the value of fit: helping first-generation students find their path after high school

The Value of Fit Helping First-Generation Students Find Their Path After High School

Eugene Robinson, Jr., Chicago Public SchoolsNicole P. Murphy, PUC Schools

Nicole P. MurphyDirector of College Access & Financial Aid StrategiesPartnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC) Schools

Eugene Robinson, Jr. Chicago Public SchoolsManager of Postsecondary Initiatives

Meet the PresentersThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Achieving Results for Chicago Public Schools Students

Mission:

At Chicago Public Schools, our mission is to provide a high quality public education for

every child, in every neighborhood, that prepares each student for success in college, career and civic life.

Who We Are:

• Over 600 ES & HS• Economically Disadvantaged:

77.7%• English Language Learners:

18.0%• African American: 37.0%• Hispanic: 46.8%

Goals/Expectations

• 100% of all seniors graduate with a postsecondary plan by SY2020 (Learn. Plan. Succeed)

• 60% college enrollment by SY2019

The Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Chicago Public Schools: Mission, Profile and Goals

The Research: 5 Key HighlightsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

From High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College (2008)

• CPS students who aspire to complete a four-year degree do not effectively participate in the college application process.

• Attending a high school with a strong college-going culture shapes students’ participation in the college application process.

• Filing a FAFSA and applying to multiple colleges shapes students’ likelihood of being accepted to and enrolling in a four-year college.

• Only about one-third of CPS students who aspire to complete a four-year degree enroll in a college that matches their qualifications.

• Among highly qualified students, having discussions on postsecondary planning and having strong connections to teachers is particularly important in shaping the likelihood of enrolling in a match school.

Key Strategies


• Mission-driven & Research & Data Informed

• CCCAC – Chicago College and Career Advising Credentialing

• Postsecondary Leadership Team (PLT)

• District Implementation of Naviance

The Research: 5 Key HighlightsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Match Fit• Answers the question, "does the student

resemble the academic profile of a typical incoming freshman at this college?"

• Includes factors such as grades, test scores, GPA, etc.

• Students who match a particular college are likely to be admitted.

• Answers the question, “does the student see themselves fitting in at this college?”

• Includes factors such as cost, size, location, majors, weather, support services, cultural/social factors, distance from home, urban/rural, etc.

• Students who see themselves fitting in at a particular college are likely to be happier, more successful academically, and to persist.

A “Match College” is a postsecondary institution for which a student’s academic credentials (grades and test scores) fall within the school's middle 50%, or average, range for the most recently accepted freshman class.

The University of Chicago Consortium on School Research suggests that students are more likely to graduate college when they attend the most academically demanding institution that will admit them.

Chicago Research FindingsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students


College Match GridThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

An Academically Balanced ListThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Match: Academic credentials (ACT/GPA) fall well within a school’s range for the average freshman.

Reach: Academic credentials (ACT/GPA) fall just below the school’s range for the average freshman. Should still be attainable!

Safety: Academic credentials (ACT/GPA) exceed the school’s range for the average freshman.

Venn Diagram: Admissibility, Affordability, and Student Preferences


$34,709

$54,692

Admissibility

AffordabilityStudent Preferences

Fit

Can I get in?Will I fit academically?

Can I afford it?Do I qualify for a scholarship?

Will I like it? • Majors • Location• Extracurriculars• Support

Services • Housing• Weather


College Match GridThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

ScattergramsScattergrams are used to analyze the history of admissions results to a particular college among applicants from your school or district.

College StatisticsCollege Statistics allow students to compare their GPA and test scores to average scores of admitted students from your school or district.

College OverlapsCollege Overlaps display the colleges that students at your high school most frequently apply to when they have applied to a particular institution.

SuperMatch™ SuperMatch is a dynamic college search tool designed to help students find best fit colleges and universities based on the criteria that are most important to them.

