1. Accessing Higher Education

2. Section One: Choosing a College 2014 Project Hope Seminar 2

3. Choosing a Campus with Supportive Services for Homeless Youth  Characteristics of Colleges with Supportive Services for Homeless Youth:  Finding the right campus size  Two Year -vs- Four Year  Housing Options  Year round housing, on/off campus options  Financial Aid Assistance  Mentoring  Tutoring  Class Size  Characteristic Grid 2014 Project Hope Seminar 3

4. College Search Tool http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator  General school information  Tuition, fees, and estimated student expenses  Types of financial aid provided  Net price  Enrollment  Admissions requirements  Retention and graduation rates  Accreditation  Campus security statistics  Default rates 2014 Project Hope Seminar 4

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6. NAEHCY Statewide Networks  Stakeholders from K-12 education, Local homeless liaisons, higher education staff, RHYA and HUD shelter staff, and college access program staff working together to eliminate higher education barriers for homeless youth.  CO, FL, GA, IL, KY, MA, MI, NH, NC, OK  NAEHCY is working with the following states to develop State Higher Education Networks:  IN, MN, NJ, VA  http://naehcy.org/legislation-and- policy/state-he-networks http://naehcy.org/legislation-and- policy/state-he-networks 2014 Project Hope Seminar 6

7. Resource: State Programs  Some states have special provisions available for low- income and/or homeless students:  Indiana – Students receiving free lunch receive a tuition waiver when participating in Indiana’s Double Up Program (dual enrollment in college courses for students in 11 th and 12 th grade) http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title21/ar14/ch8.html http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title21/ar14/ch8.html  Indiana – Twenty-First Century Scholars Program - Income- eligible 7th and 8th graders who enroll in the program and fulfill a pledge of good citizenship are guaranteed to receive up to four years of undergraduate tuition at any participating public college or university in Indiana http://www.scholars.in.gov http://www.scholars.in.gov 2014 Project Hope Seminar 7

8. Resource: State Programs  Florida – Homeless students are exempt from the payment of tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that provides postsecondary career programs, community college, or state university (2011 F.S. 1009.25); Florida statute establishes the definition of “homeless” used http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode= Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000- 1099/1009/Sections/1009.25.html http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode= Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000- 1099/1009/Sections/1009.25.html  Look for resources in your state! 2014 Project Hope Seminar 8

9. Campuses That Have Single Points of Contact  “Single Point of Contact” – A supportive college administrator on each campus who is committed to helping homeless youth (and often foster youth) successfully navigate the college-going process on campuses  Connects students to Admissions, Financial Aid, Academic Advising, Housing, Community Resources etc.  In place in MI, CO, NC, and GA  In progress in AL, FL, NH, NV, MA, NJ, IN, PA http://naehcy.org/legislation-and-policy/state-he-networks 2014 Project Hope Seminar 9

10. Help Students Obtain Fee Waivers During High School  SAT/ACT Waiver  http://www.actstudent.org/faq/feewaiver.html http://www.actstudent.org/faq/feewaiver.html  http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/waivers/guidelines /sat http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/waivers/guidelines /sat  Admissions Application Fee Waiver  http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/Pages/default.as px http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/Pages/default.as px 2014 Project Hope Seminar 10

11. Connect Student to Bridge Programs  Individual colleges may offer their own bridge programs to help entering freshmen have a smooth transition.  Offer the following:  College-level courses (earn college credit hours)  Development seminars  College life workshops  Social events  Mentoring provided by current students  Counsel for Opportunities in Education  http://www.coenet.us/coe_prod_imis/COE/Home/COE/Home.as px?hkey=040cec49-d947-4110-b9fa-1f30bef9c919 http://www.coenet.us/coe_prod_imis/COE/Home/COE/Home.as px?hkey=040cec49-d947-4110-b9fa-1f30bef9c919 2014 Project Hope Seminar 11

12. Best Practices in High School Focus on FASFSA completion! o Early awareness http://www.collegeaccess.org/Early_Awareness_http://www.collegeaccess.org/Early_Awareness_ o FAFSA Week – see www.naehcy.orgwww.naehcy.org o Inform unaccompanied youth of college options as soon as they are identified as homeless o Make sure high school counselors know about the FAFSA policies for UHY o Arrange for students to visit local colleges and universities o Use a template for determinations – www.naehcy.orgwww.naehcy.org 2014 Project Hope Seminar 12

13. Best Practices on Campus  Campus advisors can work together to create campus networks to focus on meeting needs of homeless youth  Communicate with local homeless liaisons to streamline the transition process  Get involved with local state network for homeless youth that are accessing higher education  Create a single point of contact (SPOC) on campus  http://naehcy.org/educational-resources/higher-ed http://naehcy.org/educational-resources/higher-ed 2014 Project Hope Seminar 13

14. Section Two: Great Expectations An Initiative of Virginia’s Community Colleges & the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education 2014 Project Hope Seminar 14

