1 College Prep 0-Period: Creating the Emotional and Physical Structure Seniors NeedTimm DiStefano, M.Ed.
2 First of all, thank you So many interesting workshops hereRealize afterwards, I had the shortest title Am excited to be your first presentation
3 Objectives Highlight strategies I’ve used/developed over the past 6 years working with seniors Emphasize the importance of creating emotional/ physical structures for students Highlight the results of my College Prep class
4 Introductions I’ll get to who I am in a bit…So much knowledge and expertise in the room First of all, who are you? Your name Your current position? Your passion? Why you decided this workshop?
5 Want to share my story… Our background/history heavily influences how we work with students
6 About me Grew up in South JerseyGenerational poverty Attended 13 different schools between K-12 We used to lie about our address to try to attend better schools I would walk two miles from Clayton to Franklinville every morning to stand in front of someone else’s house to get the bus First generation college student Dad graduated HS; Mom did not (Dropped out at 16) Parents divorced when I was 2: Lived with Dad 2-14 and Mom 14-18 Both parents used drugs; Mother was an alcoholic until I was in college; Alcoholic Step-Dad Statistically, I should not be here today (ACEs= 8/10)
7 Atlantic City High School, NJHad a great athletic program (football/basketball state champs) but
8 My High School ExperienceWent to Atlantic City High School 2500 students (1,000- 9th grade; th grade) Only met a school counselor once: field trip to Rutgers University Did not complete FAFSA until the summer Never completed a single scholarship application Went to college to escape my situation
9 More about me Never took an AP classDidn’t select my high school classes to match any college’s minimum requirements Showed up to an SAT test- didn’t study Started getting brochures in the mail from colleges Remember filling out the paper applications on my bedroom floor with a pen Looking back, I was very lucky that somehow I fit what colleges wanted- was not intentional
10 Get to know you a little more. Stand up if…You went to college immediately after high school You completed FAFSA January of senior year If you applied for at least 1 scholarship Stay standing if 5, 10, etc. The most? If the first college you attended was a good fit For those that stood up, what kind of help did you have throughout the process? For those that did not stand up, did you have help or not? Or, are you like me and refuse to stand up when someone tells you to?
11 How I chose college Chose my college because of a picture (next slide)Small private university 500 miles from home (Had 1,000 less students than H.S.) Doesn’t get more expensive than that! H.S. Psychology teacher told me, “If you don’t leave now, you’ll be stuck in Jersey forever.” Was it a good fit? Distance from home? Yes Environment/weather? Yes Right school for major? No (was a medical school) Price? Definitely Not Overall… I think so.
12 University of New England Biddeford, ME
13 “Through others, we become ourselves.”-Lev S. Vygotsky4th year at UNE, had a professor I respected tell me, “You’ll never get into grad school or be a counselor. You should go do something with your hands.” So, I did… but couldn’t afford to pay my loans Worked 2 full time jobs (100hrs/week) Pitco Frialators- do you know what a frialator is? NFI Midway: 15- adjudicated/CHINS males yr old We were supposed to be there to change ‘troubled’ youth Not sure how much I changed them, but they sure changed me They are the ones that inspired me to apply to grad school
14 School Counseling is a thing?Learned I could work 1 job and make enough to pay my student loans Could reach students before they wound up in a place like the Midway Shelter (sometimes) But… Would need to go to grad school Told I couldn’t Applied anyway because of how much the kids at Midway inspired / motivated me How did I select my grad school? The picture sure was nice
15 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
16 Again, I was lucky Didn’t know how great the program was until after I got accepted I was not the ideal student, but the program was perfect for me Isn’t Dr. Diana Gruman the best?
17 So, here we are… College Prep, 0-PeriodTake a minute and with a neighbor discuss: What comes to mind when you hear College Prep? Share a couple
18 How College Prep Started for Me:1st job was at Pateros K-12 School 350 students TOTAL K-12; 22 seniors Had many roles: K-12: Counselor, Registrar (Created all schedules and updated all transcripts), District Assessment Coordinator, Running Start, K-4 Life Skills Teacher, Senior Projects Coordinator, SIT Coordinator, and more, but also: College Prep 12th grade 1st semester/11th grade 2nd semester No curriculum, but the structure was in place Experienced for the first time the power of meeting seniors daily to specifically plan and prepare for post-secondary life
19 My 1st two years of College Prep1st group: 15 seniors, 7 of which did not want to attend college 2nd group: Had them as juniors, then again as seniors; 20- all of which applied to school/graduated/accepted Was a class period during the day Right before lunch A lot of resistance and lethargy to start Tough to keep them motivated Tough to keep myself motivated Learned how seniors think and work Learned how to search for scholarships Learned how to hustle (wheel and deal) Coke tops?
