new york state association for college admission counseling

New York State Association for College Admission Counseling

Coming Together Conference

Jim Miller University of Wisconsin-Superior

NACAC Board of Directors

Where in the World is Superior, Wisconsin?

Superior

A Guy from WisconsinWhat’s that about?

• Green Bay Packers – wears a Cheesehead

• Likes cows, or at least eats cheese

• Rides a Harley Davidson

• Walks on water, and drives on it every year

My New York Moments

• LGWC• Piseco• GORE• Morris

• 100 HS• QE2• LICF• NYC

Grew up outside Lancaster, PA

• Diversity meant farmers, Mennonites & Amish, mixed with those who had jobs working for small companies or who were self employed.

• I had no real relationship with any person of color until college

• First-generation college

College was an awakening

• Late 1960’s, early 1970’s

• Vietnam, Civil Rights, early environmental

• Easy to be a big fish at a small college

• Became politically involved

• ACLU, Charter member of Common Cause

• Became passionate about Social Justice issues

Get involved

• Late 1960’s and 1970’s active in civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements.

• Worked on campaign for Walter Fauntroy, the first elected member of Congress from Washington, DC

Work both sides of the aisle

Congressman Tom Petri, R-WI Congressman Dave Obey, D-WI

Jim’s jobs

• 3 years as a rookie admission counselor, served as East Coast regional rep for my alma mater (Northland College) in Wis.

• 5 years in business in Harrisburg & Lancaster, Pennsylvania

• 20+ years as Dean of Admissions, VP & Dean of Student Development & Enrollment at Northland

• 6 years at UW-Superior, as Chief Admission Officer and Coordinator of Institutional Research

Professional Opportunities

• Wisconsin ACAC

• ACT Council

• NACAC Government Relations

• In 2005, elected NACAC Vice-President for Diversity, Equity & Access

We need to change the conversation

• Less emphasis on Rankings and who can’t get into the Ivys

• More focus on students who are not going to college or are struggling to succeed once they get there

• Our future success and prosperity is contingent upon more success among underserved populations

Many types of Diversity

• Today I’ll present various data that show how we’re doing in the engagement and success of students of color.

• But I’d like us to think of our work as working with all types of diverse populations.

Who are You?

• Who’s here?– College-School-Community Based Org.?– Rookies-Seasoned Pros?– Public-Private?– Big City-Small Town-Rural? Upstate-Downstate?– Is your job specifically defined as having a diversity

focus?– Are a first generation college graduate?– College folks, do you work for your alma mater?– Are sitting with someone you knew before arriving?

NACAC Membership

What is your role/position?

• Your role may be specific, but don’t let your current role define you or your career.

• Help your institution to become more diverse, in as many ways as possible

• Think of the big picture.

• Your future - don’t necessarily need to have a grand plan, but be open to the opportunities

Why are you here?

• What drove you to become what you are?

• What are your aspirations for the work you do?

• Why does it matter to you?

• Why should it matter to others?

Talk Among Yourselves

• What drove you to become what you are?

• What are your aspirations for the work you do?

• What can the rest of us do to help you get there?

During this conference

• Know the challenges and opportunities

• Vision the possibilities

• Better know yourself, as an admission counselor

• Be prepared to advance your institution and your students, while preparing to advance yourself.

• One at a time

Let’s look at the landscape

College-Going Rates 2004source: NCHEMS 2007

College-Going Rates 2004, by State source: NCHEMS 2007

College Graduation Rates, by Racesource: higheredinfo.org

Educational Attainment of 25-34 Year Olds in NYSsource: higheredinfo.org

Doing Well While Doing Good

• It should be enough to eliminate achievement/attainment gaps because it’s the right thing to do

• But sometimes it helps to present information that compels decision-makers through “enlightened self-interest”

HS Graduates 2002-2018By State Percent Change

Why focus on low-income students?

Source: NCAN & Education Trust, 2001-Admission Possible 2008

Young People From High Income Families

48%

Young People From Low Income Families

7%

College Graduates by Age 24:

Why focus on low-income students?

