BEST PRACTICES. For Working Effectively with Community-Based Organizations to Support and Connect with Underrepresented Students

Transcription

1 BEST PRACTICES For Working Effectively with Community-Based Organizations to Support and Connect with Underrepresented Students

2 Best Practices for Working Effectively with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to Support and Connect with Underrepresented Students This paper aims to provide recommendations to help CBOs and post-secondary institutions work together to support underrepresented students during the transition from high school to college. In June 2013, College Greenlight conducted an online survey of 80 CBOs, including regional and local CBOs from across the United States. The goal of the survey was to understand best practices for connecting with colleges and universities and what suggestions they have for post-secondary schools that want to improve their outreach to underresourced, high-achieving students. We discovered that communication barriers exist for colleges and universities when reaching out to underrepresented students and their CBO support teams; however, those barriers can be overcome using the insights and suggestions in this report. BACKGROUND U.S. demographics are changing diversity is now the norm. Trends indicate that soon there will be no majority racial or ethnic group in the United States no one group that makes up more than fifty percent of the total population. Now, nearly one-quarter of all people living in the United States are first- or second-generation residents. (Source: The Center for Public Education) In regard to post-secondary education, the changing demographics present challenges including: The need to address gaps in college entrance, retention and graduation rates The need for outreach to immigrant parents The need to address issues of equity in resources Recognizing the demographic shift and our current economic environment, the Department of Education s 2010 Blueprint for Reform promotes the idea of equity and opportunity for all students and recognizes the importance of community-based organizations by providing increased grants to them. CBOs are trusted sources of college information and advice. Their name says it all they are communitybased and understand the cultural and social sensitivities of the students with whom they work. 2 of 8 Best Practices for Working Effectively with Community-Based

3 Specifically, CBOs have a fiduciary purpose to get students to and through college by: Encouraging increased college aspirations and providing knowledge about the college exploration, application and decisionmaking processes Helping match students to colleges that fit them academically, socially and financially Helping students complete admission and financial aid applications Providing guidance during college to ensure students proceed in their education and graduate CBOs tend to work with students from underresourced backgrounds and their students are often from underrepresented populations. CBOs are selective with the students they work with programs often have GPA threshholds and many use non-cognitive or meta-cognitive factors, such as grit and persistence, to determine admissibility to their programs. Given these requirements, CBO students start ahead of their peers, and the CBO support gives them additional advantages. Because CBOs play such an important role and have such an influential presence in underrepresented students college transitions and persistence, there is much to be gained by understanding how colleges and universities can strengthen their relationships with CBOs. CBO COLLEGE RELATIONSHIPS Many CBOs have a limited number of colleges they recommend to their students, and nearly half of the CBOs we surveyed have a loose network of college partners that are primarily made up of in-state institutions. For 54 percent of responding CBOs, distance from home is an important or very important factor, however, CBO college networks do include colleges that are out-of-state and from around the country because those colleges have key attributes that are important to CBOs and their EXAMPLES OF INSTITUTIONS IN CBO NETWORKS CHICAGO SCHOLARS IIT BOEING SCHOLARS ACADEMY UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO COLLEGIATE SCHOLARS PROGRAM IN-STATE Augustana College DePaul University Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois Institute of Technology Northwestern University University of Chicago DePaul University Illinois Institute of Technology Loyola University Chicago Illinois State University University of Illinois at Chicago Northwestern University University of Chicago University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Chicago OUT-OF-STATE Amherst College Boston College Carleton College Claremont McKenna College Emory University Cornell University Georgia Tech University Grinnell College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Michigan Technical University Amherst College Carnegie Mellon University Columbia University in the City of New York Duke University Princeton University Harvard University Occidental College Reed College Oberlin College Pomona College The Julliard School University of Southern California Stevens Institute of Technology United States Military Academy at West Point Vanderbilt University Wesleyan University University of Pennsylvania Wellesley College Worcester Polytechnic University Wellesley College 3 of 8 Best Practices for Working Effectively with Community-Based

