Course to College

Course to College

Course to College is program to support high schools in building a college-going culture through five steps:

  1. Prepare
  2. Apply
  3. Finance
  4. Decide
  5. Go

The Iowa Department of Education provides the support and resources for schools to cultivate a college-going culture from college preparedness through the attainment of higher education. High schools that build a strong college-going culture are more likely to have students who pursue postsecondary education.

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1. Prepare

What is college preparedness?

As early as elementary school, it is important to begin preparing students to think about what they want to do when they complete high school. This can be done in various ways, such as college fairs and career expos, hosting guest speakers and panels, including younger students in college and career promoting activities, encouraging students to connect with college representatives at your high school and coordinating college visits.

Why is college preparedness important?

College awareness and exploration are essential on a student's path to postsecondary success. By exploring college programs and career options, students ensure their academics and extracurricular involvement position them to enter and succeed in a college that will match and fit their academic, social, and personal needs. Early college and career exploration leads students to:

  • Have time for more than one visit to postsecondary institutions they have shown interest in.
  • Choose postsecondary institutions that offer programs in their desired areas of study with strong opportunities for career attainment upon completion.
  • Learn about financial aid options in advance, allowing more time for families to financially prepare.
  • Apply to postsecondary institutions that are an academic match and a good fit.

Alarmingly, qualified first-generation, low-income, underrepresented students are less likely to apply to postsecondary institutions and more likely to under match—a term to describe students who apply to or attend a college that is less selective than their academic ability would indicate. As a result, these students are less likely to persist and complete college degrees. 

How does Course to College support college preparedness?

Course to College programming enhances district plans, provides strategies to build a college-going culture, and supports school staff in coordinating exploration opportunities. Schools participating in the Course to College program receive supportive resources and materials through a Closed Group Website and Shared Resource Folder and technical assistance from the Bureau of Iowa College Aid on how to best use these resources. Resources for college preparedness include weekly collaboration calls with schools throughout the state, multiple preparedness toolkits, a student guide on how to attain their intended postsecondary pathway, and more.

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How do Iowa high schools support college preparedness?

  • Build college and career preparation into all grade levels (K-12).
  • Design lesson plans or class sessions to introduce multiple pathways and different careers.
  • Invite guest speakers and host a panel discussion in the classroom or as an assembly.
  • Coordinate college and job site visits.
  • Invite college and career reps to host booths at a college fair or career expo.
  • Involve all district staff in school-wide events (such as "Wear Your College T-shirt Day").
  • Invite all students to attend school-wide events.
  • Involve younger students in supporting older students by making posters, writing letters, etc.
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2. Apply

What is applying for college?

As part of a national effort to assist students, especially those from underserved populations, Course to College programming promotes a statewide college application campaign supported by the American Application Campaign through ACT’s Center for Impact in Learning. Participating schools offer time throughout the school day for students to complete an application and assist them in navigating the admissions process.

Why is applying for college important?

Submitting an application is one of the first steps in getting to college and an important indicator of whether a student will enroll in postsecondary education upon graduation. Applying lets students know what their opportunities are and can help in their decision-making process. While applying, it is important to keep in mind postsecondary institutions that are both a good match and fit for a student to prevent under matching, especially among underrepresented students.

How does Course to College support applying for college?

The Bureau of Iowa College Aid partners with multiple organizations both within state and nationally to support the application effort of all Iowa seniors.
 

Partnering organizations include Iowa College Access Network (ICAN), American College Application Campaign (ACAC), Iowa School Counselor Association (ISCA) and Iowa Association of College Admissions Counseling (IACAC). Through these partnerships we are able to participate and share information about many opportunities and events for both school counselors, CCTCs, students and families to grow knowledge of the application process. 
 