Achievement Level (in quartiles)

Low-Income

High-Income

First (Low) 36% 77% Second 50% 85% Third 63% 90% Fourth (High) 78% 97%

Source: NCAN & NELS: 88, Second (1992) and Third Follow up (1994); in, USDOE, NCES, NCES Condition of Education 1997 p. 64

Low-Income Students Attend Postsecondary at Lower Rates

Who Goes Where? Who Goes Where? Percent of Total Postsecondary School Enrollment for Each Ethnic Group by

Institution Type 2002

41.1%43.4%

57.7%

36.7%40.1%

51.0%

58.9%56.6%

42.3%

63.3%59.9%

49.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

AmericanIndian

Asian/PacificIslander

Black Hispanic White TOTAL

2 Year 4 Year

NCES. The Condition of Education 2005

College Affordability:College Affordability:Three Major DimensionsThree Major Dimensions

•Tuition Levels• High rate of tuition increases

•Greater Financial Need• Median family income increases

•Perceptions about value of higher education

Half of HS Grads are from Half of HS Grads are from Families Earning $50,000 or Families Earning $50,000 or

LessLess

Tuition and Fees: Tuition and Fees: 10-Year Growth Projection10-Year Growth Projection

$2,076

$5,132

$9,364

$20,082

$34,760

$0

$2,500

$5,000

$7,500

$10,000

$12,500

$15,000

$17,500

$20,000

$22,500

$25,000

$27,500

$30,000

$32,500

$35,000

$37,500

94-95

95-96

96-97

97-98

98-99

99-00

00-01

01-02

02-03

03-04

04-05

05-06

06-07

07-08

08-09

09-10

10-11

11-12

12-13

13-14

14-15

2-yr public 4-yr public 4-yr private

$2,874

College Board. Trends in Student Aid 2005, adapted by Bell

Tuition and Fees / Median Tuition and Fees / Median IncomeIncome

16.9%

21.5%26.1%

96.8%

84.0%73.1%

47.3%57.7%

72.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

94-95

95-96

96-97

97-98

98-99

99-00

00-01

01-02

02-03

03-04

04-05

05-06

06-07

07-08

08-09

09-10

10-11

11-12

12-13

13-14

14-15

4 year Public tuition & fees as % median income Black & Hispanic

4 year Private tuition & fees as % median income White

4 year Private tuition & fees as % median income Black & Hispanic

4 year Public tuition & fees as % median income White

14.7% 19.3%

14.5%

College Board. Trends in Student Aid 2005, adapted by Bell

Institutional Choice by Income Institutional Choice by Income Level, 1999–2000Level, 1999–2000

Congressional Budget Office

Economic Sense for New York

Two Programs that Work

• Yes Prep Public High School – Houston

• Admission Possible (CBO) – Minneapolis

• These are presented as examples of what can be done. I’m sure that there are equally worthy programs in New York

Yes Prep Public Schools-HoustonFounded in 1998, YES Prep is a free, open-enrollment

public school system that prepares low-income students for college graduation.

YES’s comprehensive 6th-12th grade academic model includes a longer school day and a mandatory Saturday school and summer school program.

In addition, the YES charter mandates that students must be accepted to a four-year college in order to receive their high school diploma.

There are currently five YES campuses in the greater Houston area that serve 2,000 low income students:

Yes Prep High School Students

• 80% of YES students are economically-disadvantaged

• 95% are Hispanic or African-American

• 88% are first-generation college-bound

• Most students enter YES one grade level behind in math and English

Yes Prep results

• 100% of YES students in seven graduating classes have been accepted to college

• YES graduates have been accepted to 215 schools nationwide, including: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Yale, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Rice, University of Texas, and Texas A&M

• Collectively, YES students have earned over $17 million in scholarships & financial aid

• 91% of YES alumni have graduated or are still enrolled in a four-year college

Helping make college admission possible for promising, motivated and low-income students in

Minnesota by providing S.A.T. and A.C.T. test preparation services and admissions and financial

aid consulting.

Description of Program

Admission Possible provides students with four critical services:

• ACT/SAT test preparation

• Intensive assistance in preparing college applications

• Help in obtaining financial aid

• Support in transitioning to college

Description of Program

Requirements: • 2.0 GPA, family income below median• Meet twice a week after school (160 hours/year for two years)• Provide eight hours of community service annually• Average starting ACT score in 2007-08 was 14.5 (about 10th percentile)

Junior Year Senior YearOrientation to College ProcessApplication AssistanceACT/SAT Test Prep Financial AidCampus Visits Scholarship ApplicationsSummer Enrichment OpportunitiesFreshman Year Transition

Description of Program

Admission Possible Student Profile:

Of the 1200 students in the program, the average family income reported by our students is approximately $25,000, more than 40% are from immigrant families, and 60% are

female.

