improving college access: examining the past to move to the future david english chrissy tillery...

Improving College Access: Examining the Past to Move to the Future

David EnglishChrissy Tillery

2009 NCCEP/GEAR UP Annual ConferenceJuly 21, 2009

Presentation Overview

• Why Access? A North Carolina Imperative

• Evaluating CFNC.org

• Statistics and Results

• Questions and Discussion

“We found that access to American

higher education is unduly limited by

the complex interplay of inadequate

preparation, lack of information

about college opportunities and

persistent financial barriers.”

Former US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

100,000

110,000

American Indian/ Alaska Native

Asian/Pacific Islander

Black, non- Hispanic

Hispanic

White, non- Hispanic

North CarolinaPublic & Nonpublic High School Graduates2003-2004 – 2017-2018 (projected)

North Carolina Transfer Student Patterns

UNC Private Senior NCCCS Private JuniorStudent Transfers To:

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

Transfer From: UNC

Transfer From: Private Senior

Transfer From: Private Junior

Transfer From: NCCCS

To increase the college-going rate in North Carolina with particular attention toward “first-generation” college students.

Obstacles facing first-generation college students:

1) Can I really go to college in NC?

2) Can I afford to go to college in NC?

GOAL

Primary Goal = Access

What is CFNC.org?

CFNC is a joint effort of the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, College Foundation, Inc., and Pathways of North Carolina.

The Pathways partnership was requested by the UNC Board of Governors, funded by the 1999 General Assembly, and includes the:

• NC Department of Public Instruction (K-12)• NC Community College System (58)• NC Independent Colleges and Universities (36)• UNC System (16)

State agency responsible for statewide college aid programs – grants scholarships, loans, 529 savings

501(c)(3) nonprofit -administers grants, loans and savings program on behalf of the state

State-funded K-16 partnership (NCDPI, NCCCS, NCICU, UNC) administered by UNC General Administration

CFNC Technology & Internet Services

• www.CFNC.org

• Career Center

• Student Planner

• College Fair

• Free SAT & ACT Test Prep

• Online Applications

• Electronic High School Transcripts

• Transfer Articulation

CFNC Resource Center

• 1.866.866.CFNC

• Toll-free Telephone Hotline for Career and College Planning

• Email from CFNC.org

• Publications

• Training

• Spanish Services

GEAR UP North Carolina

• Low-income (FRL) school students

• $37 million

• Two grants from US Dept of Education (2000-11)

• 35 NC counties

• 16,000+ students

CFNC Access Services

CFNC.org Evaluation

• By 2007 CFNC.org was a stable and mature college access initiative

• Senior leadership desired an enhanced level of program evaluation and assessment

• Lumina Foundation for Education had interest in learning more about best practices in college access web portals

• Grant support began September 2007

• Evaluation report completed May 2009

Overview

• CFNC.org Account Holder Analyses

• WebTrends Site Usage Analysis

• CFNC.org Applying to College Services and Initiatives

• Future Directions

• Recommendations

Key Research Study Components

• Account Holders since site inception

• Account Holders by user type

• Account Holders enrolling at a UNC system institution

CFNC.org Account Holder Analyses

Number of CFNC.org Accounts Created Annually 2001 – 2008

CFNC.org Account Holders by User Type Cumulative 2001 – 2008

First-Time Freshmen at the University of North Carolina, Distribution of CFNC.org Account Holders

YearTotal UNCFirst-Time Freshmen

CFNC.org AccountHolders

Account Holders as Percentage

of Total

Fall 2005 24,462 18,178 74.3%

Fall 2006 25,296 21,296 84.2%

Fall 2007 25,873 22,847 88.3%

* UNC student data is the most recent data from the Division of Institutional Research and Analysis at the University of North Carolina General Administration.

First-Time Freshmen at the University of North Carolina, Distribution of CFNC.org Account Holders by Gender

Year Gender

Total UNCFirst-Time Freshmen

CFNC.orgAccountHolders

Percent Difference

First-Time

Freshmen vs.

