College Application Campaign October 2013

American Council on Education initiative Focus on who might not otherwise apply or who may apply late in the application process First-generation college students Low-income students Applying early can make a difference even for students with similar GPAs National effort to increase the number of first-generation and low-income students pursuing a college degree or other higher education credential. American College Application Campaign 2

24 states and DC participated in 2012 Nearly 1600 schools hosted events Over 110,000 students participated More than 184,000 applications submitted Inaugural campaign in Illinois fall high schools hosted 86 events Nearly 2,000 students participated Volunteers assist with workshops Support provided to high schools Implementation Guide Volunteer opportunities Online survey to measure effectiveness College Application Campaign

National level 31 commitments and counting Illinois Going from one week to a month: October Open to any high school interested in participating Implementation Guide available at “College Application Month” National and state initiative College Application Campaign

High school run event Register CAM events by filling out registration form available on website Indicate contact person at high school for volunteers to contact Volunteers can assist Volunteers are not there to recruit for or promote one specific college Implementation guide has some guidelines on working with volunteers Have teachers and other school personnel promote the event Wear college paraphernalia Wear “Ask Me About ___” buttons or place signs on doors Program is done during the school day to ensure a good turnout Coordinate fee waiver logistics ahead of event for students needing them Logistics of College Application Month 5

Follow up with students who did not finish applications Review online survey results Set FAFSA completion workshop dates for after January 1 Work with ISACorps members if assistance is needed If needed set up a financial aid presentation prior to FAFSA workshop Sign up for ISAC’s eMesaging at If you have questions contact Abel Montoya at or Post-Event Activities 6

Making college accessible and affordable for Illinois students. - ISAC’s Mission Statement Deerfield 1755 Lake Cook Road Deerfield, IL Springfield 500 W. Monroe, 3 rd Floor Springfield, IL Chicago James R. Thompson Center 100 W. Randolph, Suite Chicago, IL ISAC (4722) Illinois Student Assistance Commission The official Web site of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) Increase the proportion of Illinois adults with a postsecondary degree or credential to 60 percent by 2025 Follow College Changes Everything Website: collegechangeseverything.org Facebook: facebook.com/collegechangeseverything Twitter: twitter.com/cce_illinois