Partnering with First Generation Students

1
Partnering with First Generation Students
February 29, 2008Lake Forest College
Associated Colleges of Illinois Present

• Summary Points from workshop conversations

2
Working with 1st Generation Students in a
College-Prep Curriculum

• Discussion Points
• How do you identify first-generation students?
• Self-assessment forms surveys in high school
  classes at beginning of year self-identification
• suggestion add it to the college enrollment
  form look at biographical info when coming in
  from 8th grade
• More suggestions students must attend first
  guidance meeting with parents new CPS program
  that allows 8th graders to take transition class
• Educators want to approach all students equally
  is that best practice? All students need the
  same information

3

• Discussion Points
• Course placement how do you challenge teachers?
• Teachers are unsure of what they learned in prior
  classes
• Suggestions Summer program to reinforce Algebra
  I skills before Alg 2 math departments should
  examine different models culture of the school
  everyone needs to be on board

4

• Discussion Points
• College awareness
• What do you do with students who arent on 4-year
  institution track?
• Community College? Problem Administration
  pushes 4 year colleges when its not appropriate
  for everyone some students say they plan to
  attend community college and never show up
• How do you seek students and encourage them to
  sign up for AP classes/track
• Suggestions Homewood-Flossmoor model

5
Working with Families Parents

• Discussion Points
• Working with undocumented students
• Suggestion Be open to working with different
  policies from different schools let students
  know that there are other students who are
  undocumented who are successfully enrolled in
  colleges
• Personal attention is key!
• Suggestion Parent Nights Personal calls to
  families volunteers to deliver materials to
  homes

6

• Discussion Points
• Develop Resources
• Suggestions Parent organizations alumni
  advisors for extra-curricular activities
  community organizations (churches, community
  centers) creating partnerships with middle
  schools
• Develop Outreach
• Meet the parents go to them!
• Suggestions Churches coordinating college fairs
  with report-card pick-up days or student-teacher
  conferences finding resources that families
  TRUST finding those who will connect with
  parents families

7
College Enrollment Process

• Discussion Points
• Difficulty at the college level how do we
  handle so many different prospective student
  groups with such diverse needs?
• Suggestions Introduce to current students with
  whom they identify visit classes and
  see/experience academic college environment
• Colleges need to find ways to recruit excellent
  students NOT JUST FROM the well-known schools
• The One-size fits-all approach is not the best
  approach when hosting student groups on campus
• Suggestions Visiting groups need to provide
  profile information and expectations of their
  group dont be afraid to ask for extras!
• Admission Counselors need to be trained to be
  sensitive to these student groups
• Suggestions Visiting groups need to provide
  profile information and expectations of their
  group dont be afraid to ask for extras!

8

• Continued...
• Admission Counselor training
• Turnover territory assignments during high
  school presentations, counselors need to meet
  students at most basic level they need to hear
  what questions should I ask? and Who can I
  contact for help at your college?
• Colleges need to be committed to dealing with
  first-generation students when they get to
  college
• Suggestions Use students alumni to mentor
  first-gen. freshmen pre-orientation money is a
  constant stress for these student throughout
  college be prepared to deal with this! it is
  critical to make a top-down commitment to
  diversity on college campuses

9

• Discussion Points
• Difficulty at High School level how do we
  advise students with greatly different needs when
  determining fit for college?
• Suggestions Educate students on variety of
  schools available problems difficult to get
  first-gen. students to leave neighborhood and
  lack of association between high school
  achievement and college admission, and academic
  culture frowns upon academic achievement
• Reality in public schools counselors dont have
  time for every student
• External organizations tend to work with best of
  best so the top students are the only people
  receiving counseling
• Many students are working 20 hrs/week
• Logistics of completing college apps is like
  pulling teeth