Account Holders

Frequency Percent Frequency Percent

Fall 2005 Female 13,742 56.2 10,435 57.4 (1.2)Male 10,720 43.8 7,743 42.6 1.2Total 24,462 100 18,178 100



First-Time Freshmen at the University of North Carolina, Distribution of CFNC.org Account Holders by Ethnic Group

Year Ethnic Group



Percent Difference First-Time

Freshmen vs.Account Holders


Fall 2005 American Indian 299 1.2 204 1.1 0.1Asian 792 3.2 584 3.2 0.0African American 6,043 24.7 4,146 22.8 1.9Hispanic 539 2.2 409 2.2 0.0Caucasian 16,213 66.3 12,408 68.3 (2.0)Missing Data 576 2.4 427 2.3 0.1Total 24,462 100.0 18,178 100.0

Fall 2006 American Indian 253 1.0 207 1.0 0.0Asian 850 3.4 639 3.0 0.4African American 6,256 24.7 5,190 24.4 0.3Hispanic 619 2.4 530 2.5 (0.1)Caucasian 16,413 64.9 13,964 65.6 (0.7)Missing Data 905 3.6 766 3.6 0.0Total 25,296 100.0 21,296 100.0

Fall 2007 American Indian 303 1.2 268 1.2 0.0Asian 867 3.4 717 3.1 0.3African American 6,249 24.2 5,509 24.1 0.1Hispanic 718 2.8 631 2.8 0.0Caucasian 16,613 64.2 14,751 64.6 (0.4)Missing Data 1,123 4.3 971 4.3 0.0Total 25,873 100.0 22,847 100.0

First-Time Freshmen at the University of North Carolina, Distribution of CFNC.org Account Holders by Constituent Institution in Fall 2005

UNC Campus






Appalachian State 2,184 8.9 1,859 10.2 (1.3) Elizabeth City State 415 1.7 286 1.6 0.1East Carolina 2,635 10.8 2,130 11.7 (0.9) Fayetteville State 641 2.6 502 2.8 (0.2) NC A&T 1,487 6.1 1,060 5.8 0.3NC Central 836 3.4 642 3.5 (0.1) NC State 3,823 15.6 2,753 15.1 0.5UNC-Asheville 370 1.5 277 1.5 0.0 UNC-Charlotte 2,434 10.0 2,103 11.6 (1.6) UNC-Chapel Hill 2,961 12.1 1,946 10.7 1.4UNC-Greensboro 2,063 8.4 1,622 8.9 (0.5) UNC-Pembroke 806 3.3 585 3.2 0.1UNC-Wilmington 1,561 6.4 1,169 6.4 0.0 UNC School of the Arts 63 0.3 33 0.2 0.1Western Carolina 1,393 5.7 1,089 6.0 (0.3) Winston-Salem State 790 3.2 122 0.7 2.5Total 24,462 100.0 18,178 100.0


UNC Campus





Frequency Percent Frequency UNC Campus

Appalachian State 2,332 9.2 2,108 9.9 (0.7) Elizabeth City State 402 1.6 310 1.5 0.1East Carolina 3,107 12.3 2,763 13.0 (0.7) Fayetteville State 663 2.6 557 2.6 0.0 NC A&T 1,574 6.2 1,267 5.9 0.3NC Central 674 2.7 558 2.6 0.1NC State 4,126 16.3 3,307 15.5 0.8UNC-Asheville 445 1.8 388 1.8 0.0 UNC-Charlotte 2,332 9.2 2,151 10.1 (0.9) UNC-Chapel Hill 2,983 11.8 2,163 10.2 1.6UNC-Greensboro 2,112 8.3 1,851 8.7 (0.4) UNC-Pembroke 818 3.2 644 3.0 0.2UNC-Wilmington 1,498 5.9 1,310 6.2 (0.3)UNC School of the Arts 70 0.3 46 0.2 0.1Western Carolina 1,379 5.5 1,241 5.8 (0.3) Winston-Salem State 781 3.1 632 3.0 0.1Total 25,296 100 21,296 100