• 35% Hmong• 21% African-American• 16% African Immigrant• 8% Latino/a• 7% Biracial/Multiracial• 7% White• 5% Asian (Non-Hmong)• 1% American Indian

• 98% of our students have earned admission to college. From the class of 2007, 94% of our seniors earned admission to a 4-year college.

• Students in our program increase their ACT scores by about 20%! Leading for-profit companies like Kaplan, by comparison, advertise average increases of 12-14%.

• Nearly 80% of our students who enrolled in college are still enrolled and working toward their college degree, or have graduated! Nationally, only about 50% of all students who enroll in college graduate within 6 years.

• These results were confirmed by an independent evaluation conducted by the Wilder Foundation.

Results

Some Action Ideas for both sides of the desk

Barrier: Student Contact with Colleges

Challenges:• Coming on campus is scary!• Less frequent communications• Less comfort with professional communications

Solutions:For Colleges For High SchoolsProvide buses for group visits Arrange group visitsHelp them meet Practice communications--

underrepresented students role-play, draft e-emailsLack of contact doesn’t mean Emphasize the importance

oflack of interest contact with college staff

Barrier: College Contact with Students

Challenges:• College-ese• Technology• So. Much. Paperwork.

Solutions:For Colleges For High SchoolsWrite in clear, simple language Help students learn to interpretProvide a checklist of all needed institutional language

materials Provide checklist of commonText messages better than email application steps

Source: Admission Posible 2008

Barrier: Application Components

Challenges:• Test scores tell you something, but not as much as you think• Extra-curricular activities difficult to squeeze in• Letters of special circumstance aren’t common

Solutions:For Colleges For High SchoolsDe-emphasize the SAT/ACT Family obligations can beMake the special circumstance considered “extracurricular”

letter a more obvious option Emphasize the special Clearly indicate what counts as circumstance letter

“extracurricular” Interviews

Source: Admission Possible 2008

Barrier: Financial Aid Process

Challenges:• Verification process• Dependency overrides• Timing of aid packages

Solutions:For Colleges For High SchoolsMore transparency around the Help students/families quickly

verification process complete the FAFSAProvide estimated packages to Maintain close contact with

help decision-making admissions office throughoutCSS Profile fee waiver process

Source: Admission Possible 2008

Barrier: DepositsChallenges:

• Transparency of May 1 as deposit date • Difficulty of coming up with $100 or more

Solutions:For Colleges For High SchoolsBe clear about opportunity for Request an extension of the

extensions deposit deadlineWork out a payment plan Inquire about deferring deposit

or grant waiver until financial aid comes through

Source: Admission Possible 2008

What else can you do?

It’s Our Natural Tendency to Classify/Categorize

• It’s part of our thought process

• It helps us to organize information

• It frequently causes us to jump to conclusions that perpetuate stereotypes.

Possible Identity Categories That Shape Cultural Awareness

GenderPhysical Ability Geographical locationFamilyReligion/spirituality Activities/hobbiesSexual Identity

Class

EthnicityEconomicAgeSportsCountry of origin InterestsOccupationPolitical affiliationBeliefs

How Cultural Identity Is Shaped

What Is Your Lens?How Is Your Lenses

Shaped?

Experiences Lived Perceived

One Student at a Time

• We need to recognize cultural differences that affect how communities and individuals advance themselves

• While keeping this in mind, we need to relate to each student based on his/her needs, understandings and aspirations.

• We serve all of us by serving each of us

Can you see through the other persons eyes?

• The best admission presentation begins with saying very little, just like the best counseling session.

• It’s about listening – learning about the other person’s perspective.

• Counselors and CBO’s – don’t judge a college by the reputation – get to know the reality.

• College folks – don’t pre-judge your students’ abilities or interests

Learn from & Teach your Colleagues

• Learn from those on your campus, and become a resource for those who can learn from you

• Become professionally involved in NYSACAC, NACAC and organizations in your community

• Understand that you have something important to offer

Thanks, and good luck!

Jim Miller

University of Wisconsin-Superior

715/394-8396

Jmiller@uwsuper.edu