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16. Great Expectations  Serves foster youth 13 – 24, in both high school and college.  Focuses on the value of a college education as the best way to gain employment and achieve independence.  Provides education and employment opportunities that will improve the likelihood of success for foster youth.  Offers individual support for at-risk foster teens as they finish high school, leave their foster homes and transition to postsecondary education and living on their own. 2014 Project Hope Seminar 16

17. Great Expectations Launched in 2008 at 5 Virginia Community Colleges Now offered at 17 of the 23 community colleges Blue Ridge Central Virginia Danville Germanna J. Sargeant Reynolds John Tyler Lord Fairfax Mountain Empire New River Northern Virginia Patrick Henry Piedmont Virginia Southside Virginia Southwest Virginia Tidewater Virginia Highlands Wythevill e 2014 Project Hope Seminar 17

18. Great Expectations  Help with the college admissions/financial aid  Resource Center www.GreatExpectations.vccs.eduwww.GreatExpectations.vccs.edu  Personal counseling and individual tutoring  Career exploration and coaching; job preparation  Mentoring (by college staff, college peers and community volunteers)  Special programs, e.g. life skills, healthy relationships  Emergency and incentive Funds  Online Best Practices Forum 2014 Project Hope Seminar 18

19. Great Expectations Essentials Support of the college’s administration Special training for Campus Coaches Coordination with other depts. (e.g. financial aid, student success, counseling, tutoring) Special programs Emergency funds Challenges Part-time Campus Coaches Recruiting students in rural areas Building awareness of the program in the community Setting boundaries Lack of housing Transportation 2014 Project Hope Seminar 19

20. Great Expectations Campus Coaches Are the Key! 2014 Project Hope Seminar 20 Coaches are…..the go-to person who musters the other services available on the campus and in the community for the students The team includes….the high school career coaches, DSS workers foster and adoptive parents, volunteer mentors interns and work/study students, community supporters

21. Great Expectations 2014 Project Hope Seminar 21 Virginia’s Community Colleges have Tuition Grants available for foster youth, former foster youth and special needs adoptees who have a high school diploma or GED. The Tuition Grant covers tuition and fees. Requirements Enrolls and maintains at least half-time credit in an academic program of at least 1 year Is a bona-fide resident of Virginia Meets the satisfactory standards of the college for federal aid programs Has not been previously enrolled full-time in a postsecondary program for more than 5 years and does not have a bachelor’s degree Demonstrates a financial need

22. Great Expectations  Career Coaches  Middle College  Virginia Career Readiness Certificate  Apprenticeship Related Instruction – working with sponsoring employers  Occupational Instruction (for certifications and licenses)  Institutes of Excellence (for high demand occupations)  Postsecondary Perkins (to continuously improve career/technical education)  Business & Industry - courses to meet VA professional and occupational regulations for Engineers, Architects, Contractors, Land Surveyors, etc.  Customized Training for more than 170 participating companies  Virginia Education Wizard www.vawizard.orgwww.vawizard.org For more information on VCCS Workforce Development: http://www.vccs.edu/WorkforceServices/WIARegionalLocator/tabid/922/ Default.aspx 2014 Project Hope Seminar 22

23. Great Expectations “Measuring the Costs of Foster Care and the Return on Investment of the Great Expectations Initiative,” produced by Chmura Economics & Analytics, provided these highlights:  Costs of foster care include economic costs and social costs.  The total annual costs for Virginia foster youth are estimated to have been $29.7 million in Virginia in 2010, or $41,460 per aging-out foster youth.  Foster youth tend to have lower educational attainment, are more likely to utilize public assistance, and are more likely to be involved with the criminal justice system.  Community college students who were foster youth achieved lower academic performance than the VCCS student body at large. They were also more likely to have part-time jobs while attending school than other students.  The WIA (Workforce Investment Act) participants who were foster youth tended to have lower educational attainment and lower skill levels than other WIA youth. 2014 Project Hope Seminar 23

24. Great Expectations  On an individual level, each foster youth who drops out of high school costs the public sector $209,100 over a lifetime due to lost wages and greater need for public support services. (National Governor’s Association Report 2010)  The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, when discussing college completion rates in general, found, “A single year’s college degree production accounts for $349 million in Social Services cost savings to the Commonwealth.”  Currently, there are more than 500 students enrolled in Great Expectations programs across the state. If the programs are successful in eliminating the achievement gaps in terms of economic and social outcomes, GE can save Virginia $10.1 million per year, far more than the 1.5 million annual cost of the program. 2014 Project Hope Seminar 24

25. 2014 Project Hope Seminar 25 “ I want to become a chef and open my own restaurant. Great Expectations is important because it shows there’s a support system. Someone else is out there who cares about helping you.” - Heather, age 18

26. 2014 Project Hope Seminar 26 Lynn, with coaches Christy Y. and Christy R. from Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, VA.

27. 2014 Project Hope Seminar 27 Jasmine is graduating from JSRCC this spring with an Associate’s degree.