UNC Campus






Appalachian State 2,367 9.1 2,224 9.7 (0.6 )Elizabeth City State 498 1.9 425 1.9 0.0 East Carolina 3,318 12.8 3,047 13.3 (0.5 )Fayetteville State 786 3.0 671 2.9 0.1NC A&T 1,216 4.7 1,040 4.6 0.1NC Central 886 3.4 801 3.5 (0.1) NC State 4,341 16.8 3,697 16.2 0.6UNC-Asheville 452 1.7 417 1.8 (0.1) UNC-Charlotte 2,478 9.6 2,333 10.2 (0.6) UNC-Chapel Hill 3,009 11.6 2,309 10.1 1.5UNC-Greensboro 2,142 8.3 1,898 8.3 0.0 UNC-Pembroke 936 3.6 813 3.6 0.0 UNC-Wilmington 1,508 5.8 1,410 6.2 (0.4) UNC School of the Arts 74 0.3 55 0.2 0.1Western Carolina 1,099 4.2 1,038 4.5 (0.3) Winston-Salem State 763 2.9 669 2.9 0.0 Total 25,873 100 22,847 100

• CFNC.org utilizes WebTrends for site analysis

• Data was pulled for the period 07/01/2007 – 06/28/2008

• Over 30 high visibility pages were selected for review

• Limited analysis to pages related to college and career planning, exploration, and application

• Information gathered on Views, Visits, Average Time Viewed, and Overall Page Rank on Server

WebTrends Site Usage Analysis

Most Viewed PagesPage Name Views Received Average Time Viewed

College Fair Campus Tours

3,431,641 00:29

My CFNC 1,088,049 00:18

Career Center 673,970 00:13

Online Applications 630,958 00:18

Online Applications Application Manager

409,014 00:03

College Fair 404,818 00:13

Online Applications Loan Applications

310,206 00:22

Student Planner 283,548 00:14

Career Center Lists of Careers

259,552 00:03

Career Center Student Career Matching Assistant

233,976 00:17

Pages with Highest Average Time ViewedPage Name Average Time Viewed Views Received

Contact CFNC 185,660 01:19

Career Center Teacher Education

16,313 01:15

Student Planner College Entrance Requirements

35,228 01:06

Career Center Fastest Growing Careers

42,025 01:00

College Fair Comparative View

163,035 00:40

Student Planner Transfer Student Planner Intro

4,554 00:37

College Fair Campus Tours

3,431,641 00:29

College Fair Matching Assistant

47,509 00:28

Career Center Bridges Planning Tools

55,859 00:26

• CFNC.org hosts branded admissions applications for all 110 colleges and universities in North Carolina

• 89 of the 110 institutions utilize the CFNC.org branded application as their exclusive online option

• CFNC.org partners with the NC Department of Public Instruction to serve as the sole provider of electronic high school transcripts

• Project has been implemented in phases over the past 6 years

• Every public and charter high school will be live in Fall 2009, excluding Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

CFNC.org Applying to College Services and Initiatives

College Applications Submitted through CFNC.org Annually 2001 – 2008

High School Transcripts Submitted through CFNC.org Annually 2003 – 2008

• An event cosponsored by CFNC and CACRAO in an effort to further expand statewide college access

• The goal of the initiative is to motivate and support students who might not consider college an option the opportunity to apply to college online using CFNC.org.

• Pilot Programs in 2005, 2006, 2007

• Statewide as of 2008

Student Comments:

“I liked the help with filling out, submitting and paying for applications. It was easier to do than by myself.”

“I never thought I would go to college anywhere, but I realized that it is my future and I can do it.”

High School Transcripts Submitted through CFNC.org Annually 2003 – 2008

College Application Week 2008 Map of Participating School Districts

College Application Week Statistics

Year High Schools Students Applications2005 1 100 1502006 15 876 1,0382007 109 12,808 21,4452008 293 19,356 37,903

Applications Submitted to University of North Carolina Constituent Institutions During College Application Week 2008

Applications Submitted to North Carolina Community Colleges During College Application Week 2008

Applications Submitted to Member Institutions of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities During College Application Week 2008

• Expanded Data Availability and Enrollment Verification

• Transfer Articulation

Future Directions

• UNC-General Administration will run enrollment verification on all students participating in the 2008 and 2009

College Application Week events

• North Carolina College Access Challenge Grant Program (NCCACGP) funds are being used for this initiative

• Data will allow for enhanced evaluation of CAW program, and impacts on students postsecondary matriculation

Expanded Data Availability & Enrollment Verification

• View Transfer Student Guarantees offered by the CAA

• Transferable Course Equivalencies for all CAA General Education courses between NCCCS and any UNC institution.

