interventions to impact college enrollment and …
TRANSCRIPT
INTERVENTIONS TO IMPACT
COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND
PERSISTENCE ON THE GROUND
Beyond the Numbers: SDP Convening 2014
Agenda
Cassie Larson
Executive Director for A2O, The College Board
Shana Payne
Director of the Delaware Higher Education Office
Erin Cox
President, uAspire
Lindsay Page
Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh
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3 Proprietary and Confidential
Interventions to Impact College Enrollment and Persistence on the Ground
4 Proprietary and Confidential
The goal of Access to Opportunity…
To ensure that students of various backgrounds – who have earned opportunities through their talent and hard work – engage in academic rigor during high school, apply to and enroll in a college that meets their academic and financial needs, and, ultimately, attain a postsecondary degree.
5 Proprietary and Confidential
The goal of Access to Opportunity…
To ensure that students of various backgrounds – who have earned opportunities through their talent and hard work – engage in academic rigor during high school, apply to and enroll in a college that meets their academic and financial needs, and, ultimately, attain a postsecondary degree.
Racial / Ethnic Targets
• African American
• Hispanic / Latino
• Native American
• Pacific Islander
• First Generation
• Rural Whites
Income Targets
• Low Income
• Moderate Income
Readiness Targets
• AP Potential
• College-Ready
• High-Achieving
6 Proprietary and Confidential
Our goal is to propel college-ready, underrepresented students into the opportunities they have earned by helping them…
Get Ready
Get In
Get Through
Improve access to rigorous coursework and
reduce the information gap
Connect to colleges where they can succeed
Improve postsecondary degree completion
rates
7 Proprietary and Confidential
Realize Your College Potential
» Based on research from Hoxby, Avery, and Turner
» Sent to ~30,000 high achieving low-income students in the class of 2014
» Mailings in May and October 2013 and follow-up phone bank in October 2013
» Packets included:
College
Application
Fee Waivers
8 Proprietary and Confidential
Apply to 4 or More
» Sent to ~55,000 college ready low-income students in the class of 2014
» Over 2500 counselors signed a pledge to support campaign
» Over 200,000 additional college-ready students received electronic college planning information
» Later tester extension to ~12,000 senior who first test in the fall
» Packets included:
College
Application
Fee Waivers
9 Proprietary and Confidential
State Partnership: Delaware
» Partnership between the College Board and Delaware
» Additional components for Delaware students for Realize Your College Potential and Apply to Four
» Custom Fall Counselor Workshop(s)
» Initial conversations about data exchange but there were constraints
» In process of planning Class of 2015 and beyond collaboration
» Post-campaign analysis will examine impact of Delaware customization and additional treatments
Letter from Ivy
League
Universities Letter from the
Governor Delaware Follow-
ups
10 Proprietary and Confidential
Initial tactics to improve AP access leverage existing infrastructure to pilot new approaches to outreach
Student Activation Campaign (all students with 60% AP Potential)
• African American
• Hispanic / Latino
• Native American
Coaching Calls
• African American
• Hispanic / Latino
• Native American
• Rural Whites
• Low-Income
11 Proprietary and Confidential
Plans for Class of 2015
» Virtual / Blended Advising
» Texting
» Students
» Parents
» Parent / Household Treatments
» Counselor / School Collaborations
12 Proprietary and Confidential
How can you engage?
Cassandra Larson
The Path to Zero
INITIAL QUESTION: What is
Delaware’s college-going rate?
