1. How to increase your college enrollment and completion rates, especially for first-generation and low-income students Jennifer Wilson-Kearse Executive Director, NC Appalachian Collaborative for Higher Education (NCACHE) Project Director, Appalachian GEAR UP Partnership wilsonkearsejj@appstate.edu Tracey Tardiff Pre-Enrollment Program Coordinator, NC Appalachian Collaborative for Higher Education (NCACHE) tardiffta@appstate.edu College Match College Match Voices, Key Points & Guiding Research ASU GEAR UP Goals, Objectives & Performance Measures ASU GEAR UP College Match Info & Resources ASU GEAR UP Services & Outcomes

2.  “A lot of students don’t even apply to certain schools because they are not exposed to them or they just think, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t get in’ or ‘I don’t think I would want to go there.’” – Student, College Match Program, New York City  “Our students apply to [colleges that] friends or family members attend and the ones they hear about the ones they hear about the most and know.” – Head Counselor, Chicago Public Schools  “If it wasn’t for [my College Match adviser], I honestly would have no idea what to do. I am the first in my family to go to college, so this is all new to me.” – Student, College Match Program, Chicago  “I…procrastinated because I was afraid…I was so stressed out. [My College Match adviser]… calmed me down [and] saved me from missing a whole bunch of deadlines.” – Student, College Match Program, New York City College Match: Voices From In Search of a Match: A Guide for Helping Students Make Informed College Choices (Byndloss, Coven, Kusayeva, Johnston & Sherwin, 2015)In Search of a Match: A Guide for Helping Students Make Informed College Choices

3. College Match: Key Points 1.When students, especially from rural, low-income, and first generation college families, academically match to the college they apply to, it leads to higher college enrollment and completion rates (Bowen, Chingos & McPerson, 2009; Roderick, Nagaoka, Coca & Moeller, 2008 & 2011; Smith, Pender, and Howell, 2012). 2.Students undermatch when they are academically qualified to attend a more selective college or university than the one they choose, or don’t enroll at all (Roderick, Nagaoka, Coca & Moeller, 2008 & 2011). 3.Undermatching occurs at the application stage of college preparation; not the enrollment stage (Bowen, Chingos & McPerson, 2009). 4. Students, particularly those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, are more likely to enroll in college when they increase the number of college applications submitted – by increasing the number of college applications from 1 to 2 can increase a student’s probability of enrolling at a four-year college by 40% (Smith, Pender, and Howell, 2012). 5.When high-needs students receive a direct mailing with information on the postsecondary institutions to which they are academically matched, the net costs to attend, and application fee waivers, these students are more likely to apply and enroll in colleges within their academic match (Hoxby & Turner, 2013). 6.Students and families underestimate their academic potential and overestimate the financial cost of college (Roderick, Nagaoka, Coca & Moeller, 2008 & 2011).

4. College Match: Guiding Research From High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to CollegeFrom High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College, Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR), (Roderick, Nagaoka, Coca & Moeller, 2008) Increasing College Opportunity for Low-Income Students: Promising Models and a Call to ActionIncreasing College Opportunity for Low-Income Students: Promising Models and a Call to Action (The Executive Office of the President, 2014) The Full Extent of Student-College Academic UndermatchThe Full Extent of Student-College Academic Undermatch (Smith, Pender, and Howell, 2012) Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America’s Public UniversitiesCrossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America’s Public Universities (Bowen, Chingos & McPerson, 2009) (see brief by AVID)see brief by AVID The Missing “One-Offs”: The Hidden Supply of High-Achieving, Low-Income StudentsThe Missing “One-Offs”: The Hidden Supply of High-Achieving, Low-Income Students (Hoxby & Avery, 2013) Getting Ready to Pay for College: What Students and Their Parents Know About the Cost of College Tuition and What They Are Doing to Find Out Getting Ready to Pay for College: What Students and Their Parents Know About the Cost of College Tuition and What They Are Doing to Find Out (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003) Expanding College Opportunities for High-Achieving, Low Income StudentsExpanding College Opportunities for High-Achieving, Low Income Students (Hoxby & Turner, 2013) MDRC – The College Match ProgramThe College Match Program Promoting College Match for Low-Income Students (Byndloss & Reid, 2013) Promoting College Match for Low-Income Students In Search of a Match: A Guide for Helping Students Make Informed College Choices (Byndloss, Coven, Kusayeva, Johnston & Sherwin, 2015) In Search of a Match: A Guide for Helping Students Make Informed College Choices