• A list of Transfer Students most frequently asked questions

• Majority of courses taken by students participating in a dual enrollment program covered

Transfer Student Planner & Articulation

• Provide students with a report of how courses will transfer between all 110 North Carolina colleges and universities

• Partnership between NCCCS, NCICU, and UNC

• Perform a degree audit to guide students on course work that will need to be completed after they transfer

• System is as easy as 1, 2, 3.• Step 1. Create an academic history by selecting courses from the

Community College Course Catalog.• Step 2. Confirm selections.• Step 3. View an equivalence report that shows course by course

equivalence. Users can compare equivalence for 2 institutions at a time

Transfer Student Navigator

CFNC Transfer Navigator

CFNC.org philosophy is based around 3 fundamental themes

1. Plan: What do I need to do to be prepared to go to college? How can I learn what courses different

colleges expect me to have taken? Are there minimum admission requirements?

2. Apply: What do I need to do to apply to college? Can I apply online? What is the cost to apply? Do I need to visit a campus for an interview?

3. Pay: Can I afford to go to college? What are the financial aid options available to me?

Recommendations for Policy and Practice

• CFNC is a partnership of UNC, NCCCS, NCICU, NCDPI, NC SEAA, and CFI

• Power of a legislative mandate should not be underestimated

• Keep all partners and stakeholders engaged and informed

Recommendation #1: Build and sustain broad partnerships and high levels of collaboration among all education interests.

• CFNC.org website provides college and career planning resources and information applicable to all ages

• CFNC Online Admissions Application is accepted by all 110 NC Colleges and Universities

• CFNC Electronic High School Transcript is the sole option, and accepted by all 110 colleges and universities

• Two specialized toll-free call centers provide information on planning, applying, and paying for college

Recommendation #2: Provide a comprehensive internet-based platform and complementary call-center support.

• Utilize a combination of media advertising, direct marketing, and in-school marketing to build awareness among all target audiences

• Build awareness through strong visual continuity - brand standards bring unity and continuity

• Target specific messages to professional and consumer audiences

• Continue to promote the basic brand positioning in all communications while building awareness of specific information and services

Recommendation #3: Build a brand and commit to a comprehensive marketing program to build awareness and understanding.

• School counselors are an important source of information for parents and students

• Full time CFNC Training Director works to engage and educate school counselors on CFNC.org services

• CFNC Regional Representatives provide outreach to financial aid personnel, community members, churches, and schools

• Dedicated space is provided on the website for school counselors and education professionals

Recommendation #4: Complement advertising with training and outreach activities.

• Online applications are provided free of charge to the 110 participating institutions, including development and technical support

• Professional tools allow school counselors and educators the ability to monitor students application and transcript activity

• CFNC State Grant Information System enables NC colleges and universities to process over $350 million per year from five distinct grant programs

Recommendation #5: Address the needs of schools, colleges, students, and families.

• Federal Family Education Loan Program (NC SEAA & CFI)

• State Appropriations (Pathways)

• Federal Grant Funding (GEAR UP North Carolina and North Carolina College Access Challenge Grant Program)

Recommendation #6: Leverage financial resources from diverse sources.

• CFNC Technology & Internet Services has grown from 2 FTE to 6 FTE

• CFI provides 5 FTE for core technical support and development

• Marketing and outreach program planning and support are shared between CFI, NC SEAA, and Pathways

• Call center support is provided by both CFI and Pathways

Recommendation #7: Plan for sufficient staffing and share staff responsibilities.

Statistics and Results

9,250 visitors per day for an

average of

8 min 30 sec

2,725,518

Accounts Created

1,422,063

Online ApplicationsSubmitted

126,238

High School Transcripts

Sent

CFNC.org Site Usage

Impacts • North Carolina had

the second largest increase in College Participation Rates for Students from Low Income Families between 2000 – 2007

• US Average was negative over this time period

• Data calculated by Tom Mortenson of Postsecondary Education Opportunities

Questions?David English

Director, CFNC Technology & Internet ServicesUNC-General Administration

[email protected]

Chrissy TilleryResearch & Evaluation Specialist

GEAR UP North CarolinaUNC-General Administration

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

improving college access: examining the past to move to the future david english chrissy tillery...

Documents

access slide

evaluation slide

overview slide

discussion slide

projected slide

college services

pathways of north carolina

user type account holders