20 Burn out or move out… I moved outAfter working 12+ hour days for two years straight: Transferred to La Center High School (I-5 exit 16) 570 total students grades 9-12; 137 seniors My first year at LCHS No college prep offered; no systems in place to reach seniors efficiently (except for NAV- that’s another story) Navigation: run by the teachers, resistant to letting me influence assignments/offer presentations Would run around the halls with stacks of papers trying to find interested students and they wouldn’t complete the applications anyway Counseling offices were called ‘Career Center’ Immediately had that changed to ‘Student Services’ (even made a sign- see next slide)
21 Student Services What’s funny about this?
22 The struggle is real for seniors: College PreppingDon’t know how to start Don’t understand the significance A lot of ‘misinformation’ out there Seniors can/do procrastinate anything If friends don’t care, why should they? (Huge) Even the most successful students doubt that they can/will succeed Many seniors fear- what if I apply and don’t get accepted? They’re already sleep deprived, overworked, and overwhelmed A lot of adults assume that students get the information they need from their parents
23 Even when seniors have the information…Can anyone relate to this?
24 Seniors do care Seniors want to get prepared Seniors are interested in post-secondary options and scholarships Seniors can do the work They just need our help to create a structure Like any skill, needs scaffolding
25 Making change happen Surveyed the junior class:Do you want help completing scholarships/understanding the college process? YES! Structure: during the day? After school? Before school? Compensation: .5 elective credit During the day: too many conflicts with AP/ core classes After school: too many conflicts with sports Before school: only issue is sleep/ transportation
26 Getting Support/ApprovalGathered the surveys Disseminated the data Brought data to admin Overwhelming interest from Juniors for the class Admin decided I could ‘pilot’ the class Had to prove with results that the class was worth having to continue Parents excited about the idea
27 The pilot Before College Prep at LCHS: Pilot results:No way to track how many scholarships completed FAFSA: 32/92 (34%) Overall senior class offered: $870,000 Pilot results: 640 Scholarship Applications completed 1st semester FAFSA: 43/98 (44%) Overall senior class offered: $1,890,000 As a result of the class, admin allowed me to continue and every year, it gets better
28 My 5th year- 3rd year at LCHSIs now one of the most popular classes offered 40+ signed up for the class Reduced frivolous/busy work Use variety of delivery methods: Marker board, website, handouts, etc. Classroom.google.com Repeat the message 27 times if necessary The more I stay motivated, the more they stay motivated If I know someone qualifies for something, am relentless until they complete the application
29 Physical Structure Meet 4 times/week 7:00 a.m. – 7:50 a.m.Counts as .5 elective credit Strict on taking attendance/tardies Students can’t participate in sports if they are marked absent during 0 period And yes, they consistently show up
30 Emotional Structure Build trust from the beginning MotivationThe relationship dictates everything else Show them you care and you’re a credible source Avoid assumptions/judgment/shutting students down Help build up their strengths College reps love 0 period Motivation Intrinsic: Regular reminders of personal goals Extrinsic: Set goals/rewards along the way Allow flexibility Kids are kids; I always want to find ways to keep moving forward not dwell on the past or the ‘what ifs ‘
31 Motivation Three factors that influence student motivation to learn (Marzano, 1992). Students are more likely to put forth the required effort when there is: Task clarity: When they clearly understand the learning goal and know how teachers will evaluate their learning Relevance: When they think the learning goals and assessments are meaningful and worth learning Potential for success: When they believe they can successfully learn and meet the evaluative expectations
32 Achieving Greatness TogetherThe students enjoy working towards goals as a class; After our 1st goal met, one student said: “I feel like we just accomplished something great as a class.” Semester goal set on Day 1: 1,000 scholarships complete and 32/32 complete F.A.F.S.A. Rewards: Bagels and OJ, Hot Cocoa, Tiramisu, Brownies, Ice Cream Floats, and more Compete against previous senior classes
33 Remove the smallest of barriersAmazing how something so ‘small’ prevents students from applying I mail most scholarships for them Have transcripts ready Always willing to write a letter of rec My “Tomorrow doesn’t exist, it’s a myth!” speech Break application into chunks What are your chances of winning if you don’t apply? S.F.S.: If you’re losing hope, so are thousands of other seniors; If you can keep applying, your chances of winning increases because many are giving up
34 Do not accept the Following:“The application is too hard.” That means a lot will avoid it, so if you apply, your chances of winning are greater. “Give me one I can start/finish today.” Here’s one you can ‘start’ today. “I would never win that one!” What are your chances if you don’t apply? “I don’t have the GPA.” If it has an essay, apply. “I don’t feel like doing it today.” Tomorrow doesn’t exist.
