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Introduction
A college education is becoming more and more important in the United States. In 1993, adults 25 years and older who held a bachelor’s degree earned almost twice as much as those whose education ended with high school (U.S. Bureau of the Census as cited in Poverty , 1995). In 1996, according to the U.S. Department of Education, 4.3 percent of high school graduates were unemployed compared to only 2.4 percent of unemployed college graduates. A college education opens doors to much broader options in potential jobs and careers. College graduates are more likely to secure and keep a better job;, earn more money; acquire a wider range of knowledge; acquire higher communication skills; and learn to express thoughts more clearly, make informed decisions, and use technology
( Getting Ready for College Early , 1997). Clearly a college education helps students get a good start in life!
The problem is that while 90 percent of secondary school students and their parents dream of college, many families do not prepare early enough for college—academically or financially. In a 1998 Gallup survey, almost 70 percent of parents didn’t feel adequate to guide their children in preparing for college. They wanted more information, for instance, about which courses their children should take to prepare for college; 89 percent wanted more information about how to pay for college. Several surveys reveal that parents overestimate the cost of college by three and four times (GEAR-UP,
1999).
The struggle to prepare students and their parents for college is even more acute among low-income families. In many areas, most adults lack college experience and this affects not only individual families, but also entire neighborhoods. “High-achieving students from low-income families are five times less likely to attend college than high-achieving students from high-income families” (National
Educational Longitudinal Study as cited in GEAR-UP, 1999).Many of these students and families do not lack the ability or intelligence; they just do not know how to prepare for college. This is where mentors can play a significant role.
What Can Mentors Do?
Studies show that students who succeed academically usually have long-term relationships with other knowledgeable and caring adults besides their parents and teachers ( Yes, You Can , 1998). For at-risk youth, mentors can fill this valuable role. They can help mentees prepare for college by:
 Reinforcing the importance of school.
 Teaching them good work and study habits.
 Helping them to set positive academic goals.
 Encouraging them to take college prep courses, like algebra and geometry.
 Sharing knowledge about financial aid options for college.
 Encouraging them to attend after-school and summer-school programs.
 Helping them get tutorial help, if necessary.
 Challenging them to save for college.
 Helping them discover special talents and interests that could lead to career opportunities.
 Guiding them through the college application process.
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Mentors can make a difference in their mentees’ lives and envision a more positive future by helping their mentees succeed in school!
Types of Colleges
Many mentees may think that the term “college” refers to the traditional 4-year institution.
Postsecondary education options actually include:

Community Colleges: These are public, 2-year schools. They usually serve residents from nearby communities and are funded by state and local revenue. They offer academic, technical, and continuing education courses.

Technical Colleges: Although some of these colleges may offer academic courses, they specialize in technical fields. They may be public or private. Most programs are 1-2 years long.

Junior Colleges: These are usually private, 2-year schools. Like community colleges, they offer academic, technical, and continuing education courses. In most cases, 2-year degrees from community, technical, or junior colleges can be transferred to 4-year schools and credited toward a bachelor’s degree.

4-Year Colleges: These provide 4-year academic programs in the arts and sciences. They can be public or private. Work done here can lay the foundation for graduate work later on.

