Oregon Gear Up

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As Oregon seniors are focused on applying for college and financial aid, Governor Kate Brown proclaimed November “Oregon Goes To College Month”. Oregon College Application Week and College Cash Campaign events will be held at 112 schools and organizations across the state, with the potential to reach more than 20,000 students. The goal: to support seniors in completing applications for postsecondary education or training and financial aid with the support of caring adults during school.   News & Research Oregon Promise: About 6,000 students Attending College Roughly 10,000 Oregonians met Oregon Promise's basic requirements – at least a 2.5 grade point average with a high school diploma or a GED – and enrolled at least part-time at a community college. Racial, Class Disparities in College Degree Attainment For the class of 2009, 45% of students from higher income high schools had obtained a college degree within six years of graduation, compared to 24% of students from lower income schools. Nearly 1 in 3 Students are First-Generation Only 40% of first-generation students achieve a degree within six years, compared with 55% of students whose parents hold degrees. Students who are the first in their families to pursue a college degree have unique challenges including the first step of applying. How A Happy School Can Help Students Succeed A new study shows that a positive school climate had a significant impact on academics.   Why Low-Income Students Are Drawn to For-Profit Colleges A lack of information and an urgency to land a job can drive low-income youth to enroll in for-profit trade schools they often can't afford. On average, attending a two-year for-profit institution costs a student four times as much as attending a community college. College Is The Goal. Will These 3 Teenagers Get There? Follow three high school seniors in Topeka, KS on their quest to college.   Resources Featured GEAR UP Resource: Parent Workshops A series of workshops for parents including basic information about GEAR UP, colleges and financial aid. Includes agendas with interactive activities and power points with speaker notes. School Climate Measurement Resources Surveys and tools from the U.S. Department of Education to help assess and improve school climate. Funding Opportunities Reiman Foundation Focuses giving on four main areas including education. Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.     Professional Development Poverty Simulation Gain a better understanding of the daily realities of poverty. The simulation enables participants to look at poverty from a variety of angles and and then to recognize and discuss the potential for change within the community. Led by CoActive Connections. November 10 - Salem; December 2 - Portland Scholarships Life Without the Internet Scholarship Students must create an infographic or compose a 400-600 word essay to describe how their life would be different if the internet didn’t exist for a chance to win one of two $500 scholarships. Due November 21 Events Warner Pacific College Preview Days Meet-and-greet with faculty and staff, get a taste of student life at a campus event, sit in on a class, make new friends with current students and see what college is really like. November 10-11, Portland, $30 for overnight guests; $20 for day-time only guests. OIT Making College Happen This program is designed to offer a little extra assistance for high school freshman and sophomores who are the first to attend college or who feel they don’t know where to begin with their college search. November 17, Klamath Falls

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