Data-Driven

Using Data to Guide Practice

College Match ReportsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

The College Match report may be filtered by grade level, homeroom, and college selectivity and can be downloaded as an Excel file.

Suggestions for Using the College Match Report:• Use this information to help you better advise students in exploring and selecting

safety, match, and reach schools.

• Select groups of students with similar match potential for targeted postsecondary counseling activities.

• Analyze the data within your Postsecondary Leadership Team (PLT) to inform strategy decisions surrounding college match within your school building.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)The Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

College Match Calculator Tool (powered by Naviance)


Developed by the Network For College Success

College Enrollment & Persistence ReportsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

College Enrollment & Persistence ReportsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Naviance Alumni Tracker: Integrated with Naviance; measures college enrollment and college graduation of CPS graduates.

• To & Through Project: Provides educators, policymakers, and families with research, data, and resources on the milestones that matter most for college success.

https://toandthrough.uchicago.edu/

https://toandthrough.uchicago.edu/

College and Career Going Culture

Believing. Practicing. Succeeding.

CCCAC (Chicago College and Career Advising Credential)


The training is a series of eight, full-day workshops focused on the knowledge college and career advisors need to adequately help students prepare for their path after high school and is based on a cohort model to provide advisors with a support community. With a particular focus on implementing targeted systems and strategies in their school buildings, the training is designed to maximize the ability of school-based college and career advising staff to positively impact postsecondary success.

The SessionsSession 1: Postsecondary LandscapeSession 2: Student-Centered AdvisingSession 3: Postsecondary PathwaysSession 4: Match and Fit

Session 5: Strong College ApplicationsSession 6: Financial Aid I: The ProcessSession 7: Financial Aid II: Packages, Loans, and GapSession 8: Transition and Persistence

Postsecondary Leadership Team (PLT)The Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

A PLT is a collaborative structure designed to bring key stakeholders together for strategic communication & planning around the common goal of increasing college and career awareness,

readiness, access and success in a school.

The focus of the PLT is to drive a structured system of support at the school level that fosters a strong college going culture and drives student postsecondary outcomes. Best practice recommends that PLTs include a school administrator (Principal or Assistant Principal), members of the school counseling team, college and career coaches, external college support partners (e.g., OneGoal, Umoja), seminar teachers,

and in some cases, key college/university partners.

School & Network-based: 13 Networks & 85 High Schools

6th – 8th Grade ILPs• 6th Grade: Goal Setting & Academic Success Survey• 7th Grade: Career Cluster & High School Research• 8th Grade: High School Planning & Roadtrip Nation

9th – 12th Grade ILPs• 9th: Gallup StrengthsExplorer® & Postsecondary Goal Setting• 10th: Career Interest Profiler & Career Exposure• 11:th: Game Plan & SuperMatch™ • 12:th: Concrete Postsecondary Planning & Transition


Individual Learning Plans (ILPs)

College and Career SuccessThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Learn.Plan.Succeed• Senior Seminar Aligned to Naviance• Common App Integration• Scholarship Integration• Bs are Better Strategy through Network for College Success• Strategic Priority Groups: African American and Latino Males & 2.0 – 2.9 GPA.• Higher Education Partnerships: City Colleges of Chicago Star Scholarship• College Access Partners: GEAR UP, iMentor, College Possible, OneGoal, Thrive

Chicago, Common Black College App• Summer Melt/Transition

College and Career SuccessThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

CPS ResultsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Tripled scholarship dollars awarded from 2012-2017. 1.24 Billion Dollars in Scholarship Attainment for the Class of 2017.

• 2- or 4-year college enrollment immediately after high school rose dramatically, from 50 percent in 2006 to 63 percent in 2015, and three in four CPS graduates enrolled in college within six years of graduating from high school.

• Increasing college enrollment, taken together with recent increases in CPS students’ Freshman OnTrack rates, ACT scores, and high school GPAs, suggests the number of CPS graduates attaining a bachelor’s degree will rise over time.

