- In an effort to keep better track of the # of students who drop in to the ASPIRE office (This includes ASPIRE students who stop in between appointments, too.), I made a pink sign-in form and put it on the front table. PLEASE remind students who happen to visit, no matter the reason, to sign the pink form. Thanks!
- Please use the new, blue Volunteer Checklist form to be sure you're taking advantage of the many ASPIRE resources designed to help you help the kids.
- GOOD BIG NEWS: The Birl Orion Shultz Memorial Scholarship for four years at Willamette will be available to a senior graduating YC in June. Spread the word!
- It's hard to believe November is nearly here. With that comes early admission deadlines and scholarship priority deadlines at many colleges. Please be sure to discuss this with any mentees who are considering attending four-year colleges. I think everyone has had at least a few meetings with their students by now. Please let me know if that's not the case, and we'll formulate a plan B to get them seen next week.
- Jennifer Knight, the financial aid guru from Linfield spoke at the Beyond YC event Wednesday. She was a wealth of knowlege as always. I'll leave copies of her power point presentation on the front table if you want to grab one.
- For some reason, this year there has been considerably more student interest in private for-profit schools. Let's remember that three of these, Heald, Carrington and Anthem, went belly up last year. I printed out the current list of the for-profit and non-profit institutions in Oregon that have been approved by OSAC. I'll post it on the white board at the front of the room.
- We learned new things in preparing for the Jump Start field trip this year. The most important: When students on IEPs want to take placement tests at a community college, make sure they talk with the school's Disabilities Office first. Doing so ahead of time can ensure that a student's accommodations are in place when he or she takes the tests. I've heard random comments lately that students with modified diplomas are unable to go to community college. That is so NOT TRUE. Please squelch this belief if and when you hear it said.
- If a student taking the placement tests is under 18, there is a handwritten underage admission application (that requires a parent's signature) must be submitted to Chemeketa first.
- Another note for anyone taking the placement tests: Practice beforehand and see a marked increase in your scores, which generally means the need to take fewer bridge, or remedial, classes. Oregon community colleges of either the Compass test by CollegeBoard or the AccuTest by ACT. I have printed out the practice questions for each and will post them on the front whiteboard. Students can do the practice questions on line.
- YC ASPIRE has applied to be a FAFSA+ school. If we're accepted, this will mean FAFSA will share with us the names of students who have submitted FAFSA's along with whose were incomplete or have been marked for verification. The schools that piloted this program last year had up to a 40% increase in the # of successfully submitted FAFSAs.
- We have been accepted as one of the few ASPIRE sites to have a hybrid mentoring program -- meaning we will add e-mentoring to our traditional manner of mentoring. I hope to be trained in the "E" part next month.
- If you're a reader, take advantage of the Ford Family Foundation's free book program at http://www.tfff.org.
- One of the many things I learned at the ASPIRE conference (and I may be the only one who didn't realize this) was: you don't have to be a college grad to be in AmeriCorps. A high school grad can join and do service learning while being paid with funds they can bank to help cover college costs down the road.
- With the Shake Out Day (be prepared for the big earthquake predicted to hit soon) event last week came a renewed campaign for all of us to have emergency kits ready to go. I posted a list of what should be in a kit on the front whiteboard.
- Please take remember to complete a background check form next time you're in the office.
DATES TO LET THE STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT
- The nearest College Night Oregon events will be Oct. 27 at Woodburn High School in Woodburn; and Nov. 10 at Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro.
- So many new programs and materials have been flowing in, I've started placing things for you and interested students to pick up on the tables as you come into the office. This includes the new OSAC booklets, which arrived yesterday. The OSAC application is expected to go online Nov. 3.
- Oregon Promise handouts are there, too. The application period for free community college is
Nov. 1 to March 1. It is bring administered by OSAC but is NOT part of the OSAC application. Here's a helpful FAQ site; http://www.
oregonstudentaid.gov/osac-doc/ OregonPromise_FAQ.pdf
- YC is having a mini version of College Application Week (not yet sure exactly how the schedule will work for this) the mornings of Nov. 3 and 4. Over the two days, Jen Evans from Pacific will be available to help students with the Common Application. A rep from Portland State will be on-site on Nov. 3, with reps from Corban, Linn Benton Community College and the Northwest College of Construction on hand to help students fill out applications on Nov. 4. It would be great to have more folks on hand to help students with application-related questions. I can't think of any folks better suited for this kind of coaching than all of you! Please consider giving an assist -- and let me know if you're in.
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