The YES Prep Way: Supporting
First-Gen Students To and
Through College
Rob Mooring
Director of College Counseling
(Former)
YES Prep East End Campus
Session Outcomes
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Share and highlight key issues affecting college
persistence and graduation, especially for FirstGeneration students.
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Provide overview of relevant cognitive and noncognitive research and essential questions used to
inform current and future practices.
●
Share lessons learned and best practices around
college preparation, college access and overall
alumni support.
Think, Pair and Share
●
What are some of the challenges in
working with first-generation college
students and their families?
Agenda
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Define It: History & Purpose
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Do It: Implementation & Results
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Build It: School-Based NonCognitive Practices
●
Questions & Answers
Agenda
●
Define It: History & Purpose
●
Do It: Implementation & Results
●
Build It: School-Based NonCognitive Practices
●
Questions & Answers
A Sense of History
Current Profile
2014-2015 School Year
13 CAMPUSES SERVING
OVER 8,000 STUDENTS
- Future capacity of ~10,300
- Drawn from 90+ Houston zip codes
STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS
- Grades Served: 6th-12th
- 84% are FARM eligible
- 97% Hispanic or African American
HOME OFFICE STAFF
CAMPUS-BASED STAFF
- People and Program Team
- Finance Team
- Development Team
- Growth, Operations and Technology
Team
- 13 YES campuses
- Over 725 staff
Redefine Possible
Hoffman
White Oak
Key Issues Facing
College Persistence
National research, along with YES Prep’s own research, shows the following to be the key
factors that will often determine persistence in college:
Lack of
Financial Aid
Awareness &
Literacy
Level of
Academic
Preparation
Lack of
College
Knowledge
(Admissions,
Matriculation &
Graduation)
External
Mitigating
Situations
Utilization of
college /
university
resources
(Academic &
Personal / SocialEmotional)
Agenda
●
Define It: History & Purpose
●
Do It: Implementation & Results
●
Build It: School-Based Non-Cognitive
Practices
●
Questions & Answers
Our “To and Through” Approach:
Putting the Pieces Together
Over the years, our approach to supporting students to and through college has
evolved. Though each component has always existed, the way we approach
each has evolved as our alumni population has grown and changed.
Seminar
Program
College
Counseling
Student
Opportunities
Alumni
Support
Our Approach…
Seminar
Program
College
Counseling
Student
Opportunities
Alumni
Support
Seminar Program Across High School
“Transition-College Knowledge”
Freshman Sophomore
Explore college and university
academic programs, student
support systems, campus
social/recreational offerings,
campus environment, and
cost of attendance at
commonly attended Texas
public universities and
IMPACT schools;
Explore college and university
academic programs, student
support systems, campus
social/recreational offerings,
campus environment, and
cost of attendance at
commonly attended Texas
public universities and
IMPACT schools;
Reflect on colleges and
universities and explain what
he/she likes and dislikes
about the college;
Identify academic programs
at three to five colleges and
universities that connect to
potential career/major
interests;
List college admission
standards for three to five
colleges and universities; and
Compare college and
university admission criteria
to his/her current academic
performance.
List college admission
standards for three to five
colleges and universities; and
Compare college and
university admission criteria
to his/her current academic
credentials.
Junior
Explore college and university
academic programs, student
support systems, campus
social/recreational offerings,
campus environment, and
cost of attendance;
Evaluate college and
university academic
programs, student support
systems, campus
social/recreational offerings,
campus environment, and
cost of attendance;
Compare college and
university admission criteria
to his/her academic
credentials and personal
interests to determine
admissibility; and
Create a well-balanced initial
reach, target, solid college
list.
Senior
Research colleges and
universities that are reach,
target, and solid;
Apply to and attend fly-in
programs, attend local area
college information sessions
and workshops, attend
school-based college visits,
and attend YES Prep college
fair; and
Finalize a well-balanced
reach, target, and solid
college list that is mutually
agreed upon by college
counselor, student, and
family.
Seminar Program Across High School
“Transition-College Knowledge”
❖ MUST Read
❖ Developmental Approach to College
Counseling
❖ Shaped our Seminar Curriculum
❖ Helped us Develop Five Major Focus
Areas
❖ Aspiration
❖ Preparation
❖ Application
❖ Transition
❖ Graduation
❖ Most Compelling Message to Me
❖ We’ll Talk More about Non-Cognitive
Skills Later
Wait, Huh?
