College Connection
Northeast Texas College
March 6, 2008
Presenter
Mary Hensley, Ed.D.
Vice President,
College Support Systems
and ISD Relations
mhensley@austincc.edu
512-223-7618
Agenda

Closing the Gaps Overview

College Connection Overview

College Connection How It Works

Program Results

Program Recognition

State and National Interest in Expansion

College Connection How To Start

College Connection Guiding Principles

Common Challenges

Questions and Answers
Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board’s
Strategic Plan
“Closing the Gaps”
Overview
Closing the Gaps in
Participation

Closing the Gaps warns that if more Texans do not
receive college degrees by 2030, the State could lose
up to $40 billion in annual household income.

The goal is to increase student enrollment in higher
education by 630,000 by 2015.

Most students will elect to start at a community
college.

Northeast Texas Community College expects over
781 more students by 2015.
Source: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/ClosingtheGaps/ctgtargets_pdf.cfm?Goal=1
College Connection
Overview
Education Beyond High School
Increases earning potential
and employment
opportunities
U.S. Department of Education
Learn to Earn
As
so
cia
te
Ba
ch
elo
r's
M
as
te r
s
Ph
.D
Pr
.
of
ess
ion
al
eg
e
a
eC
ol l
om
So
m
Di
pl
HS
Le
ss
t
ha
nH
S
90000
80000
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
Source: Postsecondary Education OPPORTUNITY
Excuses For Not Continuing
Your Education
No one in my family has ever gone to college.
I’ve been in school for 12 years. That’s enough! I just want a good job.
I can’t afford it.
I don’t know what I want to do with my life.
College is too hard.
I won’t fit in.
I don’t know how to apply or where I want to go.
Source: Adapted from The College Board’s “Seven Excuses Not to Go to
College and Why They’re Lame”
Improving High School to
College Transitions

Provide admission and pre-enrollment
services to seniors on their school
campuses

Create an expectation that “College is in
everyone’s future.”

Increase percentage of high school seniors
who enter college after high school
graduation.
Northeast Texas Community College Service Area
College Transition Rates
Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006
Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006
School District
Chapel Hill
Total High
School
Graduates
Students
Enrolled in
Texas
Universities
Students
Enrolled in
Texas 2-year
Colleges
Students Not
Located in
Texas Higher
Education *
155
26
17%
50
32%
79
51%
Como-Pickton
49
6
12%
11
23%
32
65%
Daingerfield-Lone Star
76
13
17%
27
36%
36
47%
Harmony
66
15
23%
21
32%
30
45%
Hughes Springs
83
14
17%
29
35%
40
48%
Mount Pleasant
295
23
8%
111
38%
161
54%
*Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the year immediately
following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state.
**Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report.
Source: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1324.PDF
Northeast Texas Community College Service Area
College Transition Rates
Texas High School Graduates from FY 2006
Enrolled in Texas Higher Education Fall 2006
School District
Mount Vernon
Total High
School
Graduates
Students
Enrolled in
Texas
Universities
Students
Enrolled in
Texas 2-year
Colleges
Students Not
Located in
Texas Higher
Education *
107
20
19%
37
34%
50
47%
65
11
17%
22
34%
32
49%
Pittsburg
103
11
11%
44
43%
48
46%
Winnsboro
101
18
18%
26
25%
57
57%
1,100
157
14%
378
34%
565
52%
Pewitt
Total
*Includes students who were not enrolled in Texas colleges or universities in the year immediately
following graduation, as well as students who were enrolled out-of-state.
**Districts with less than 25 graduates are not included in this report.
Source: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1324.PDF
College Connection
How It Works
College Connection Program

Many high school students find the college
enrollment process intimidating.

Austin Community College provides handson, one-on-one support to assist every
student through each step of the college
admissions process.

