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

2. 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?

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. Questions/Comments?