5. College Match: CCSR Research From High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to CollegeFrom High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College, Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR), (Roderick, Nagaoka, Coca & Moeller, 2008)

6. College Match: Hoxby & Turner Research From: Expanding College Opportunities (Hoxby & Turner, 2013)Expanding College Opportunities

7. References: ACT-SAT Concordance Table at www.act.org/aap/concordance www.act.org/aap/concordance Roderick, M., Nagaoka, J., Coca, V., Moeller, E. (2008). From High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College. Consortium on Chicago School Research. College Match: Info & Resources

8. Selectivity Ratings for NC Postsecondary Institutions Based on data from Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges (2013) and Chicago Consortium on School Research (2008) Ratings.

9. College Match: Info & Resources Exploring Options Students are more willing to apply to more selective colleges when they learn about the range of options available, including the following (but not limited to): Academic Match Barron’s college selectivity ratings Entrance requirements Retention, four-year & six-year graduation rates Majors available Research opportunities Faculty expertise Social Fit Distance from city/town Setting (i.e., rural or urban) Campus size Class size Social and cultural opportunities Study abroad opportunities Financial Aid % of students receiving financial aid % of students receiving Pell Grants % of students receiving institutional scholarships Availability of debt-free programs Work study options

11. College Match: Info & Resources Online Resources Planning for College 1.CFNC.org – Plan for CollegeCFNC.org – Plan for College 2.CFNC.org – Let Me Tell YouCFNC.org – Let Me Tell You 3.College Board’s You Can GoCollege Board’s You Can Go 4.College Board’s bigfuture – Finding Your College FitCollege Board’s bigfuture – Finding Your College Fit 5.KnowHow2GOKnowHow2GO 6.I’m First!I’m First! 7.Peterson’s College Compatibility ToolPeterson’s College Compatibility Tool 8.Ed Trust’s College Results OnlineEd Trust’s College Results Online 9.Institute of Education Sciences – Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)Institute of Education Sciences – Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 10.U.S. Department of Education – College Affordability and Transparency CenterU.S. Department of Education – College Affordability and Transparency Center a.College NavigatorCollege Navigator b.College ScorecardCollege Scorecard c.Net Price Calculator CenterNet Price Calculator Center d.College Affordability and Transparency ListCollege Affordability and Transparency List Estimating financial aid 1.College Board’s bigfutureCollege Board’s bigfuture a.Expected Family Contribution (EFC) CalculatorExpected Family Contribution (EFC) Calculator b.Focus on Net Price, Not Sticker PriceFocus on Net Price, Not Sticker Price c.U.S. Department of Education – Federal Student AidU.S. Department of Education – Federal Student Aid 2.Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (www.fafsa.gov)www.fafsa.gov a.FAFSA Completion ToolFAFSA Completion Tool b.FAFSA4CasterFAFSA4Caster c.The Financial Aid Process (infographic)The Financial Aid Process d.Financial Aid ToolkitFinancial Aid Toolkit e.My Future, My Way: First Steps Toward College, A Workbook for Middle and Junior High SchoolMy Future, My Way: First Steps Toward College, A Workbook for Middle and Junior High School 3.North Carolina specific financial aid information a.CFNC.org – Paying for CollegeCFNC.org – Paying for College b.Student Financial Aid for North Carolinians 2015-16Student Financial Aid for North Carolinians 2015-16 c.CFNC.org – Five Ways ED Pays – College is Affordable (NC version)CFNC.org – Five Ways ED Pays – College is Affordable 4.Financial aid/scholarship programs (most are need-based) at selective colleges and universities: a.UNC Chapel-Hill – Carolina CovenantUNC Chapel-Hill – Carolina Covenant  WRAL Article WRAL Article b.Appalachian State University – ACCESSAppalachian State University – ACCESS c.Davidson College – The Davidson TrustDavidson College – The Davidson Trust d.List of Colleges that Meet 100% of Financial NeedList of Colleges that Meet 100% of Financial Need e.20 of the Best Colleges Providing Free Tuition20 of the Best Colleges Providing Free Tuition

14. College Match Outcomes Complete College with a degree within 4-6 years and prepared for success in the workforce and life Explore Options, Plan, Apply, Admit, Accept & Enroll in a Match College with financial aid options via FAFSA completion College Match Advising, Mentoring, Workshops, Family Events, College Visits, Summer Programs, Test Prep Tutoring, Financial Aid Counseling & Professional Development