During graduation ceremonies, high school
graduating seniors receive acceptance letters
to Austin Community College.
Students Receive Services at the
High School:
Required
•
•
•
•
•
Admission application
ASSET or COMPASS
Pre-advising
Academic advising
Graduation letter
Recommended
• Senior
presentation
• Financial aid
application
Optional
•
•
•
•
•
Student life info
Teleconference
Campus tours
Registration
Other
College Connection Activity Grid Sample
ISD District Lead:
Sandra Dowdy, Assistant Superintendent, 512-386-3040, sdowdy@del-valle.k12.tx.us
Del Valle HS Lead:
Jean MacInnis, Principal, 512-386-3210, jmacinnis@del-valle.k12.tx.us
Admin. Assistant: Nadene Norwood, 512-386-3211, nadene.norwood@del-valle.k12.tx.us
ACC District Lead:
Mary Hensley, 223-7618, mhensley@austincc.edu
Exec. Assistant: Esther Buzard, 223-7618, ebuzard@austincc.edu
College Connection Lead: Luanne Preston, 223-7354, luanne@austincc.edu
Admin. Assistant: Laurie Clark, 223-7354, lclark2@austincc.edu
Senior Count:400
Activity
Date
Time
Location
Equipment
Communication
Del Valle HS Contact
(*Lead Contact)
name@delvalle.k12.tx.us
ACC District Contact
(*Lead Contact)
name@austincc.edu
High School
Planning
Committee
Meeting
August 9,
2007
2:00 p.m. –
3:00 p.m.
Del Valle
Admin
5301 Ross Road
Del Valle, TX
•E-mail
•Announcement
*Jean MacInnis
Jmacinnis
*Luanne Preston
luanne
College Connection
Agreement
Prior to
beginning
Fall
semester
*Sandra Dowdy
Sdowdy
*Luanne Preston
luanne
Senior
Presentation
Kickoff Activity
September
13, 2007
10:30 a.m. –
11:30 a.m.
Auditorium
•Notice in parent
newsletter
•Notice on high
school website
*Sarah Mabry
Sarah.mabry
*Ashley Williams
awillia4
Admissions
Application
October 10,
2007
8:30 a.m. –
4:00 p.m.
Rooms A205,
C216, D130,
D208
•Non-citizen
students must
obtain alternate
ID before
completing
application
*Sarah Mabry
Sarah.mabry
*Pat Colunga
pcolunga
Make-Up Day
SHADE/BOLD – Required College Connection Activities
Lifetime Acceptance “at ACC”

Application never discarded

Provide a permanent
college home

Students come to ACC:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Full-time
Part-time
In Summer for transfer
After military service
After career changes
Co-enroll while attending
4-year institution
Lifetime Acceptance “at ACC”

Cohorts can be tracked
by semester of entry

Longitudinal data
collected for
◦ Retention
◦ Completion
◦ Success
Program Results
College Connection School Districts
2003-04
Year 1
2004-05
Year 2
2005-06
Year 3
2006-07
Year 4
San Marcos
Austin
Austin
Bastrop
Bastrop
Del Valle
Del Valle
Leander
Hays
San Marcos
Leander
Austin
Bastrop
Blanco
Del Valle
Elgin
Fredericksburg
Harper
Hays
Jarrell
Johnson City
Lago Vista
Leander
Liberty Hill
Lockhart
Luling
Manor
Nixon-Smiley
Pflugerville
Prairie Lea
Round Rock
San Marcos
Smithville
Manor
Pflugerville
San Marcos
2007-08
Year 5
Austin
Lake Travis
Bastrop
Leander
Blanco
Liberty Hill
Del Valle
Lockhart
Dripping Springs Luling
Eanes
Manor
Elgin
Nixon-Smiley
Fredericksburg Pflugerville
Georgetown
Prairie Lea
Harper
Round Rock
Hays
San Marcos
Jarrell
Smithville
Johnson City
Wimberley
Lago Vista
School Districts Participating in the College
Connection Program 2007-2008
School District
Number of High
Schools
Number of Seniors
Year
Started
Austin ISD
12
5,189
2004
Bastrop ISD
2
609
2004
Blanco ISD
1
72
2006
Del Valle ISD
2
544
2004
Dripping Springs ISD
1
265
2007
Eanes ISD
1
650
2007
Elgin ISD
2
264
2006
Fredericksburg ISD
1
247
2006
Georgetown ISD
2
791
2007
Harper ISD
1
62
2006
Hays CISD
3
723
2005
Jarrell ISD
1
48
2006
Johnson City ISD
1
52
2006
Lago Vista ISD
1
89
2006
School Districts Participating in the College
Connection Program 2007-2008
School District
Number of High
Schools
Number of Seniors
Year
Started
Lake Travis ISD
2
415
2007
Leander ISD
4
1,518
2004
Liberty Hill ISD
1
180
2006
Lockhart ISD
2
387
2006
Luling ISD
1
131
2006
Manor ISD
2
255
2005
Nixon-Smiley CISD
1
57
2006
Pflugerville ISD
4
1,385
2005
Prairie Lea ISD
1
17
2006
Round Rock ISD
5
2,790
2006
San Marcos CISD
2
483
2003
Smithville ISD
1
140
2006
Wimberley ISD
1
169
2007
58
17,532
Total (27)
College Connection Program Growth
Over 4 years:

1 school district
to 27 school
districts

2 high schools to
58 high schools

400 students to
17,000+ students
The College Connection Program Works!
ISD
San Marcos
Austin
Bastrop
Del Valle
Leander
Hays
Manor
Pflugerville
Students NOT
located in Texas
Higher
Education Fall
2003
Students NOT
located in Texas
Higher
Education Fall
2004
Students NOT
located in Texas
Higher
Education Fall
2005
Students NOT
located in Texas
Higher
Education Fall
2006
Number
Number
Number
Number
273
2,155
286
293
444
281
51
194
Percent
66%
56%
69%
77%
48%
57%
57%
47%
219
2,066
234
312
459
309
74
201
Percent
55%
56%
57%
80%
48%
56%
57%
47%
234
2,005
239
236
422
290
87
204
Percent
59%
54%
54%
66%
42%
55%
62%
48%
294
2,014
282
229
418
286
89
156
2006 Increase of
Students in Higher
Ed Since
Implementation
Percent
66%
52%
61%
71%
40%
51%
68%
46%
0%
4%
-4 %
9%
8%
5%
-6 %
2%
Blue=Year College Connection started
Red=Year Seniors attend ACC after College Connection
1-Source: http://www.txhighereddata.org/Reports/PDF/0961.pdf
2-Source: http://www.txhighereddata.org/Reports/PDF/0963.pdf
3-Source: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1161.PDF
College Connection
Diversity of Participants 2006-07
Traditionally Underrepresented in Higher
Education - Students Enroll at ACC

More than 55% of
College Connection
enrollees are minorities

Higher percentage
entering ACC through
College Connection
than in the general
ACC student
population
College Connection Results for ACC,
2004-2007

Positive effect on Fall enrollments
◦ Immediate great results: 37.6% increase first year
◦ 59% increase over two years

Positive effect on Early College Start enrollments
◦ 25.6% increase in enrollment from ‘04 to ’05
◦ 45% increase in enrollment from ’04 to ’06
◦ 3,209 students enrolled Summer 2007 (record-breaking ECS
enrollment)

Positive effect on Tech Prep enrollments
◦ 4,336% increase in number of students receiving Tech Prep credit




36 students in 2003-04
48 students in 2004-05
293 students in 2005-06
1,597 students in 2006-07
Program Recognition
College Connection Program
National Acclaim & Recognition
Awards Received
• THECB Star
Award
Award Recipient
November 2006
• Excelencia in
Education
Award
Semi-Finalist
October 2006
• Bellwether Award
Award Recipient
January 2007
State and National Interest
in Expansion
National Interest:
Florida Department of Education

Launched state-wide campaign in April 2007 called “Go
Higher-Get Accepted” modeled after College Connection
Maine Interest in College Connection

Proposed law requiring graduating high school seniors to
complete at least one college application before getting
diploma.

