UNLOCKING COLLEGE ACCESS: INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
EducationQuest Foundation’s College Access Grants program provides funds for Nebraska high schools to empower more students to pursue higher education. Discover a few highlights of how schools have creatively met the program’s requirements: Embarking on College Visits: College visits provide students with a tangible experience that allows them to feel a sense of belonging. Schools can organize visits to various colleges, including community colleges and four-year private or public colleges and universities. Schools may also offer visits that correlate to students’ academic interests, such as attending a specialized visit day at a college, touring an area business, or visiting multiple colleges on an overnight trip. Business visits help students understand the connection between advanced education and future careers. Student Progress Tracking: Schools often monitor seniors’ progress by using checklists, passports, booklets, or punch cards that outline essential college planning steps, including applying for college admission, completing scholarship applications, and filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students earn stamps or checkmarks as they complete tasks and earn rewards like t-shirts or raffle entries.
Engaging Families: Acknowledging the pivotal role families play, some schools use EducationQuest’s Steps to College sessions for 9th and 10th-grade students and their families. These gatherings emphasize preparing for college during high school, covering topics such as dual-credit courses, extracurricular involvement, college entrance exams, and school-arranged college visits. Many schools offer a light meal to encourage participation in the event. Cultivating a College-Going Culture: Schools that intertwine post-secondary education into their school’s mission see transformative results. Collaborative efforts between counselors and teachers inspire students to explore education beyond high school. Examples include English teachers assigning scholarship essays, math instructors teaching financial planning and budgeting, faculty and staff displaying their college credentials, and teachers organizing and accompanying students on college visits. Navigating Financial Aid: To tackle the financial barrier to college, schools often partner with EducationQuest or a local college’s financial aid office to walk families through the financial aid process and completing the FAFSA. Schools host events for juniors and seniors and their families, using grant funds to provide a meal, childcare, or other incentives for attending.
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