35 More Barriers Removed ‘Master Scholarship List’PDF students can access through classroom.google.com Over 500 scholarships Compiled over last 6 years Colored coded: Blue= local PNW, WA State, Clark County, and/or La Center Cntrl + F
36 Assignments Scholarship Applications (50% overall grade)Minimum 30; Completion Checklist to track them Do not accept sweepstakes scholarships for a grade Previous years was 25- but I felt this group was unique F.A.F.S.A. completion (20% overall grade) Before winter break: letter signed by parent After winter break: Student Aid Report Essay Writing/other (15% overall grade) Scholarship prompts, personal statements With essays complete, barriers removed Admissions Applications (15% overall grade) Minimum 3: 2 or 4 year schools Flexible: If student only wants to apply to 1 school, must complete 32 scholarships
37 Completion Checklist
38 Come prepared I download all students’ transcripts, write letters of rec, and have as much data ready for them as possible. When a student gets accepted to a school, I ‘district all’; elementary staff love hearing it and students love hearing congratulations from their teachers throughout the day
39 Increase your chances of winningQuality + Quantity Match strengths of students you know with scholarships that are open Better chances of winning: Local scholarships, less applicants Sometimes, only 1 or 2 apply! More difficult the application, less applicants Confusing/difficult process, less applicants Having the right attitude: How to structure your essays Staying persistent (overcome S.F.S.) Ask for help (early and often) Let someone review essay/application before submitting Still involves some luck
40 Momentum The hardest part of anything is getting startedBest part of College Prep is that it serves as a catalyst Even the hardest working/most qualified students procrastinate/focus on the easiest/avoid risk Motivation ebbs and flows School Counselors are the tai chi of motivation I’ll start up a computer, open an application and tell a student, “Hey, come check this out.” Show them the steps and have them switch places with me. Make checklists; help prioritize More likely to work on/complete the scholarship if their ‘neighbor’ is doing it as well
41 Speaking of Momentum… Use scholarships as a tool for much more:Help 9th – 11th graders understand the significance of their GPA/ Focus more in class/ turn in work F.A.F.S.A. Completion: Foundation scholarships; Love the WSOS! And more Birds of a feather: Students not in College Prep hear their peers bragging about getting into college/completing 30 scholarships and they feel pressured to get started too
42 Take a moment… What is one thing from this presentation so far that you will remember? One thing you can see working at your school? Share a few thoughts?
43 Some data My first year at LCHS:About 70% of students went on to college 45% Community/Tech 25% Four-year school Into my 4th year (3 years of College Prep): About 85% of students go on to college 50% Four-year school 35% Community/Tech
44 College Prep after 1st semester1st year of College Prep: 640 Scholarship Applications complete 2nd year of College Prep: 713 Scholarship Applications complete 3rd year of College Prep: 1,007 Scholarship Applications complete 32/32 completed FAFSA by 1/27 1 student completed 48 scholarship applications
45 Results at La Center F.A.F.S.A.Year 1 (no college prep): 32/92 (35%) Year 2: 46/98 (47%) Year 3: 61/99 (61%) Year 4 (currently): 89/135 (66%) If 110 seniors complete FAFSA- pizza party for the whole grade Full time Running Start Seniors are the biggest group that has not completed their FAFSA Scholarships/Grant awarded for entire senior class Year 1 (no college prep): $870,000 Year 2: $1,890,000 Year 3: $2,507,240 Year 4 (currently): $3,042,374 (more to come! 15 students submitted a WSOS application and more to hear from)
46 Using visuals to track progress
47 Keep it going Currently, our college prep is only 1st semesterImportance of having it 2nd semester as well: Seniors stop applying when the class is over Majority of local scholarships are due between February-April (1st semester ends before February) They will not create the structure themselves Life gets in the way, senioritis takes over, they are more interested in the short term- graduation party, senior skip day/prank, prom, senior trip, etc. Juniors want to prepare for senior year 2nd semester! Guess which group has applied to the least FAFSA + Scholarships…
48 Success Stories JC: Gates Millennium Scholar (10 years covered)Also accepted to UW-Seattle Computer Engineering program KN: Air Force Academy (16% acceptance rate) SN: West Point (9% acceptance rate) KW: Full ride at Gonzaga ($45,438) Applied for about 35 scholarships and won 7 Told me he’d get a College Prep tattoo if he won enough to cover cost of attendance for 1st year; He was going to actually get it but I talked him out of it JM: Accepted to MIT (8% acceptance rate); Semi-finalist for Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship CM: 1.7 GPA, Clark College Still won enough scholarships to pay for year 1 Reinventing himself; currently has a 3.3 GPA in college PH: Hasn’t won yet, but, grew the most
49 Don’t leave it to luck I was lucky.I easily could be driving a school bus in South Jersey or pumping gas (yes, they still have gas attendants in Jersey- NJ and OR are the only 2) Didn’t know what I was doing throughout the process- wasn’t intentional, except to follow my instinct My mistakes are preventable It’s not too late for us to help our high school students be intentional with their futures
50 Other Positive Results from the ClassTeachers want to learn more about the process/their awareness increases Other schools in our area are adopting a similar class after seeing our results Students that take the class become scholarship warriors: Eventually, they just need the name More than just college/scholarships: So much personal growth happens
51 Conclusion A College Prep class is a catalyst for developing a post-secondary culture- increasing student/parent/teacher interest and awareness Building trust with students/parents is essential in the scholarship/college process Must have an emotional and physical structure in place in order for majority of students to get the work done Can replicate a College Prep class at any school
52 Thank you Questions? Comments?