Support from “Compact for Higher Education”
“Attaining advanced levels
of education for
disadvantaged students
cannot be done without
developing a college-going
culture in every middle
school and high school in
the state of Texas...then
suddenly, (going to college)
changes from being a
possibility to an
expectation.”
--Raymund Paredes
Commissioner, Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board
January 6, 2005
THECB Statewide
College Connection Expansion
2007-2009
•
Ten Schools Receive Implementation Grants
• Alamo Community College District
• Blinn College
• Del Mar College
• Houston Community College System
• Lee College
• Odessa College
• Richland College
• South Texas College
• Tarrant County College District
• Weatherford College
THECB Statewide
College Connection Expansion
2007-2009
•
Five Schools Receive Planning Grants
• Cedar Valley College
• Cisco Junior College
• Northeast Texas Community College
• Paris Junior College
• Victoria College
THECB Statewide
College Connection Expansion
•
Schools Already Adopting College Connection
•
Alamo Community College District
•
Coastal Bend Community College
•
Del Mar Community College
•
Houston Community College District
•
Temple Community College
•
Victoria College
External Support for ACC

Funding to expand College Connection

Funding for Mobile Go Center

Funding for statewide College Connection
Regional Forums
Mobile Go Center
Related Initiatives

Mini-College Connection
for Adult Education

College Connection Scholarships
College Connection:
How To Start
Formal Agreement

Between college and
school district

Signed by chancellor
and/or president and
superintendent

Establishes transfer of
student data from high
school to college

Details responsibilities
and expectations
Advance Briefing
 District/Central
 High
Office Staff
School Principal
Planning Meeting

One meeting held annually usually in the Summer

Schedule one hour (slightly longer for new schools or
multiple schools)

Complete activity grid

Focus on scheduling

Leave activity details for * contacts
Communications between
School District and College

Electronic via list serv

Updated activity grid sent via e-mail when
changes occur

College Connection website links

iCal
◦ Combined calendar for internal use
Data Collection

Collect electronically (Excel spreadsheet)

Collect from high school
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

Name
Address
DOB
HS Student ID (for later record matching)
Test Scores (HS Exit Exam, SAT, ACT)
Mark records as College Connection cohort in
student database
Data Follow-Up

Track by school, how many students complete
each activity

May need multiple visits to get 100%
participation

Give high school principal participation rates for
use at graduation announcement ceremony

Report Fall enrollment from pilot schools
(compare to benchmark), Spring persistence
Austin Community College
College Connection Website
www.austincc.edu/isd

Access to scheduled
activities for students,
parents, and school officials

Calendars

Links to pertinent ACC
school district sites
Website
 Participating
 Links
schools
to school pages
 Link
to college pages of interest
 Press
coverage/special events
College Connection Logo
College Connection:
Guiding Principles
Guiding Principles: College Connection

Deliver services on high school campus
◦ “If they’re really interested, they should come to us”
◦ “Getting them to the college campus really gets them
excited; they need to see the college campus”
◦ Traditional recruitment has not produced desired
results

What if the school wants to bring students to the
college campus for activities other than campus
tours?
◦ Ascertain the school’s purpose – this approach can be
useful in some circumstances, but it is generally more
efficient to serve students at the high school
Guiding Principles: College Connection

Deliver services during school day

Work with every category of high school student
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Gifted and talented
Advanced Placement/Honors
Bilingual/ESL
Section 504
Special Education
Guiding Principles: College Connection

Students do not need to repeat steps
◦ Dual-credit students do not have to re-apply
◦ Exempt students do not have to re-test

Design activities within one bell period
◦ Exception is assessment testing
◦ Be respectful of instructional time
Customize service delivery to meet high school
needs, honor school preferences
 Look for ways to incorporate suggestions of
school personnel

Guiding Principles: Personnel

Team structure has worked for ACC

Sharing personnel across departments

Cross-train and re-deploy
◦ Recruiter/advisers

Use trained college volunteers outside their
regular duties
◦ Tutors proctor tests
Guiding Principles: Personnel

Have personnel assigned to specific schools
◦ Builds relationships and trust
◦ Early warning about problems

One “expert” available on-site
◦ Example: One admissions coordinator to address
complex matters; other team members may be
generalists
Guiding Principles: Personnel