4 students. Importantly, CBOs are receptive to learning about and adding more colleges to their networks, especially when those colleges meet their criteria. We are very interested in developing partnerships with colleges and universities, Dave Zagunis of La Vida Inc. in Lynn, MA, said. Our students visit 18 colleges by the time they are seniors in high school. We want them to be exposed to a variety of the best and most diverse opportunities available to them. It can sometimes be a misnomer that underrepresented students prefer to go to a college near home. When working with students and parents, we encourage them to look at schools that will be a good fit for them based on many factors distance from home is just one of those, Kathy Rose of CollegeCommunityCareer in Houston, TX, said. In fact, many CBO advisors recommend that their students travel far away from home to attend college where they won t have the challenges of being too close to family. In the chart on the previous page, we list three examples of Illinois CBOs and some of the colleges and universities where their students enrolled. Though their networks include several Illinois colleges, their out-of-state colleges range in location across the entire United States. The bottom line is that CBOs want to expand their college networks and are open to working with out-of-state institutions. WHAT ARE THE TOP CRITERIA CBOS HAVE FOR RECOMMENDING COLLEGES? All of the CBOs that responded to the survey said that the average amount of financial aid given is an important factor for recommending colleges to students; however, looking a little deeper, there are other key measures, such as graduation and retention rates, the reputation of the institution, the specific majors it offers and the presence of oncampus support for diverse students. HOW IMPORTANT ARE EACH OF THESE CRITERIA TO YOU FOR RECOMMENDING COLLEGES TO STUDENTS? AVERAGE AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL AID GIVEN BY AN INSTITUTION 100% GRADUATION RATES 94% RETENTION RATES 91% HAS ON-CAMPUS SUPPORT FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS 83% TUITION PRICE 83% REPUTATION OF THE INSTITUTION 75% HAS FEE WAIVERS 74% LEVEL OF CAMPUS DIVERSITY 69% REPUTATION FOR SPECIFIC MAJORS 65% IN-STATE 55% DISTANCE FROM HOME 55% REPUTATION OF FACULTY 48% HAS SPONSORED FLY-INS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS 44% 4 of 8 Best Practices for Working Effectively with Community-Based

5 It is interesting that graduation and retention rates factor in so heavily for organizations such as CBOs, which are primarily thought to help mostly with the transition to college as opposed to the completion of college. The CBOs concern shows their commitment to student success throughout college. Colleges should note those rates when reaching out to CBOs. WHAT ARE CBOS LOOKING FOR FROM COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES? OPEN COMMUNICATION Some colleges have established programs for working with diverse students and CBOs, while others haven t. I ve been appreciative of colleges and universities who have gone beyond recruiting for their own institution, Amee Naik of Breakthrough Greater Boston said. We ve had a number of colleges and universities willing to partner with us to help lead workshops on college choice and fit, or how to craft an essay. We will be heading to a campus this weekend to have reps talk with incoming freshmen in generalities about college life and experience. ACCESS TO DIVERSITY PROGRAMMING What does it mean for an institution to be diverse? Whether through formal organizations, cultural centers or informal campus beliefs, there are several ways a campus can show support for underrepresented students. It s recognizable when a campus has multicultural, religious and academic clubs, fraternities and sororities for minorities that are promoted and encouraged by the college, Marae Adreaccio of La Paloma Family Services in Tucson, AZ, said. When the clubs are visible to new students, they can help diverse students feel included, and help them see that their perspective matters. Chicago, IL, said. One is through the presence and support of affinity groups tied to minority student populations. The second is through the creation of space for open dialogue and freedom to express identities other than those dominating the campus culture without prejudice. This space can be formal in nature, such as an inter-group dialogue center or activity, or informal a common understanding among campus community members that respecting diverse cultures and identities is of utmost importance. For a lot of our students it s simply feeling welcomed and connected, Ashlea Hitchcock of the Emily K. Center in Durham, NC, responded. They are coming from a program where there is someone in their corner advocating for them. We encourage them to look for these sorts of connections on campus. We want our students to actively seek out a person they can come to for guidance. FINANCIAL SUPPORT For the under-resourced students that CBOs support, we know that financial aid is extremely important, but how do CBOs view financial support? Understanding the difference between sticker price and net price is a challenge for students and their parents, Naik said. While we discuss these differences with them, students and families are still wary of applying to schools that list a high sticker price. In addition to net price calculators, it would be helpful to have sections of a school s website that are easy to navigate and have clear details about that particular school s financial aid history. CBOs value an institution having a history of financial aid with their students in addition to students accessibility to diversity programming and flexibility communicating with representatives. In my experience I have seen this sense of inclusion and connection manifest itself successfully in one of two ways, Gabriela Torres of One Goal in 5 of 8 Best Practices for Working Effectively with Community-Based