Achieving Results for PUC Schools Students

PUC Schools’ OverviewThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• 17 Public Charter Schools in California & New Yorko 1 school in Rochester, NY o 6 schools in Northeast Los Angeles o 10 schools in Northeast San Fernando Valley

• 5,314 Students PUC-Wide (2017-2018)

PUC High Schools’ Data The Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Students in grades 9th – 12th (Across 6 high schools all in CA): 2,144

• Demographics: 95% Latino; 1% Black/African American, 1% Filipino; .85% White (Not of Hispanic origin), .43% Multiple Races Selected

• AB540 Eligible seniors (students self-identified): 18 seniors

• Free or reduced lunch eligible: 74% (59% free lunch & 14.55% reduced lunch eligible)

• Socio-Economic Disadvantaged (highest ed. of either parent): 81.25% *

*PUC Calculation - Free/reduced eligibility or if the parent ed. level is “Not a High School Graduate”

PUC College Counseling Program GuardrailsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Students will complete high school with the ACADEMIC PREPARATION essential for college competitiveness, as well as alternative post-secondary options.

• Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to investigate the world of work in relation to self-knowledge, allowing them to make INFORMED CAREER DECISIONS.

• Students will set goals and take necessary actions to achieve their high school and post-secondary goals, hence taking OWNERSHIP OF THEIR CAREER & EDUCATION GOALS.

College Counseling ProgramThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• College Counselors (Credentialed School Counselors) at high schools – 11 month employees

• PUC Competitive Edge (PCE 1-4) – Advisory like classes where Naviance programs/lessons are primarily completed

• uAspire – Financial aid training, resources & analytics (Award letter analysis)

• Parent Education – Developing a scope and sequence for the 3 levels (Elementary, Middle & High School)

– School site offered – PUC Parent College – Full day of parent education & collaboration – NEW – PUC Valley Parent Center

PUC High School Graduation RequirementsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Course requirements aligned with the University of California (UC) & California State University (CSU) undergraduate admissions requirements (A-Gs) - College Prep for ALL

• All PUC HS graduates are required to: – ACT + SAT in 11th

– Either ACT or SAT again fall of senior year – Apply to a min. of 5 colleges/university from 2 different systems– Submit FAFSA or CA Dream Act– Apply to a minimum of 5 scholarships over 4-years– Complete 30 hours of community service by graduation

ObjectivesThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

1. Clarify who are first-generation students, and is it important to know who these students are?

2. Aspects & advantages to consider when serving first-generation college students.

3. PUC Schools practices: Academics, Career Education, College/Higher Ed. “Fit” & Post-Secondary Ed. Supports

Who is a First-Generation College Student?The Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Do these students… • Come from a home where neither parent earned a college degree? • A home where at least one parent graduated college? • What if both parents attended college but didn't graduate?

Per the University of Georgia’s Institute of Higher Education, regardless of how this term is defined:• First-generation students enroll and graduate from college at a lower rate than other

students• Those who do enroll in college are less likely to pursue a bachelor’s degree

Does it Matter How We Define First-Generation?The Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Yes, for colleges/universities because…• The definition determines the size of the population of students, which directly impacts

institutions’ access & completion rates

Yes, for high schools because…• Size of the population may impact students’ access to targeted resources (Resources =

time, people & money)• Educating both students & families - (Empower to make informed decisions)

Aspects to Consider: First-Generation StudentsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

1) Do not have a family with a college-going/completion tradition (Some have home support & others pressure to get a job after HS graduation)

2) May want to stay closer to home, which might play a role in the type of higher education & schools they pursue

3) Often do not know what their career or higher education options are

4) Poor college self-concept – Do not believe they are college material/can be successful

5) Intimidated by the admissions, financial aid processes, as well as the pre-attendance costs (test-prep, admission exams, college fieldtrips, application fees, etc.)