Have college personnel responsible for results
◦ Level of participation in each activity
 How many completed the activity?
 Do the preliminary results approach the projected numbers?
 Did most students apply?
 Did about 50% test?
◦ Interim results
 Have checkpoints
 Contact responsible school or district personnel in time to
provide make-up dates before end of year, if numbers are low
Guiding Principles: Sequencing Activities

Required Activities
◦ What does a student have to complete, at a minimum, to
enroll at your institution?
 Application
 How much time is needed for an application to be available in the
student information system?
 TSI compliance (Assessment)
 What tests do you offer students?
 How much time is needed for scoring?
College Connection: Activity Sequence
College
School District
1.
Senior Presentation
2.
Admission application
3.
Financial aid application
4.
ASSET assessment
5.
Tour of Austin Community
College campus(es)
6.
Pre-Advising
7.
Advising
8.
Acceptance letter to Austin
Community College at graduation
9.
Registration for Austin Community
College classes
Red=Required
Blue=Recommended
1a. Senior Roster
3a. Test Score Roster
Black=Optional
Guiding Principles: Sequencing Activities

Required Activities
◦ What does a student have to complete, at a minimum, to
enroll at your institution?
 Orientation
 Is orientation mandatory?
 Do you enforce its completion before students can register?
 Before they can be advised?
 Advising
 Is advising required prior to registration?
 What action allows a student to register?
Guiding Principles: Sequencing Activities

Recommended Activities
◦ FAFSA Completion
◦ Senior Presentation

Optional Activities
◦ Career Information
◦ Campus Tours
◦ College Days
Guiding Principles: Sequencing Activities

When to schedule activities?
◦ Planning Meeting
 After graduation, before fall semester
 Before spring, if all activities to be completed in spring
◦ Senior Presentation
 Prior to first activity, as soon as possible after school starts
 Usually admissions follows
◦ Admissions Application
 End of September, October, or November through Thanksgiving
 After receipt of data roster
 In time, where possible, for seniors to prepare for Spring dualcredit registration
Guiding Principles: Sequencing Activities

When to schedule activities?
◦ Assessment
 End of January through early March
 After receipt of test score roster – timed to allow maximum
number of SAT/ACT test scores to be included
 Allows students to receive the most instructional content prior to
testing
◦ Financial Aid
 Mid-January through Mid-March
 Presentations timed to coincide with W-2 arrival, tax preparation,
and meet college priority filing deadlines
 Night presentations and workshops for parents and students
 Financial Aid Saturdays
Guiding Principles: Sequencing Activities

When to schedule activities?
◦ New Student Orientation
 ACC calls this step “pre-advising”
 Completed online as ACC 101
 Live program replaced by online module per school request
 School manages where and when students complete
 Student prints checklist as proof of completion
 Many schools schedule during advisory
 Schedule window of time prior to academic advising
 Recommend 1-3 weeks prior to advising session
Guiding Principles: Sequencing Activities

When to schedule activities?
◦ Academic Advising
 Mid-February through Mid-April
 Allow time, if needed, for test scores to be entered or processed
and available to advisors
 ACC requires three weeks is using ASSET
◦ Complete all College Connection activities by midApril
◦ Deliver graduation packets three weeks prior to
ceremony
Guiding Principles: Sequencing Activities

Senior Presentation DVD
See, it didn’t
hurt!
Recruiter’s name
prefix@austincc.edu
Guiding Principles: Scheduling

The planning meeting for each school should
occur before Fall semester, or as soon after
school starts

All events should be completed by mid-April
with rare exceptions
◦ The month of May through end of school is extremely
busy on high school campuses

A student should be able to complete an
individual activity (exception assessment
testing) with one bell period
Guiding Principles: Scheduling

Provide capacity to staff activities at more than
one school on the same day

Decide what dates are ineligible for college
personnel
◦ First day of registration
◦ Two weeks leading up to start of semester
◦ First week of classes
Guiding Principles: Scheduling

Plan on the following high school availability
constraints:
◦ End of six-week grading period/testing
◦ TAKS testing dates
◦ A/B Block scheduling (must provide activities on both
A and B days)
◦ Sports conflicts
 Example: Tuesdays and Fridays are varsity
basketball game days
◦ Mondays and Fridays are the worst attendance days
◦ Beginning/end of semester
◦ Spring Break date differential (HB1)
Guiding Principles: Scheduling Efficiency