6 For our students, we want to see full support, Hitchcock said. That means full cost of attendance, with few or no loans. We want our students to be well situated to gain admission and graduate with as little debt as possible. One of the issues is scholarships that aren t renewable for all four years of a student s education. If one of our students receives a one-time scholarship for freshmen, it can be difficult for them to not have access to the same level of funding in subsequent years, Naik said. CHALLENGES TO OPTIMAL CONNECTIONS WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES Fifty-eight percent of CBOs said that non-holistic admission processes that overlook the nuances of underrepresented students can be a major barrier. Sixty-one percent said that identifying campus programs for underrepresented students can also be a challenge. Having support available in college in the first couple of months is important, Naik said. Our students need access to individuals who make sure they aren t falling through the cracks. It is difficult to prepare students for the cultural change of college life; so whether they get advising or access to faculty or a bridge program, they need someone to notice if they are floundering. EIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH CBOS 1. Leverage organizations and tools that can help expand your network of CBOs and attract a wider pool of highly qualified underrepresented students. Organizations, such as the National College Access Network (NCAN), the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA) and College Greenlight, allow you to efficiently connect with a combination of CBOs from metropolitan, suburban and rural areas. 2. Utilize your current students who were members of CBOs. Those students can act as ambassadors WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES WHEN CONNECTING WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES? IDENTIFYING PROGRAMS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS 61% NON-HOLISTIC ADMISSIONS PROCESS THAT CAN OVERLOOK THE NUANCES OF UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS 58% GETTING SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS 53% RESPONSE TIME 30% WE ARE OFF THE RADAR OR ARE OVERLOOKED BY COLLEGES 28% CONNECTING WITH DIVERSITY OFFICERS 24% GETTING FACE TIME WITH ADMISSION REPRESENTATIVES 23% 6 of 8 Best Practices for Working Effectively with Community-Based

7 for your campus, provide insight to prospective applicants and demonstrate your institution s commitment to student success. Furthermore, those CBO alums can introduce your admissions or diversity officers to the CBO s decision makers who can establish partnerships with your campus. CBOs are tight-knit communities and value the positive recommendations of their members. By demonstrating how highly you value and support their alumni, CBOs are likely to recommend your institution to other organizations. 3. Speak up! CBOs want to expand their relationships and partnerships with great colleges and universities, but might not have time to start the process. Take initiative and introduce your institution to the CBOs you d like to work with. Let the CBOs know that you value a holistic review of all applicants, and promote any programs your campus offers for diverse students. Articulate that your institution is serious about matriculating, retaining and graduating underrepresented students. Be sure to emphasize your track record of success with underrepresented students, and be straightforward about what you are looking for in a partnership. 4. Highlight your graduation rates for underrepresented students. Even if your campus is not yet as diverse as you d like, CBOs will be paying more attention to how your current underrepresented students are succeeding. Our research has shown that graduation and retention rates are more important for CBOs than the level of campus diversity. If you have already established yourself as an institution that supports the underrepresented students who you ve matriculated, CBOs will be happy to recommend your institution to their students. CBO outreach representative, multicultural representative or admissions diversity officer. That person and their job description should be featured on your institution s website so that interested CBOs can easily find and contact them. By naming a CBO representative, your institution is demonstrating a higher level of commitment to the needs of underrepresented students than the typical level of commitment at most colleges and universities. 6. Schedule visits with CBOs. If your institution already attends college fairs and visits high schools, then maximize your exposure to high-achieving underrepresented students by also sending admissions representatives to CBOs. You can use College Greenlight to see which CBOs are close to the high schools, conferences and college fairs your representatives already attend. By scheduling visits with CBOs, your organization is demonstrating to their students that they can be great potential candidates for admission. 7. Communicate success stories of students from CBO or similar backgrounds who have successfully enrolled and graduated from your institution. Individual student stories can be quite impactful the more detailed the better. Those stories allow students to see that students from similar backgrounds with similar personal histories can thrive on your campus, and they show counselors that you are interested in connecting with their students. 8. Invite CBOs to your counselor fly-in visit program when possible, or, if your institution does not currently have a fly-in event for counselors, consider establishing one that includes CBOs. Building a faceto-face relationship with CBO counselors makes a lasting impression and demonstrates your institution s respect for their work and their students. 5. Establish a member of your staff who will work directly with CBOs. Their title should be something a CBO would be likely to search for, such as 7 of 8 Best Practices for Working Effectively with Community-Based

8 ABOUT COLLEGE GREENLIGHT We welcome your comments and feedback on this study. Please contact Jonathan April, general manager of College Greenlight, at Powered by Cappex, a company dedicated to connecting students and colleges, College Greenlight was launched in April 2012 to connect underrepresented students to colleges and universities that fit them academically, socially and financially. More than 260 leading Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) nationwide have chosen College Greenlight as the main platform to connect their students with college opportunities. Cappex has more than 750 higher-education clients worldwide and six years of experience helping nearly 5 million students achieve their college dreams. Cappex provides a suite of solutions to help colleges with recruiting through enrollment. Founded in 2006, Cappex is based in Chicago. For more information about Cappex, visit cappex.com/solutions. To learn more about connecting with students on the College Greenlight platform, us at [email protected] or call of 8 Best Practices for Working Effectively with Community-Based