28. 2014 Project Hope Seminar 28 Sophia is a student at JSRCC and has recently been hired by Project Life as Youth Network Coordinator.

29. 2014 Project Hope Seminar 29 Great Expectations Virginia Community College System 101 N. 14th Street, 15th floor Richmond, VA 23219 (804) 819-4690 rstrawn@vccs.edu http://greatexpectations.vccs.edu/

30. Section Three: Paying for College 2014 Project Hope Seminar 30

31. What Is Financial Aid? Any source of funds other than from the family used to pay college expenses 2014 Project Hope Seminar 31

32. Sources of Financial Aid  Federal government  States  Colleges  Private sources 2014 Project Hope Seminar 32

33. Costs that Can be Paid with Financial Aid  Direct costs  Indirect costs 2014 Project Hope Seminar 33

34. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)  Standard federal form  Must be completed every year  Asks for demographic and financial information  Some students must provide parental information 2014 Project Hope Seminar 34

35. Dependency Status  Dependent students must provide parental data on FAFSA  Expectation of parental suppor t  Independent students do not provide parental data on FAFSA  No expectation of parental support 2014 Project Hope Seminar 35

36. Who Can Make a Determination that a Student is an UHY?  School district liaisons  Director or designee of a HUD-funded emergency shelter or transitional housing program  Director or designee of a runaway or homeless youth basic shelter or transitional living program  Financial aid administrator 2014 Project Hope Seminar 36

37. Department of Education Guidance  Determinations are not the use of professional judgment or a dependency override  Use McKinney-Vento Act definitions  Use of a documented interview 2014 Project Hope Seminar 37

38. Department of Education Guidance  Reach out to homeless education professionals  Use of discretion  Students may appeal financial aid administrator’s determination to Department of Education 2014 Project Hope Seminar 38

39. Tools for Financial Aid Administrators  Determination of independent status template  Making determinations tool 2014 Project Hope Seminar 39

40. Other Forms and Applications  CSS Profile  Institutional applications 2014 Project Hope Seminar 40

41. Awarding Process Cost of Attendance (COA) ─ Expected Family Contribution (EFC) ____________________________________ Financial Need 2014 Project Hope Seminar 41

42. Awarding Process  Financial aid packages consist of a mix of:  Grants/scholarships  Work  Loans 2014 Project Hope Seminar 42

43. Awarding Process Packaging philosophy varies from college to college so a student’s financial aid offer will also vary from college to college 2014 Project Hope Seminar 43

44. Understanding Budgets  College use the same standard cost components  Value of components will vary based on college type, location, and other factors 2014 Project Hope Seminar 44

45. Understanding Award Letters  EFC will be the same regardless of college  Mix of aid will vary by college  Look at out of pocket costs 2014 Project Hope Seminar 45

46. Scholarships Common sources  Civic organizations  Houses of worship  Nonprofit organizations and foundations 2014 Project Hope Seminar 46

47. Searching for Scholarships  Fastweb!: http://www.fastweb.com/http://www.fastweb.com/  College Board: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search  U.S. Department of Labor: http://www.careerinfonet.org/scholarshipsearch/Scholar shipCategory.asp?searchtype=category&nodeid=22 http://www.careerinfonet.org/scholarshipsearch/Scholar shipCategory.asp?searchtype=category&nodeid=22 2014 Project Hope Seminar 47

48. Impact of Outside Scholarships  Could reduce existing aid package from college  Changes depend on school policies and procedures 2014 Project Hope Seminar 48

49. Resources: Scholarships  Check with the high school’s guidance counselor for a list of private scholarships available to area students  The LeTendre Education Fund Scholarship: www.naehcy.org/letendre_ab.html (application period closed until 2013) www.naehcy.org/letendre_ab.html  Give Us Your Poor/Horatio Alger Scholarship: https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/ https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/ 2014 Project Hope Seminar 49

50. Undocumented Students  Not eligible to receive federal student aid  May be eligible for state and/or institutional aid  Depending on state, may qualify for in-state tuition  General requirements 2014 Project Hope Seminar 50

51. NAEHCY Higher Education Resources  NAEHCY Toolkit: College Access and Success for Students Experiencing Homelessness available at http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/he-toolkit http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/he-toolkit  Podcast Series http://naehcy.org/educational- resources/podcasts  NAEHCY Higher Education Helpline (855) 446-2673 (toll-free) highered@naehcy.org http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/helpline highered@naehcy.org http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/helpline  FAFSA Tips for Unaccompanied Youth Without Stable Housing and Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Access College Financial Aid at http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/higher-ed http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/higher-ed 2014 Project Hope Seminar 51

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53. Contact Us….  Cyekeia Lee, Director of Higher Education Initiatives, NAEHCY  clee@naehcy.orgclee@naehcy.org  Jennifer Martin, Director of Training Initiatives, NASFAA  martinj@nasfaa.orgmartinj@nasfaa.org  Allyson Roberts, Great Expectations  aroberts@vccs.edu 2014 Project Hope Seminar 53