Schools are deeply concerned about loss of
instructional time

All College Connection required activities can
be completed in the equivalent of one school
day
Guiding Principles: Scheduling Efficiency

Size of school may allow for combined
activities
◦ Example: Senior Presentation followed by Application
 Advantages – Immediacy
 A/B Block bell periods are 90 minutes long
Guiding Principles: Scheduling Efficiency

Length of bell period may allow for combined
activities
◦ Example: Application, FAFSA Pin Number, online
pre-advising
 Advantages
 Uses entire bell period
 Already disrupted for application
 Eliminates need for a second pullout
 Disadvantages
 Students usually complete pre-advising well before advising
 Increases chance they will not retain important information
 High school staff must retain printed checklist for students to
avoid loss
ACC 101 Demonstration

http://www.austincc.edu/acc101/index_content.html
Scheduling Efficiency – How
Much Time?
Senior Presentation – 20 minutes
 Admissions Application – 25 minutes

◦ Residency Form
◦ Missing Credentials

Assessment – 5 hours
◦ Partial testing takes less time
 Math only – 1 hour
 Reading/writing – 2.25 hours
Pre-Advising – 25 minutes
 Advising – 15 minutes average

Planning Meeting
Recommended Participants
College
High School

District lead person

Principal

Implementation lead person

Grade level principal or AP

Team leader for services

Lead or senior counselor

Person in charge of
testing/scheduling

Tech person (use of computer labs)

Other staff who works with the
“senior class”
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Admissions representative
Financial Aid representative
Assessment representative
Recruitment representative
Advising representative
Recorder
Planning Meeting
Recommended Things to Bring
College
High School

College Calendar

Bell schedule

Admissions Team Calendar

School calendar

Financial Aid Team Calendar

A/B Block scheduling

Assessment Team Calendar

Testing calendar

Student Recruitment Team
Calendar

Advising Team Calendar
College Connection
Planning Meeting Demonstration
Will be held in subsequent NTCC training
session
High School—College Partnership
Plan for Success
Central Office Staff

Sign formal agreement before beginning
◦ Work with superintendent

Understand and vocally support College Connection
program
◦ Announce program in meetings, newsletters, e-mails

Ensure your Board is informed
◦ Invite college to do a brief presentation
Central Office Staff

Participate/help schools participate in “launch” activities
◦ Press conference
◦ Campus tours, celebrations, or special events

Attend as many campus planning meetings as possible
◦ Planning meetings to be held before activities begin
on campuses
◦ Lays the foundation for organized program activities
◦ Everyone is literally “on the same page”
Principal

Understand and vocally support College Connection
program
◦ Announce program in meetings, newsletters, e-mails

Participate in your campus planning meeting; your
leadership is KEY

Clear obstacles – allow access to students

Assign a positive, helpful, supportive “asterisk” person
to coordinate each activity
Principal

Allow the use of necessary school facilities during the
school day for activities (computer labs, gyms for
testing, etc.)

Help faculty understand your support for the program
◦ Students will be pulled out of classes 3 or 4 times during the year
◦ Announce dates of College Connection activities well in advance
so faculty have time to plan

Understand College Connection as a process with
sequenced activities
◦ Time is needed between activities
Principal

Emphasize the importance of 100% participation
◦ Allow repeated access, if necessary, to ensure that all students are
included

Schedule a senior presentation by college personnel
◦ Help students understand the befits of the program
◦ Establish college personnel as student advocates

Assign staff to accompany students to College
Connection activities
◦ To help keep order
◦ To personally identify students to TCCD staff
Principal

Ensure that your school website features College
Connection

Help solve any problems that may arise
◦ During an activity
◦ During the school year
◦ Call College Connection contacts if needed

Support financial aid activities for students
Principal

Recognize College Connection at graduation
ceremonies; some examples
◦ Announce how many students receive acceptance
letter
◦ Ask College Connection students to stand

