exploring college options for students with modest academic records
DESCRIPTION
Numerous opportunities await students who achieve outstanding GPAs or standardized test scores, while students with more modest achievement records must try and gain admission to colleges with lower admission requirements. Unfortunately, as entrance requirements decrease, minority graduation rates typically shrink as well. This workshop will look critically at KIPP Philadelphia’s approach to successfully place students from all achievement levels into strong colleges where they will have a greater chance of earning degrees.TRANSCRIPT
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Exploring College Options for Students with
Modest Academic Records
NPEA 2011 ConferenceDeveloping 21st Century Leaders: Creating Paths to Success
April 29, 2011
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Aims
• KIPP Through College Programs• KIPP Philadelphia’s struggles• Short-Term Correction Plan• Long-Term Correction Plan
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A College-Going Culture
• All classes referred to by the year they are going to college
• College is a constant reference
• Field lessons include college tours
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KIPP Through College programs
KIPP Philadelphia’s overall KTC goal:Implement robust programming for alumni in each phase of their high school and college education in order to maximize the number of alumni who go to and graduate from college
• Programming includes/will include:HS Placement College PlacementHS Support College SupportSocial, Financial & Career Support
• Our current alumni are 8th grade promoters in grades 9-12• We will also serve 11th-12th graders at the HS and beyond• We serve enrolled students in various ways ,
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College Completion
• Only 2 KIPP regions have groups of students who are 10+ years out from 8th grade
Lowes
t Soc
io-E
cono
mic
Quarti
le
Natio
nal A
vera
ge
Highe
st S
ocio
-Eco
nom
ic Qua
rtile
0%20%40%60%80%
100%
4-year Degree Completion for 25-29 year olds nationally
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KIPP Philadelphia Pipeline
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Alumni in the Workforce
College Support (Grades 13+)
College Placement (Grades 11-12)
High School Sup-port (Grades 9-10)
High School Placement (Grades 7-8)
Projected Caseload Growth
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Aims
• KIPP Through College Programs• KIPP Philadelphia’s struggles• Short-Term Correction Plan• Long-Term Correction Plan
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2011: Knowledge Gap #1What career
are you thinking of?
I’m going to be a doctor.
That’s great! How are your
math and science grades?
I have a D and an F.
How about extra-curricular
activities? What did you do last
summer?
Nothing.
Oh, and I hate blood. What kind of doctor doesn’t
use blood?
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2011: Knowledge Gap #1A recent report from Harvard, “Pathways to Prosperity” explains:
“For too many of our youth, we have treated preparing for college versus preparing for career as mutually exclusive options. . . [Students] need to know that there are navigable pathways leading to rewarding careers in the mainstream economy”
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2011: Knowledge Gap #2
What colleges are you
applying to?
Harvard and Yale
That’s great! How are your SAT scores?
700!
WOW! On BOTH Reading
and Math? That is
amazing!
No.
I got a 360 on Reading and a 340 on Math.
700 all together.
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2011: Knowledge Gap #2
SAT Reading
SAT Math 6-yr Min. Grad Rate
Univ. of Penn 650-740 680-780 92%
Penn State-Main 530-630 560-670 70%
Swarthmore 680-760 670-760 89%
Schools they Visited
2011’s SAT scores
SAT Reading
SAT Math SAT Writing
Highest score 590 520 620
Lowest score 330 330 330
Average 450 440 450
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2011: Knowledge Gap #3Have you
thought about how you will
pay for college?
Of course! I’m going to
get scholarships.
Sounds great! How many have you
applied for?
None.
Well let’s find some! How is your GPA? What
is your community service record? Any leadership positions?
I have a 2.4. I don’t have any
community service or other positions. My school doesn’t make me do that.
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2011: Knowledge Gap #3
Scholarship #1
Scholarship #2
Scholarship #3
GPA Requirement
3.3 3.3 No
Community Service
Yes Yes No
Leadership Yes Yes No
Aid Available Full COA $10,000 $500
KIPP Philadelphia
Students eligible
1 1 25
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Aims
• KIPP Through College Programs• KIPP Philadelphia’s struggles• Short-Term Correction Plan• Long-Term Correction Plan
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What would you do?
• Tell the truth• Perform the triage• Start re-vamping programming
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S-T Course Correction #1
• Working with 2011 Seniors:• Finding Match colleges
– Focus on match/reach schools with good graduation rates
• Lots of individualized attention– Time-consuming meetings, phone calls, etc.– Always behind the curve
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S-T Course Correction #2
• Working with Juniors (2012):• Pressure on Test Scores
– Incentivizing SAT prep
• One-on-One meetings EARLY• Resources for College Visits
– Setting guidelines for funding
• Pressure on Community Service• On-top of Scholarships
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S-T Course Correction #3
• Working with Sophomores/Freshmen:• Career exploration
– No great ideas yet, but we are at least asking
• Pressure on Community Service– Creating opportunities at KIPP, vocalizing necessity
• Creating Leadership opportunities within KIPP• Push Summer of Learning opportunities• Admission Visits to the KTC office
– They see more of what happens in the office
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Aims
• KIPP Through College Programs• KIPP Philadelphia’s struggles• Short-Term Correction Plan• Long-Term Correction Plan
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Long-Term Correction #1
• Strategic Parent Education• Introduction to the Kindergarten parents• Introduction to Parent Association at both
middle schools• Savings plan presentations to K-parents• Graduation Coach training session for MS
parents• Other ideas?
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Long-Term Correction #2
• Curriculum and Programming for All• College Knowledge day at each middle
school• Regular course in the weekly or monthly
schedule• Section in the weekly bulletin• Staff trainings to solidify the message• Other ideas?
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Long-Term Correction #3
• More Balanced College-Visit Plans• Meet with school leaders/field lesson
coordinators with data for local schools• Develop staff-training around local colleges
to promote• Consult on field lesson locations and agendas• Other ideas?
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Long-Term Correction #4
• Strategic Partnerships with Colleges• Target local schools with lower admission
requirements but high graduation rates• Formalize the pipeline• Join forces to raise minority graduation rates
on campus
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Aims
• KIPP Through College Programs• KIPP Philadelphia’s struggles• Short-Term Correction Plan• Long-Term Correction Plan• Keep Climbing!