Universities: These also provide 4-year academic programs in the arts and sciences. However, they also include one or more graduate programs and one or more professional schools. They can be public or private.
Private schools have different funding streams, and can control admissions requirements and financial aid packages more closely than public schools . Need-based as well as academic-based scholarships are possible. Students have many choices for postsecondary education. The right choice for each individual depends on long-term career goals.
Developing a Career Plan
Considering that many college students graduate without knowing what they want to do with their lives, it is unlikely that 6th graders are going to be able to choose a career. In fact, it is probably better if they leave their options open. However, this does not mean they cannot set goals based on their interests and skills. These goals will give them direction throughout their middle, junior high, and high school years. Working toward their goals can give them the incentive they need to do well in school and to stay out of trouble. Goals can also help students decide what classes to take, what outside activities to be part of, what friendships to develop (or not), what kinds of colleges to look at, and what kind of financial aid they’ll need. Setting goals can prevent them from drifting through life and challenge them to take responsibility for their future.
1. Help mentees assess their skills and interests.
Ask: What do you enjoy? What are you good at? What kind of activities does you like? What do you value? What school, social, civic, or religious organizations are you part of? Encourage them to write these skills and interests down.
2. Challenge them to research the jobs that interest them.
After they have listed the types of jobs they think they’d enjoy, help them discover the educational requirements, salary, working conditions and future outlook for each of those jobs. (A worksheet has been included for convenience.) As students do this research, they are bound to find other careers that they have never considered before. Challenge them to branch out and look at these careers even if they were not part of their original plan. Many schools offer ASVAB Career Exploration Program. This program analyzes students’ interests and skills and then lists jobs students might enjoy. The
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school counselor should have other career guidance materials as well. If not, check the local library or Internet.
3. Encourage
them to match their skills and interests with a particular career or type of career.
This will help them determine the classes they need to take now. (Adapted from the “Mapping
Your Future” website, 1998)
Taking the Right Courses
Many students and their families do not realize that if they wait until the student’s junior or senior year of high school to start preparing for college, they have waited too long. Students need to plan their high school course schedule early, even as early as the 7th or 8th grade. This will allow them to get their basic courses out of the way so they can take other key classes that colleges expect. Research shows that students who take algebra and geometry by the end of the 8th and 9th grades are much more likely to go to college than those who do not. Although students who take challenging courses are better prepared for Advanced Placement and Tech-Prep courses, low-income students are much less likely than their higher-income peers to take these courses. If mentees are interested in attending college, encourage them to take the following classes.
Mathematics
—4 years
Types of Classes:
Algebra I (take in 8th grade)
Geometry (take in 9th grade)
Algebra II
Trigonometry
Pre-Calculus
History & Geography
Types of Classes:
Geography
U.S. History
U.S. Government
World History
World Cultures
Civics
—2-3 years
Calculus
English
—4 years
Types of Classes:
Composition
Foreign Language
—2-4 years
Visual & Performing Arts —1-2
American Literature
World Literature
Science
Types of classes:
Biology
—3-4 years
Earth Science years
Types of Classes:
Art
Dance
Drama
Music
Chemistry
Physics
Computer Science
—All courses offered
Electives —1-3 years
Types of classes:
Economics
Psychology
Statistics
Astronomy
Communication
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Many high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses. These are college-level courses that help students prepare for college while they are still in high school. Frequently, a student who does well in one of these courses and scores high on the AP test can receive college credit for the class. This can save money in the long run.
Students who plan to attend a junior, community, or technical college definitely need to take the suggested courses in the core areas: English, math, science, and history; but they should also take most of the other college-preparation courses. Preferred classes will depend on what their career goals are. For example, if they want to be an engineer, they need to enroll in every math and science course offered in their school.
Other Ways to Prepare
Although making good grades is vital, independent reading, extracurricular activities, and work experience can help mentees prepare for college.
Reading can help develop interests, expand knowledge, and improve reading comprehension and vocabulary skills. Encourage mentees to read all kinds of books, magazines, and newspapers for fun.
Many colleges are interested in students’ extracurricular activities, not just their academic record.
Challenge mentees to participate in athletics, musical activities, drama, arts, community service, and school clubs. The more events they can participate in, the more they will discover their own interests and talents.
Although many students do not think of their after-school jobs as being preparation for college, working can teach students discipline, responsibility, reliability, and teamwork. All of these skills are things they will need in college, and in life beyond college. A job can also provide valuable savings to help the student attend college. Supervisor recommendations can also be useful for college applications. If mentees work, encourage them to use this time wisely. Challenge them to work hard, do their best, and put aside some of the money for their future goals.
Picking the Right College
Selecting the right college is never easy and is driven by the student’s personal needs, desires, and talents. The following questions—taken from Preparing Your Child For College: 1996-97
Edition —can help mentees decide what school is right for them:
 Why do I want to go to college?
 What do I want to study?
 How long will my program take at this particular school?
 Can I transfer the credits to a 4-year college later (if this is a 2-year school)?
 How many students who start at this school drop out?
 What kind of financial aid can I get here?
 Will I need to work? If so, what kind of jobs are available?
 Have other students who have gone here liked it? What do they say about their experience?
 What is this school’s record for helping students find jobs after graduation?
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Financial Aid
Financial aid is one of the biggest concerns for prospective college students, especially for lowincome students. Many think college is beyond their reach. However, if students are willing to plan ahead and work hard, financing college is possible. Some of the ways students can pay for college:

Savings
— Students and their families need to start saving early for college. Obviously, the earlier they begin saving, the smaller the amount they will have to set aside each month.
Also, many families may not realize that they can save by setting up a tax-free Education IRA and/or custodial savings account. Mentors should encourage their mentees and their families to talk to a bank representative about the saving possibilities offered.

Federal Financial Aid — the U.S. Department of Education offers students three types of aid to help pay for college:
Grants — money that the student does not have to pay back; usually requires maintaining a designated grade point average.
Work-study
— students are offered jobs as part of their financial aid package to help them earn the money they need to pay for school expenses.
Loans
— money available to students and their parents that must be paid back after college.
Some loans are based on financial need while others are not.

The U.S. Department of Education provides $40 billion a year in aid for college students.
Every year, more than half of college students receive some kind of aid from the federal government.

State Financial Aid
— some states offer grants and loans to students from their state who attend college within the state. To find out what your state offers, contact the State Educational Agency
(SEA) in your state. In public schools, there is often a large discrepancy between in-state and outof-state tuition to the benefit of state residents.

Private Scholarships and Loans — numerous civic groups, foundations, businesses, and community organizations provide financial aid. For instance, the Waco Foundation (Waco, TX) offers grants to students from the county who attend either the local community college or technical college. Encourage mentees to call local civic groups and community organizations to see what is offered in their area.
 Other private scholarships are available through national organizations and foundations. The
United Negro College Fund and the Hispanic Fund are just two. Others can be found in the resources at the end of the chapter.