6) Do not know how to make themselves a competitive applicant, “package” themselves for admissions officers (Use of extracurricular activities, summer experiences & volunteer work to support their post-secondary goals)

Advantages of Being First-GenerationThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

1) Students are enthusiastic learners – Recognizing their college opportunity can benefit self and family

2) Hard workers – Willing to put in the extra work to avoid becoming a statistic

3) Mature appreciation for learning – Sometimes guilt of being first gen coupled with the future possibilities make students value their education and experiences

4) Not afraid to ask for help – Confidence to take advantage of first generation and all students institution supports

Recommended First-Generation Student PracticesThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

1) Start early & often - Provide kids & families info about college options and financial aid ASAP.

2) Academic Interventions – Provide college level courses - begin college on track & avoid remedial courses

3) Career Education & Interest Assessments – Help student identify careers that match their passions/strengths, broaden their career knowledge & gain experience related to their goals

4) College/Alternative Education Fit – Physically visit the campus & talk with admissions, staff & students (when possible). Meet with college recruiters visiting HS, and invite alumni & alumni parents to inspire & educate HS families

5) Help Manage HS to College Transition Expectations For Students & Families - Help students and families understand differences between HS and college. Identify potential pit-falls and supports, noting it’s ok to be uncomfortable.

Preparing First-Generation Students For SuccessThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

PUC Academics – College-Prep for All!The Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Discussed starting day-1 of all PUC Schools (K12): College is For All

• All PUC students prepare for 4-year college: Graduation Requirements

• We value & celebrate all postsecondary education pathways

• Opportunities to earn college credits & complete remedial courses in HS: Advanced Placement Courses & Concurrent Enrollment College Courses

Importance of College Classes/Dual Enrollment The Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Get a head start on college and career

• FREE college courses – Save $ and time to degree completion

• Explore career options – Taking interesting college courses not offered at your HS before applying to college

• Build college self confidence – become familiar with college work, norms and procedures while in high school

• Become a more competitive applicant – Good grades demonstrate ability to succeed in college

A student who acquires at least 12 college credits prior to high school graduation has the highest likelihood of graduating from a post-secondary institution within four years (Adelman, 2006)

Impact of Earning College Credits in HSThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Importance of Career EducationThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Career Education BenefitsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Motivates students – helps them connect the dots between their courses and their career goals

• Empowers students with the self-knowledge – how their interests and strengths connect with careers

• Broadens their career knowledge – Opens students to careers they may not have known about or considered, and the education/training to obtain their goal(s)

• Helps with college degree completion – Helps students avoid majors that aren’t a match

PUC Career Education OpportunitiesThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Require completion of online Naviance career assessments 9th, 10th & 11th Grades

• Required minimum of 30 hours of community service over 4-year

• Tasks directing students to utilize Naviance career tools and journal: Career database and Roadtrip Nation videos

• PUC Schools’ Majors & Career Event (10th & 11th grades) – Professors & career expert presentations

• Internship and job opportunities

• HS Specific – Career events (projects, guest speakers, readings, etc.)

PUC - Counseling to Find Individual’s “College Fit”The Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Programs Aligned with Interests – Help students find a school that offers their major, allowing them to purse their dream career

• Pay attention to the first-year program – Does the college dedicate time and resources to students’ HS to college transition? If they experience difficulty do they have the supports in place?

• Financial Fit – Help students find schools that they are both academically and financially aligned. Using the Net Price Calculator and other tools to help students learn if a specific school aligns with their family’s budget

PUC Schools - Postsecondary Transition SupportsThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Parent & Student Individual Counseling – Provide counseling to students in families wanting help with preparing for this transition

• Community Circle & Classroom Guidance Presentations – Discuss feelings, campus resources, scenarios students may encounter and what to do

• Alumni Student & Alumni Parent Presentations – School site presentations, allowing current HS students and parents to learn from the alumni

• Annual Senior Send Off – End of year event that celebrates the senior classes success, provides a variety of transition presentations, and an opportunity to network with peers across the PUC-Network who have committed to the same post-secondary school/plan