Ensure students receive college acceptance letter along
with their diploma

Ensure final, official high school transcripts for all
students given to college at the end of the school year
Counselor

Understand and vocally support the program
◦ Announce in
 Classroom visits
 Senior assemblies
 To individual students
 “Counselor’s corner” of the school newsletter
 E-mails to parents

Participate in your campus planning meeting

Clear obstacles – allow access

Be one of the positive, helpful, supportive “asterisk”
people coordinating one or more College Connection
activities
Counselor

Help faculty colleagues understand
◦ Your support of the program
◦ Program benefits for students
◦ Students will be pulled out of classes 3-4 times during the year

Understand the importance of 100% participation
◦ Help students understand the benefits of College Connection
even if the student has applied or been accepted to another
college




Free testing
FAFSA
Easy entrance
Higher income for more education
Counselor

If a student refuses to participate, encourage them to
complete the process

Help solve any problems that may arise during an
activity, or during the school year
◦ Call College Connection officials, if needed

Ensure that official high school transcripts for all
students are given in a batch to college at the end of the
school year
◦ Saves time for students when enrolling
◦ Makes process smoother for students not entering directly after
graduation

Best Practices—Getting Started

Small and successful=Others will come

Get internal support from:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Information Technology
Public Relations
Dual Credit
Tech Prep
Foundation
Student Recruitment
Student Services

Do away with thinking that students “have to come to the
college” to meet college processes

Focus on what works for the school district
Best Practices—After You’ve Started

Use publicity and press conferences at every opportunity

Get Foundation involved in raising scholarships

Make a presentation to each school district Board

Keep College Board of Trustees involved
Best Practices—After You’ve Started

Continually thank and recognize participants

Involve staff in recognitions

Keep College Connection process simple

Name a single point-of-contact for problem solving

Utilize technology for communication including web,
listserv, and online calendars (I-Cal)

Build a superintendents’ e-mail list
Best Practices—After You’ve Started

Increased enrollments will build programs and support
staff

Many good “off shoots” develop:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Chamber of Commerce events/support
Grants and Contracts
Annexation
Scholarships
Continuing education
Training
Teacher certification
Instructional Aide Training
Dual Credit
Tech Prep
Other
Best Practices—After You’ve Started

Have joint College and School District Board meetings

Form College/ISD Executive Team

Provide immediate response/service

Pace for success
Common Challenges
Challenge #1 – Faculty Resistance

Why does this occur?
◦ Faculty not well-informed about the program
◦ Some have traditional bias against community
colleges
 Concerns about quality of programs/instruction and
transferability of classes
Strategy – Counter Faculty Resistance

Feature a College Connection presentation at general
faculty meeting

Provide general information about college programs,
costs, state-wide transfer of classes between public
institutions

Provide dates of pullouts well in advance, to allow for
faculty planning

Emphasize benefits to students
◦ Students will be “ready-to-register” at your college at the end of
the year
Challenge #2 – Student Resistance

Why does this occur?
◦ Students not exposed to the program in advance
◦ Some are convinced they are going to college
elsewhere or convinced they won’t need to go at all
◦ A “cool” student has refused to participate
Strategy – Lessen Student Resistance

Schedule a College Connection senior presentation
before activities begin

Encourage participation and explain program benefits to
any student refusing to participate

Recruit school opinion leaders and role models to
influence their peers
Challenge #3 – Alleviate Parent Concerns

Why does this occur?
◦ Parents don’t want to give sensitive family income
information to students, school or college staff
◦ No computer access at home
◦ Parents’ work schedule prevents easy completion
Strategy – Counter Parent Resistance on FAFSA

Time school FAFSA activities to coincide with arrival of
W-2 and filing of taxes

Provide evening FAFSA workshops – invite college
personnel to participate or lead

Coordinate with volunteer programs that assist families
with preparing/filing taxes

Provide information about necessary
documents/information in advance to parents
Questions and Answers
For copies:
PowerPoint Presentation:
www.austincc.edu/isd/northeast/030608Presentation.ppt
Handouts:
www.austincc.edu/isd/documents