Serving Our Country — opportunities for serving our country during or after college to pay for all or part of an education include:
AmeriCorps — this community-service program lets students earn grants or repay loans.
Military Academies — all the military branches offer no-cost education for highly qualified students in exchange for service for an extended period of time.
Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
— offers scholarships to students interested in joining the military after college in exchange for service, usually at the rate of two or three years per year of education. For both military financed college plans, the money must be repaid if the student does not fulfill his or her service obligations.
Being from a low- or middle-income family should not prevent anyone from going to college. Challenge mentees to study hard, do their research, and go to college. The benefits will last a lifetime!
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: To provide mentors with the basic information for college preparation so they can help their mentors plan for college
: The instructor will discuss:
 What Can Mentors Do?
 What Types of Colleges Exist?
 Developing A Career Plan
 Taking The Right Courses
 Other Ways to Prepare
 A College Preparation Calendar
 Picking The Right College
 Financial Aid
:
 Interesting Careers Worksheet
 Class Planning Worksheet
 A College Preparation Calendar
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List all the careers or jobs that sound interesting to you in the left-hand column. Now find out what the educational conditions, salary, working conditions, and future outlook are for each career. Write that information in the appropriate columns. In the last column, list the middle, junior high, and high school courses you need to take of you want one of these job.
Education
Needs
Salary Work
Setting
Future
Outlook
Classes
Needed
Career or
9.
10.
6.
7.
8.
3.
4.
5.
Jobs
1.
2.
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Use the worksheet below to plan the classes you need to take in order to accomplish your career goal.
Ask your school counselor to review your plans and add the classes he or she thinks you need to take.
English
Class
Foreign
Language
Class
Math
Class
Science
Class
History
Class
Arts
Classes
Computer
Classes
Current
Grade in
School
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
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This calendar is based on material from the website “College is Possible” ( www.collegeispossible.org
).
Use it to find your way through the maze of activities that need to be done in preparation for college.
8th Grade
 Take Algebra 1.
 Participate in extracurricular activities.
9th Grade
 Take geometry and other challenging classes.
 Meet with a counselor to plan your high school course work.
 Participate in extracurricular activities.
 Start saving for college, if your parents haven’t started already.
 Begin a list of your activities, awards, and other educational experiences to add to throughout high school. This will help you considerably when it’s time to apply for colleges and scholarships.
 Beginning this year and over the next several years, visit colleges at every opportunity.
10th Grade
 Take the PLAN or the PSAT/NMSQT. These are preliminary tests that will help you prepare for the ACT and SAT I and II.
 Take the SAT II (Subject Tests) for practice.
 Continue participating in extracurricular activities.
 Add to your Educational Experiences list.
 Begin researching colleges you are interested in attending.
 Enroll in a summer course.
 If you work, save some of the money for college.
11th Grade
 Meet with your school counselor to review your courses.
 Take the PSAT/NMSQT so you’ll be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship competition.
 Research private and government financial aid.
 Take the ACT and/or SAT and/or SAT II (Subject Tests).
 Write to colleges, asking for information.
 Visit colleges and attend college fairs.
 Continue participating in extracurricular activities.
 Consider taking an academic course at a local college, pursuing a summer school program, or working as a volunteer.
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 If you work, save some of the money for college.
 Write a resume and put together a portfolio, including essays, for school and scholarship applications.
12th Grade
 Continue participating in extracurricular activities.
 Meet with your counselor to review your college plans.
 If you want to improve your score, take the ACT and/or SAT and/or SAT II (Subject
Tests) again.
 Finish any college visits and apply at the schools you’re interested in attending.
 Apply for private scholarships.
 Fill out federal financial aid paperwork.
 Set up a budget for when you go to school.
 Take Advanced Placement exams, if necessary.
 If you work, save some of the money for college.
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American college entrance directory. (1998). [Online]. Available: www.aaced.com
.
College Preparation. (1999). The next step magazine. [Online]. Available: www.nextstepmagazine.com
.
Payne, Ruby K. (1995). Poverty: A Framework for Understanding and Working with Students and
Adults from Poverty. Baytown, TX: RFT Publishing .
Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation. (1998). Mapping your future. [Online]. Available: www.mapping-your-future.org
.
The Coalition of America’s Colleges and Universities. (1999, April 6). College is possible. [Online].
Available: www.collegeispossible.org
. Available by calling the U.S. Department of Education toll-free at 1-877-433-3243.
U.S. Department of Education. (1996). Preparing your child for college: 1996-97 edition. [Online]
Available: www.ed.gov/pubs/prepare .
U.S. Department of Education. (1997). Getting ready for college early: A handbook for parents of students in the middle and junior high school years. Available by calling the U.S. Department of
Education toll-free at 1-877-4ED-PUBS.