The Bureau of Iowa College Aid partners with multiple organizations both within state and nationally to host events throughout the academic year to support the college going process for students and families in Iowa. We collaborate on multiple events throughout the year:

  • On Track Fall Kick-Off to College Planning Week - Organized in collaboration with ICAN
    • On Track Fall Kick-Off offers nightly sessions for each high school grade level to better understand the steps to take to prepare for college as well as panel experts to answer any questions about the college readiness process.
    • On Track Fall Kick-Off takes place in September annually.
    • The Bureau of Iowa College Aid collaborates in this week-long event by participating in the parent engagement virtual sessions and providing application and StudentAid.gov account creation workshops through our college coach program.
  • FAFSA Awareness Week - Organized in collaboration with ICAN
    • Takes place in early October, when the next year FAFSA opens.
    • The Bureau of Iowa College Aid supports students and families in the FAFSA completion process through live virtual sessions, one-on-one meetings, and support to high schools and community based organizations in hosting their own school and community based events.
  • Colleges 2 Counselors - Organized by IACAC
    • Iowa ACAC’s Colleges 2 Counselors provide college fair type experiences for counselors presenting information to bring back to their students and families.
    • College admissions counselors in attendance are allowed 3 minutes to share about their college and then invite attendees to visit their table for more information.
    • School Counselors and CCTCs are provided an abundance of information about colleges in and around the state of Iowa in a condensed, yet appropriate, amount of time.
    • The Bureau of Iowa College Aid partners by offering free content for attendees that can be brought back to the schools and used with students and families to promote the college going culture within their buildings.
  • The RIDE - Organized by IACAC
    • An annual FREE, three-day bus tour for secondary counselors includes door-to-door visits to Iowa's college campuses, providing a first-hand look at opportunities for their high school students. It's a learning adventure of college tours, activities, meals, and even overnight stays in residence halls.
    • License Renewal Credit is available through this event.
  • Iowa ACAC College Fairs
    • The Iowa ACAC College Day/College Night program provides a supportive environment for students to get information and appropriate counseling that is helpful in their college selection process.
    • Participation in the program is limited to universities and colleges, community colleges, technical colleges, trade schools, national military organizations, apprenticeship/union programs and non-profit postsecondary planning services.
    • Iowa ACAC hosts 30+ college fairs across the state and provides college access to many Iowa students.
    • Iowa ACAC also provides an opportunity for a bus/transportation stipend for schools interested in attending with their students at a day fair.
  • Iowa School Counselor Association
    • The Bureau of Iowa College Aid's Danielle Sampson, serves in an Ex-Officio Position with ISCA to provide monthly updates on events and activities taking place through the Community Engagement team of the Bureau of Iowa College Aid, with strong emphasis on updates with the Course to College Program.
    • By collaborating with ISCA, the Bureau of Iowa College Aid is able to provide current and relevant information between all parties allowing for opportunities to present requested information at the ISCA annual conference, or asking ISCA leads to share at our Course to College meetings with current opportunities and information.
  • American College Application Campaign (ACAC)
    • ACAC is a national initiative designed to increase the number of first-generation college students and students from low-income families who pursue a postsecondary degree. The purpose is to assist high school seniors as they navigate the college application and admissions process and ensure each participating student submits at least one admissions application.
    • The Campaign is conducted state by state and each state determines which week or month is officially designated as the College Application Campaign. Events across the country often take place between September-December.
    • Iowa’s campaign runs from the middle of September through the middle of October, promoting, not only college application, but also FSA ID creation, and FAFSA Completion Event Dates. For more information visit https://equityinlearning.act.org/acac/states/iowa/

Schools participating in the Course to College program receive supportive resources and materials through a Closed Group Website and Shared Resource Folder and technical assistance from the Bureau of Iowa College Aid to best use these resources. Resources for college applications include weekly collaboration calls with other schools throughout the state, student survey templates for collecting data,  student level incentives for completing college going steps, data connection through Course To College lead contact survey responses, and more, and more.

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3. Finance

What options are available for students when thinking about financing their future?

Most students rely on multiple sources of financial aid to pay for their education beyond high school. Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school. Grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships help make college or career school affordable. 

  1. Free Money - Grants and scholarships are awarded based on financial need, accomplishments, and/or abilities. They are gifts. Students will not have to pay this money back.
  2. Earned Money - Students might qualify for a work-study job, or might land a part-time job on their own. They will earn this money and will not have to pay it back.
  3. Borrowed Money - Loans are money that students and/or families will have to pay back with interest. These can come in the form of federal and private loans. Federal loans offer the best interest rate and terms.

The first step in students being eligible to receive these above financial aid options is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, followed up by completing the Iowa Financial Aid Application.

What is FAFSA completion for Iowa’s high schools?