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15
71
56
18
60
13
5
23
73
43
20
69
54
22
72
47
17
55
9
9
2740
20
02
04
06
08
01
00
Pe
rce
nt
of
Hig
hly
-Qu
alif
ied
Gra
du
ate
s
Total African American Asian American Hispanic White Eligible for FRPL
Sample: 2007-08 through 2010-11 graduates with SAT test scores. Highly-qualified graduates are defined as having a SAT combined (including Writing)score greater than or equal to 1550. Sample includes 5412 students overall, 444 African American students, 132 Hispanic students,450 Asian students, 4361 White students, and 593 students qualifying for FRPL. All data from administrative records and NCS matched records.
by Race and FRPL status
College Choices of Highly Qualified High School Graduates
Not Enrolled in College Enrolled at 2-Yr Colleges
Enrolled at Unranked or LessSelective 4-Year Colleges
Enrolled at Selective4-Year Colleges
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17
100
74
36
28
100
93
66
60
100
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18
13
02
04
06
08
01
00
% o
f N
inth
Gra
der
s
9th Graders On-time Graduates Seamless College Transitioners Second Year Persisters
State Average
Highest High School Rate
Lowest High School Rate
Sample: 2006-07 first-time ninth graders. Results shown only for comprehensive, vocational, and magnet schools.Post-secondary enrollment outcomes from NSC matched records. All other data from state administrative records.
State Average, Minimum, and Maximum
Student Progression from 9th Grade through College
Fewer than one-third of 9th graders in 2007 made it through to
their second year of college
QUESTION 2: How do we ensure at a
minimum the college-ready students
enroll in college?
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“Getting to Zero” Campaign
SEPTEMBER: Educational Opportunities Press Conference
OCTOBER: Common Application and Recommendation Letter Training
NOVEMBER: College Application Month
DECEMBER: FAFSA Trainings
APRIL/MAY: DECISION
DAY!!!
February:
FAFSA
Completion
Outreach to
address
Summer Melt
By the numbers…..
• 20 schools participated in College Application Month
• 4,729 seniors were invited to participate in College
Application Month
• 875 students from College Application Month schools
received College Board packets celebrating their college
readiness
• 818 students in remaining 14 schools received College
Board packets
• 3 partner agencies provided training, direct student
support and project management-Institute for Public
Administration, Stand by Me, USED Financial Aid
Services
Results….
• Of the 1900 students that completed an exit survey, 89%
completed at least 1 college application
• 99% of students would recommend college application
month to juniors
• 55% reported they will be the 1st in their family to attend
college
• $450,000 awarded to districts in sub-grants from College
Access Challenge Grant
• 64 counselors signed up to attend FAFSA training
Initial College Application Status
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Progress of college ready students
Brandywine High School
SAT Score Student Name Student ID Schools applied to Schools applied Schools Planned to Apply before CAM to during CAM after CAM
QUESTION 3: How do we address the
information gap across our state?
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Key Lessons Learned: Data and Accountability
Systems
Observation: Ranging from databases to handwritten
notes, counselors were often challenged in providing an
update on whether students had applied to college.
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School
College
Ready
(1500-1540)
1500-1540
Applied to College
FAFSA
Completion
1500-1540
SAT students
Number of
College
Ready
Seniors >=1550
Applied to
College SAT >=1550
FAFSA
Completion
>=1550
SAT students
Getting to Zero campaign
Targeting students who received a 1500 SAT score or above to ensure they transition from high school to college through the following initiatives:
Completed:
College Board packets and fee waivers
College Application Month (CAM) at 20 schools
FAFSA training
School financial aid nights
In progress:
Celebration Season
Summer Melt
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QUESTION 4: How do we leverage
available FAFSA data to support
schools?
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Next Step: FAFSA completion
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As of 4/13 76% of college-ready students have completed a FAFSA.
FAFSA Training: Higher Ed coordinated with USDOE to host three county-wide
trainings for counselors and community partners on FAFSA completion and the
newly released Financial Aid toolkit
• 30 Schools participated
• 61 counselors attended
FAFSA Events: Schools across the state are leveraging $tandByMe, Delaware
Alliance for Community Advancement (DACA) and higher education institutions
to bring FAFSA expertise to students and families.
FAFSA reporting:
Key Lessons Learned: Counselor Training
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Observation
• Counselors lacked training on key elements of application process including
college matching, FAFSA and financial aid options.
• Limited financial aid resources exist throughout the state.
• Existing counselors’ trainings do not integrate college and career-ready
elements.