U.S. Department of Education. (1998). Think college? me? now? a handbook for students in middle school and junior high school. Available by calling the U.S. Department of Education toll-free at
1-877-4ED-PUBS. [Online]. Available: www.ed.gov/pubs/collegemenow .
U.S. Department of Education. (1998, October). Yes. you can: A guide for establishing mentoring programs to prepare youth for college. [Online]. Available: www.ed.gov/pubs/yesyoucan .
U.S. Department of Education. (1999). GEAR-UP: Gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate programs. (0MB No.: 1840-0740). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
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Mapping Your Future www.mapping-your-future.org
Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TGSLC)
P.O. Box 201725
Austin, TX 78720-1725
800-252-9743 www.tgslc.org
The Next Step Magazine
P.O. Box 405
Victor, NY 14564
716-742-1260 fax: 716-742-1263 www.nextstepmagazine.com
Useful Books
Bolles, Richard Nelson. (1999). What color is your parachute?: A practical manual for job-hunters and career-changers.
Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
Mitchell, Joyce Slayton. The college board guide to jobs and career planning.
(1990). New York:
College Entrance Examination Board.
The occupational outlook handbook. 1998-99 edition.
(1998). Lincolnwood, IL: VGM Career
Horizons.
Petersons books series and website www.petersons.com
Free Books/Brochures
1999 Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities [booklet]
HEATH/ACE
One Dupont Circle, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
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800-544-3284
Useful Books
Ban-on’s compact guide to colleges.
(1998). Hauppauge, NY: Ban-on’s Educational Series, Inc.
Mitchell, Robert. (1996). The multicultural student’s guide to the colleges.
NY: Noonday Press.
Peterson’s 4-year colleges. 1999: The best advice, the best tools, the right guide.
(1998). Princeton,
NJ: Peterson’s Guides.
American College Testing (ACT)
Act, Inc.
2201 N. Dodge St.
P.O. Box 16B
Iowa City, IA 52243 www.act.org
PSAT/NMSQT Program
P.O. Box 6720
Princeton, NJ 08541
609-771-7070 fax: 609-530-0482 e-mail: psat@collegeboard.org
SAT I and SAT II
Educational Testing Service
Rosedale Rd.
Princeton, NJ 08541
609-771-7600
Useful Books
Brownstein, Samuel C. (1997). How to prepare for SAT I.
NY: Barren’s Educational Series.
How to prepare for the ACT.
American college testing assessment program. (1998). Hauppauge, NY:
Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.
How to prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT: Preliminary SAT/National merit scholarship qualifying test.
(1999). Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.
10 read SATs.
(1999). NY: College Entrance Examination Board.
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Advanced Placement Courses and Exams
Advanced Placement (AP) Program
888-CALL-4-AP or 609-771-7300 fax: 609-530-0482; e-mail: apexams@ets.org
American College Entrance Directory www.aaced.com
CollegeNet Scholarship Database www.collegenet.com
FastWeb www.fastweb.com
Federal Student Aid Information Center
800-4FED-ATO
Financial Aid Information Page www.finaid.org
Hispanic Fund
One Thomas Circle, NW
Suite 375
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 296-5400 www.hispanicfund.org
Minority On-Line Information Service www.lights.com/hytelnet/oth/oth023.html
National Hispanic Scholar Recognition Program
The College Board
1233 20th St., NW, Ste. 600
Washington, DC 20036
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 200
Evanston, IL 60201
847-866-5100
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National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students
250 Auburn Ave., NE, Ste. 500
Atlanta, GA 30303
Scholarship Resource Network
Daigle and Vierra, Inc.
555 Quince Orchard Rd., Ste. 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
301-670-1260 fax: 301-670-1281 www.rams.com
Texas Education Agency www.thecb.state.tx.us/otherrecs/finaidrec.htm
United Negro College Fund
8260 Willow Oaks Corporate Dr.
Fairfax, VA 22031
(800) 331-2244 www.uncf.org
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202
800-USA-LEARN
Fax: 202-401-0689 e-mail: customerservice@inet.ed.gov
www.ed.gov
USA Group www.salliemae.com
Free Books/Brochures
Cash for College www.finaid.org/nasfaa/cashfc
The Student Guide
800-433-3243 www.ed.gov/proginfo/sfa/studentguide
Useful Books
Bauer, David G. (1995). The complete grants sourcebook for higher education. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx
Press.
Beckham, Barry (Ed.). The black student’s guide to scholarships: 700+ private money sources for black and minority students.
(1999). Lanham, MD: Madison Books.
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Krefetz, Gerald. (1995). Paying for college: A guide for parents.
NY: College Entrance Examination
Board.
Leider, Anna J. (1998). The a’s and b’s of academic scholarships.
Alexandria, VA: Octameron
Associates.
Paying for college: A guide for parents and their children.
(1995). Washington, DC: SallieMae.
Peterson’s paying less for college.
1996. (1995). Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s Guides.
The complete scholarship book.
(1998). Naperville, DL: Sourcebooks.
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College Is Possible www.collegeispossible.org
CollegePrep-101
106 Willard Hall
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078 e-mail: collprep@okstate.edu
Illinois Student Aid Commission (ISAC)
1755 Lake Cook Rd.
Deerfield, IL 60015-5209
800-899-ISAC www.collegezone.com
Student Loan Marketing Association (Sallie Mae)
800-239-4269 e-mail: college.answer@sima.com www.salliemae.com
The College Board www.collegeboard.org
Yahoo www.yahoo.com/education
Free Books/Brochures
Consumer Information Center
Dept. WWW
Pueblo, CO 81009
888-878-3256
Fax: 719-948-9724 www.pueblo.gsa.gov
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