Targeted data allows schools to identify seniors who have not completed or filed a FAFSA and offer follow-up assistance. The Bureau of Iowa College Aid provides student-specific data through partnerships with the U.S. Department of Education, the Iowa Department of Education, Area Education Agencies, and high schools.

Why is completing the FAFSA important?

The importance of completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is seen in the strong correlation between FAFSA completion and college enrollment as well as in its necessity for students to receive financial aid. For many students, especially those from low-income backgrounds, completing a FAFSA is a critical step in making the possibility of college a reality.

A National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey provides evidence that FAFSA and postsecondary enrollment are connected. Notably, students from the lowest socioeconomic quintile who completed a FAFSA were 127 percent more likely to be enrolled in the fall following high school graduation than their counterparts without a FAFSA completion.

Whether students plan to attend college, join the military, or start employment after high school, they should consider completing a FAFSA in order to be knowledgeable of the amount of aid they are eligible to receive if they choose to pursue higher education at any point in time after graduation.

FAFSA Completion Information

How does Course to College support financing college?

Filing a FAFSA is only one step in the process of financing a college education. FAFSA verification melt, understanding financial aid offers, and deciding which financial aid options to use are all part of the process too. Schools participating in the Course to College program receive supportive resources and materials through a Shared Resource Folder and technical assistance from The Bureau of Iowa College Aid to best use these resources. Resources for FAFSA completion and financial aid include weekly student-specific FAFSA reports, financial aid offer toolkits, a FAFSA verification guide, and more.

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How can I receive FAFSA completion data for my school/organization?

All public high schools in the state are able to receive student-specific FAFSA completion data through The Bureau of Iowa College Aid’s partnerships with the U.S. Department of Education, Iowa Department of Education, and Iowa’s Area Education Agencies(AEAs). In order for public schools to receive this information, a designated contact, usually a school counselor, needs to complete an Authorization Form. Email Liz Yaddof with any questions or concerns regarding how to receive this information.

For other designated entities (TRIO Programs, non-public schools, etc.), program or agency directors must enter into a data sharing agreement with The Bureau of Iowa College Aid. These designated entities must select an employee to serve as their Data Custodian. The Data Custodian will be given access to the Bureau of Iowa College Aid Processing System (ICAPS) to upload their students’ information and receive a report regarding FAFSA completion for those students. 

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4. Decide

What is a college decision?

School events and activities recognize high school seniors for their college decision and encourage the college aspirations of underclassmen. Activities and events are held on or around May 1 to coincide with the date most seniors must inform a college of their plans to enroll.

Why is celebrating a decision important?

Celebrating students’ postsecondary plans holds them accountable to their commitment, recognizes their hard work, provides them with a sense of pride for their accomplishments, and spreads enthusiasm across the community and school district for future students to begin preparing for their postsecondary plans.

How does Course to College support college decisions?

This is a very exciting time of the year for students, staff and families. The Bureau of Iowa College Aid participates in events and activities throughout the state, as available. Schools participating in the Course to College program receive supportive resources and materials through a Shared Resource Folder and technical assistance from The Bureau of Iowa College Aid to best use these resources. Resources for decision celebrations include weekly collaboration calls with other schools, “I Decided” student signs, student survey data reports, event planning templates, implementation toolkit, and more.

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5. Go

What is “going to college” (summer melt prevention)?

Once students choose a college, they still need to take major steps during the summer between high school graduation and the start of college classes. Course to College programming fights “summer melt” by ensuring that students fulfill their requirements before their courses begin, setting them up for success on Day One.

Why is summer melt prevention important?

Every year, 10-40 percent of high school graduates in the U.S. who have completed steps like applying and being accepted to college, submitting a FAFSA or even sending a college deposit, fail to show up on campus in the fall. This phenomenon is called summer melt. Summer melt happens when prospective college students’ motivation to go to college “melts away” during the summer months after high school graduation.

How does Course to College support summer melt prevention?

“Go” aims to reduce the rate of summer melt by providing additional resources, support and guidance to prospective students between high school graduation and the first day of classes. High schools participating in the Course to College program receive supportive resources and materials through a Shared Resource Folder and technical assistance from The Bureau of Iowa College Aid for how to best use these. Resources for summer melt prevention include a Summer Transition Checklist, summer melt rate calculation, texting campaign content, social media campaign content, and more.

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