• PUC 1st Year Mentor Program – Upper classmen alumni chosen for alumni mentor positions, are assigned a freshmen caseload to check-in and provide support as needed

Naviance – PUC Schools Game ChangerThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• Transparency of defined, measurable student expectations – Naviance ProgramsTasks fall under 3 categories: HS Success, Career Readiness & College Readiness

• Helps improve communication: Family Connection home page, emails & surveys• Reporting - Data tells a story and is used to drive counseling practices, as well as allocation

of resources

9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade13 tasks

*9th Grade Transition Survey*Gallup StrengthsExplorer® *ACT Aspire (9 & 10)

16 tasks*Create/Update Course Plan (9– 11)*Majors & Career Event (10 & 11)*ACT Aspire & PSAT (10 & 11)

19 tasks*Individual Spring Meeting & I.L.P.*1 Enrichment Program or Job Application (9-12)*Mock App w/essay

14 tasks*Individual Senior & Family Meeting*Build/Update Resume (9-12)*Apply min. 5 schools from 2 diff. systems

PUC Schools - Scholarship Award GrowthThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Over 13K% increase in scholarship awards

Graduating Class PUC-Wide Award Totals2014 $20,557

2015 $1,843,728

2016 $603,880

2017 $2,732,576

TOTAL $5,200,741

Scholarship Award GrowthThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

Attribute scholarship success to:

• Smart, dedicated PUC Schools’ College Counseling Team• Awesome students• Naviance – Scholarship database, communication and reporting tools

(better tracking and use of data to drive practices)• Building scholarship submission requirements into grade level

expectations and HS graduation requirements• Publishing scholarship data: What’s measured gets done!

PUC Admissions & Commitment DataThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Number of Seniors PUC-wide 365 374 410 372 497

Applications Submitted 2058 2281 2794 2399 ?

Admitted to 1 or more 4-year 58% 63% 63% 72% ?

Postsecondary Commitments

4-year commitment 62% 63% 60% 65% ?

2-year commitment 35% 33% 33% 33% ?

Career Education 0.20% 0.80% .24% .50% ?

Military 0.20% 0.80% .24% .26% ?

Other 0.20% 3.20% .24% 2.50% ?

Measuring Postsecondary OutcomesThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

PUC Schools - Alumni Tracking WorkThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• 2 Staff Members – Part-time commitment

• PUC Alumni Mentors – Alumni – peers who check in and report 1st year progress of assigned college freshmen caseload

• PUC’s Data Team– Support with uploading of National Clearinghouse HS Student Tracker Data Reports (NSC)

• Beyond 12 platform – Tracking and communication tool

• Challenges – NSC data is not 100% comprehensive & PUC bandwidth/resources

Additional 1st Generation ResourcesThe Value of Fit for First-Generation Students

• www.CollegeGreenlight.com - Connect first-generation and underrepresented students to caring colleges, generous scholarships, and life-changing counselors and mentors. See their first-gen summer programs list

• www.ImFirst.org - College Prep information, encouragement, scholarships, and college exploration tools - institutions who provide supports specifically for first-gen students

• www.RegionalAdmissions.com - Regional Admissions Counselor of California (RACC) –Provide counselor events, as well as student and parent events, promoting their out-of-state member schools, as well as the benefits of going away to college & student supports

• http://www.wiche.edu/wue - Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) – Nonresident tuition discounts “Graduate with more options and less debt!”

• www.uAspire.org – (FOR COST) Financial aid trainings, materials (student, educator & family), and analytics of collected award letters, reporting (Which institutions provided the best aid to your students, and to other uAspire partner organization schools)

https://www.collegegreenlight.com/

http://www.imfirst.org/

http://www.regionaladmissions.com/

http://www.wiche.edu/wue

http://www.uaspire.org/

Thank You for Attending!

Questions?