Short Term Solution
• FAFSA Trainings
• Partnered with College Board to integrate a module on recommendation writing
• College matching training led by College Board during DE Counselor
Association Conference
Next Year
• Integrate counselor training into College Board partnership
• Partner with DE Counselor Association to strengthen college and career-
ready elements of training
• Continue FAFSA training
• Leverage community partnerships and USDOE to increase FAFSA experts
throughout the state
Final Steps to Zero
• Celebration Season: Goal is to celebrate students’ post-secondary plans. Schools have organized a number of efforts including: • Bulletin boards
• School News announcements
• Signing Day Ceremonies
• DOE and College Board hosted a Backpack Design Contest to celebrate students post-secondary plans. Delaware students designed the winning backpack design.
• Summer Nudge: This year will focus on supporting students who have applied to college by: • Providing counselors with messaging templates to remind students
throughout the summer about key steps to successfully enroll in college.
• Graduates will receive a summer checklist for transition to college.
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Getting to 60% College Enrollment
Access:
• Initiate community partnerships to target specific student populations
and address school resource needs
• College Access Partner Group
• SPaRC
• Delaware College Scholars
• Senior Transition Course
• Dual Enrollment
Affordability:
• Redefine state aid policy based on current needs
• Simplify application process for scholarship recipients
Accountability:
• Develop college success reports for districts/schools
• Integrate college application and FAFSA status into Data Warehouse
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QUESTION 5: How do we sustain
these efforts and create reliable data
and reporting standards?
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Focusing on Affordability to Build Pathways To and Through College STRATEGIC DATA PROJECT CONVENING
April 2014
uAspire works to ensure that all young people have the financial information and resources necessary to find an affordable path
to – and through – a postsecondary education.
Our Issue: College Affordability
Students and families foreclose on the idea of higher education as early as the 9th grade due to misperceptions of college cost
The Institute for Higher Education Policy cites affordability as the number one reason that academically prepared students do not enroll in higher education
57% of Guidance Counselors reported to the College Board that they lacked sufficient college affordability knowledge
84% of college students admit to needing more financial management education, according to Sallie Mae.
The United States, once the leader in the percentage of college graduates age 25 to 34, has dropped to sixteenth among thirty-six developed nations, with more and more students dropping out because they can’t afford the rising costs
Most schools and college access providers limit their support on college affordability issues to financial aid tasks in the senior year of high school.
Awareness & Planning
Applying for Financial Aid
Financial Education for
College Success
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• Scholarship search
• Form completion • Award letter analysis
• Budgeting/Money Management • Credit card debt, scams • Banking • SAP policies • Preparing for loan payback • Balancing school & work
College
Affordability
Grade 7
College Completion
Grade 12
In order to best support students on the path to and through college, we must evolve as a field from supporting financial aid tasks to addressing topics of college affordability.
Prepare
Afford
Succeed
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• Connection between grades, extracurriculars, and aid eligibility
• Benefits of investing in college • Benefits of saving • Sticker price vs. actual cost • Differences in costs across colleges
• Scholarship search • Form completion • Award letter analysis • Financial Safety School • Financing, including appropriate
loan burden
• Budgeting/Money Management • Credit card debt, scams • Banking • SAP policies • Preparing for loan payback • Balancing school & work
College Affordability
Grade 7
College Completion
Grade 12
Direct Service Sites:
• Boston, MA
• Springfield, MA
• Lawrence, MA
• Fall River, MA
• Miami, FL
• Bay Area, CA
Early Stage Policy Work
• Feedback on federal tools
• Consult/Testify on state-level
affordability policy efforts
Initiatives Include:
• High Impact Partnerships
• Subject Matter Trainings
• Content & Distribution Partnerships
uAspire: Where & What
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Special Initiatives:
A campaign to ensure that students and families have the support and information necessary to
make an informed decision regarding their intended institution and the financial implications
of that choice.
Student Impact: Award Letter Review Sessions
Practitioner & Policy Impact: Trends in Financial Aid Packaging
A campaign to collect and analyze thousands of award letters in order to identify and share trends
in financial aid packaging locally and nationally that can be used to inform practitioners’ work with
subsequent classes of students.
