1. Improving Advising for First Generation College Students at Independent Schools
Facilitated by Nicole Yeftich
College Support Coordinator at KIPP Baltimore
Panelists: Daymond Cooper, Liz Hirsch, and Jen Pineau

2. Session Agenda
Introductions & Opening Activity Why We’re Here Alumni Testimony Panel Sharing Discussion Scenario Activity Reflection & Next Steps

3. TURN AND TALK: Pair up with someone sitting nearby
TURN AND TALK: Pair up with someone sitting nearby. Take two minutes each to share your answers to the question below.
What are two things we assume students know about the college and financial aid application processes?

4. Who are First Generation College Students?
Why We’re Here
Who are First Generation College Students?
Data from Pell Institute data Put another way: 77% of students from the top quartile graduate with a degree in six years versus 9% in the lowest income quartile.

5. First generation college students benefit from
Why We’re Here
First generation college students benefit from
intensive advising when creating a college list and applying to college.
explicit conversations about money as it relates to family finances, college costs, and financial aid.
help navigating the college environment including academic expectations and bureaucratic operations.

6. Alumni Testimony: Daymond Cooper
December 4, | 6

7. Panel Sharing Awareness of School Cultures Early Outreach
Access to Standardized Test
Preparation
Adapting Individual Advising
Practices
Directly Addressing Financial Aid
December 4, | 7

8. Conversation and Questions

9. Scenario Activity
Organize yourselves in pairs. Each pair should have two different colored scenarios.
Take one minute to read the first scenario. Identify who will be the counselor and who will be the student.
Take three minutes to role play the scenario.
Reflect with each other for one minute: What was it like to adopt the voice of this student? What did you find challenging?
Repeat the steps above for the second scenario switching roles.
December 4, | 9

10. Personal Reflections and Next Steps
What is something that I can do immediately to improve my work with students?
What is something about which I need to learn more?
What is something that I can strive to do for the next school year?
December 4, | 10

11. Contact Information
Liz Hirsch  The Park School  (410)  
Jen Pineau
The McDonogh School
(443)
Nicole Yeftich
KIPP Baltimore
(410)
December 4, | 11