●
●
Start Small
Build from the ground up
●
●
●
●
●
●
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Differentiate based on development, grade level
Identity
Value of College
People Like Me
Positive Self-Concept/Realistic Self Appraisal
Strong Support Person
Community
Our Approach…
Seminar
Program
College
Counseling
Student
Opportunities
Alumni
Support
Student Opportunities Program
Summer
Opportunities
College Visits
Internships
- Exposure to world outside
“community bubble”
- Builds and reinforces
“non-cognitive” skills and traits
- Begins “letting go” for
students and parents
Wait, Huh?
●
●
Start Locally
Where could you network with admission
counselors to find out about programs on
their campus?????
Our Approach…
Seminar
Program
College
Counseling
Student
Opportunities
Alumni
Support
College Counseling Program
Counseling &
Advising
• One-on-one counseling
and advising
Test Prep
• Test prep in junior and
senior year
Exposure to
College
Instruction and
Support
• Spring trips coordination
and support
• Support and instruction
through seminar program
Wait, Huh?
●
●
Start Strategically
Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals for Your Team
●
●
●
●
Example: 100% of first gen students apply college
What are the drivers?
How can you achieve them within the context of
your school?
How can you motivate your administration to
help/give you resources?
Our Approach…
Seminar
Program
College
Counseling
Student
Opportunities
Alumni
Support
• Alumni Send-Off
Events
• Alumni
Connect
• Alumni Socials
• Alumni
Spotlights
• Alumni
Connection
Newsletter
• Site Visits
• IMPACT
Partnership
Program
• Alumni
Scholarship
Program
• Alumni
Fellows
Program
Resources
• Exit Interviews
• Facebook
Programs
• Senior Summit
Connection
Transition
• To and From
College
• Alumni Portal
• Alumni
Assistance
Program
• Grad School
Prep Nights
• Alumni Parent
Support
Network
• Webinars
Wait, Huh?
●
●
Start Cheaply
Senior Week!
●
●
●
Students come (provide food/candy, fill out
information, get help with matriculation)
TSI, Final Transcripts, Dissecting Financial Aid,
College Portals
National Student Clearinghouse
●
●
Provides reports 3 times a year (Fall, Spring,
Summer)
Cost: $425 annual subscription to Student Tracker
Key Take-Aways
From Our Experience
Fully
Develop
Alumni
Support
Programs
Ensure
Financial Aid
Awareness &
Literacy
Level of
Academic
Preparation
Demystifying
the college
experience
(Create “aha”
moments)
Full
utilization of
college /
university
resources
(Academic &
Personal / SocialEmotional)
Program Implementation On
Your Campus
●
Examples of Sample Programs/Ideas:
●
●
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Seek out other local schools, college counselors and local
organizations that can assist with your efforts (professional
development conference at colleges, TACAC Drive-In
Workshops, etc.)
Use classes (especially if they are double-blocked) to reach
students
Hold “office hours” once a week after school staffed by
members of your department (rotate so that you only do it
once/twice a month) OR hold on Saturdays (once a month)
Agenda
●
Define It: History & Purpose
●
Do It: Implementation & Results
●
Build It: School-Based Non-Cognitive
Practices
●
Questions & Answers
What’s the Difference?
Alumnus A
Alumnus B
Stop-out
Persistenc
e
The Treadmill
What makes students
successful?
Cognitive
NonCognitive
IQ,
memory,
knowledge,
vocabulary,
etc.
Literally
everything
else
What makes students
successful?
The last word…
●
Challenges
●
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Financial
Cultural
●
●
●
Gabriela
Eunice
Situational
●
Sam
Agenda
●
Define It: History & Purpose
●
Do It: Implementation & Results
●
Build It: School-Based Non-Cognitive
Practices
●
Questions & Answers
Questions
& Answers
Additional
Solutions &
Resources
Printed Materials &
Resources
❖ MUST Read
❖ Great “Book Club” Book
❖ FREE PDF Version!
❖ First in the Family PDF
Printed Materials &
Resources
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Maximize the available print resources available to
you and your students to build comprehensive and
feasible college lists and choices (and at the same
time, everyone’s college knowledge):
●
Examples include:
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Fiske Guide to Colleges (by Edward Fiske) – $24.00 per book
(http://www.fiskeguide.com)
Rugg’s Recommendations (by Frederick Rugg) –
$25.95 per book (http://www.ruggsrecommendations.com)
The College Finder (by Steven Antonoff) – $24.00 per book
(http://www.wintergreenorchardhouse.com/College_Finder.html )
The Book of Majors (College Board) - $20.05 per book
Technology Resources
●
Maximize the available tech resources available to you
and your students to research and expand college
knowledge (meet them where they are)
● Examples include:
●
●
Naviance – www.naviance.com (COST - if your school has
this means)
The College Board (Big Picture) https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org
Presenter Contact Information
Rob Mooring
(281) 844-3679 (cell)
[email protected] (email)