College Counseling for the “B/C Student” Shannon Gaggero Sky Chandler

We will cover… Initial meeting Inspiring the driver Getting students to tour colleges Campus rep visits/college fairs Financial aid Essays Myth busting Which colleges?

Initial Meeting Build rapport Don’t overwhelm – focus on immediate concerns (researching schools, SAT/ACT) Learn context, demographics, family history, LDs, high school experience Explore career ideas – personality, interests Build confidence, address fears

Inspire the driver! Student is driver, you are navigator Manage expectations – cost, time commitment Activate family involvement – call parents Incentivize participation “College-Bound (mascot) of the month” and/or “Alumni of the Month” board Student panels are highly effective

Getting students to tour colleges Potential barriers: parents work, intimidation, multi-step process, confusion about when to start, “drive around” vs. tour Make it appealing to parents Make it easy Reward & invite students to report to peers after tours Preview Day Calendar

Campus Rep Visits / College Fairs Community College fairs = easy & effective Keep intentional database of dynamic reps Incentivize student participation Invite alumni back for a panel to share about their colleges Invite parents to come to school for the rep visits / college fairs College fairs – on the spot admissions

Financial Aid Major concern. Explain investment concept Show EFC calculators on school websites EOP/Special programs for 1 st Gen students Local scholarships key: Banks, churches, Rotary clubs, parents’ employers, Greek orgs Collaborate with colleagues

Essays B/C students may be especially anxious or unmotivated about writing application essays Have a brainstorming session with the student Build their confidence – they DO have a story to tell and a personality to share. Manage expectations – explain that they WILL do multiple drafts. Make deadlines for their drafts to be due to you. Do not edit student’s voice! Essay Reader volunteer program

Myth busting for the B/C student Stanford/Harvard on college list Unknown private college = bad school Community College/CSU as a negative Must know career path NOW! (nurse!!) Out of state = more expensive

So what colleges? No right answer! One size does not fit all Factors to consider: – Remediation/learning support offered – 1 st gen programs/summer bridge – Private schools have more flexibility in admissions Regional Admissions Counselors of California CC transfer to CSU/UC/Private HBCUs/Hispanic serving institutions

Final Thoughts Calming parents’ nerves with communication Help with transition to increased independence (laundry, food, etc.) Transition program – Beyond 12 National Clearinghouse data (5,000 records costs $425/year) Data is your friend

Questions/Comments?