universities • Develop a CBO Communication Plan •Create a 1-pager on your college for CBOs and identify which students would be successful on your campus beyond grades and test scores. Include material on support services, special scholarships, and bridge programs. Who is your contact person? •Create a CBO e-newsletter • Make sure your admission site and promo materials include information on student support services specifically for first-gen, underrepresented students. • Showcase the value of your institution beyond good financial aid • Highlight support services, student outcome data, internship programs. • What is the ROI for your institution?
|Recommendations for Colleges & Universities • Visit days just for CBOs • CBO visit days that include unique, meaningful information you wouldn’t present at a typical open house • CBO counselor breakfast • Help bring the students to your campus- bus-in or fly-in programs, summer academic programs • These students need more assistance getting to campus visits! • Conduct workshops at CBOs • Student essay writing workshops • Professional development workshops for staff on how you review applications.
|Recommendations for Colleges & Universities • Consider tracking CBO students in your application reader • Consider allocating specific CBO scholarships for those groups you wish to partner with. • If you’re not a 100% meet need school, consider allocating full tuition, half tuition, room & board, etc scholarships for a CBO you want to partner with.
| Recommendations for CBOs •Develop a CBO profile for colleges •Connect with College Greenlight •Even if you’re a smaller group, the profile can help expand your scope to get in front of colleges •Indicate to CGL that you want to connect with colleges personally •Use a holistic approach when reviewing schools and be open minded! •“If a student is unhappy, a good financial package may not be enough to keep a student engaged and successful” •Be open to letting unique colleges visit you and you visiting them! •Don’t just look at financial aid packages, look at student outcomes, etc.
| Recommendations for CBOs •Dedicate time to building your college network and commit to adding new college partners every year. •Take advantage of interviews and supplemental essays making sure your students are able to fully explain their backgrounds •Make sure you’re working with yours students to explain any academic discrepancies or misfortunes. It’s better to give the admission rep the full story •Ask if the college will do an information interview with your student when they’re in town, or over Skype!
| Recommendations for CBOs •Create a coalition of CBOs near you. •There is strength in numbers and collaboration. Collaborate with CBOs in your community to have a large college fair, interview day, information session, etc. •Connect personally – send an email, visit them at a fair. •Have new staff send out initial intro email to colleges if experiencing high turnover.
Q&A
Thank You! • Jonathan April, College Greenlight
[email protected]
• Tisleen Singh, College Greenlight
[email protected]
• Veronica Hauad, University of Chicago
[email protected]
• Jillian Hiscock, College Possible
[email protected]