I Know What I Owe: Student Impact via Informed Financial Decisions
Let’s go back in time….
What is the student’s projected unmet need at each school?
How We Calculate Unmet Need
Unmet Need
Tuition & Fees
Room & Board
Books & Supplies,
Transportation, Health
Insurance, Miscellaneous*
Grants & Scholarships
Federal & State Grants, Institutional Grants/Scholarships, Outside Scholarships (if included on the award letter)
Federal Loans
Perkins, Stafford (sub + un-sub)
State Loan
Ex: Mass No-Interest (rare)
NOT INCLUDED: Parent PLUS Loan
Work-Study
*While we include these costs when calculating unmet need during a one-to-one meeting with a student, we remove these costs for the purposes of the data analysis as they are variable based on school, insurance status, plan of study, etc.
I Know What I Owe: Practitioner Impact via Data Analysis
Institution
Average Unmet Need, Zero EFC
Class of 2009 Class of 2010 Class of 2011 Class of 2012 Class of 2013
Framingham State University -$642 -$1,282 -$1,485 -$410 $1,631
UMASS Amherst $1,992 $353 $3,492 $5,283 $4,149
UMASS Boston -$2,097 -$4,818 -$6,599 -$6,688 -$5,277
COMPETITIVE FOUR YEAR PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS
Bentley University $4,130 $3,068 $2,580 $2,376 $3,559
Boston College $3,308 $3,379 $1,806 $1,619 $2,313
Boston University $3,113 $1,451 $2,981 $967 $2,153
Clark University $7,670 $6,220 $8,950 $8,141 $5,762
Northeastern University $10,134 $15,996 $4,949 $2,915 $11,404
GENERAL FOUR YEAR PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS
Anna Maria College $10,038 $10,550 $13,294 $10,976 $15,967
Curry College $15,392 $17,350 $18,374 $18,936 $18,126
Fisher College $14,108 $15,182 $16,075 $13,731 $15,631
Newbury College $11,902 $12,400 $10,460 $13,437 $13,936
Regis College $9,623 $7,134 $9,364 $8,897 $11,084
Suffolk University* $16,151 $18,831 $18,274 $14,826 $16,554
Wentworth Institute of Technology* $13,942 $10,816 $10,870 $9,993 $14,450
Wheelock College* $12,585 $12,319 $14,439 $15,971 $13,761
Green: Good to
go (<$2k)
Yellow: Proceed
with Caution
($2k-$5k)
Red: Maybe if
you commute or
seriously reconsider
($5k+)
What Can We Do
• Encourage behaviors and build systems that:
CELEBRATE
Acceptance Letters
DECIDE
Following Receipt & Review of Award Letters
THEN….
• Ensure your frontline staff are trained and well-equipped for the “what” and “how” of award letter sessions
• Encourage students to apply to at least 2 Financial Safety Schools
• Collect and analyze award letter data
How Can We Work Together?
Training & Technical Assistance
Get your frontline practitioners the training and ongoing support they need to provide improved college affordability support to students.
Options include:
• High Impact Partnerships – customized training and ongoing support for all frontline practitioners within a district/CBO
• Subject Matter Trainings – in-person and webinar trainings on specific, timely affordability content open to everyone
• Content Development – toolkit, training and/or curriculum development on specific topics and for a specific audience.
Join us!
Erin Cox: [email protected]
INTERVENTIONS TO IMPACT
COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND
PERSISTENCE ON THE GROUND
Benjamin L. Castleman
University of Virginia
Lindsay C. Page University of Pittsburgh
Research made possible by generous funding from the Abell Foundation, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Heckscher Foundation for Children, the Lindback Foundation, NASFAA, the Spencer Foundation, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the William T. Grant Foundation.
Revisiting the concept of summer melt
Summer melt is a term traditionally used by college admissions officers to describe the phenomenon that students pay a deposit to attend a particular college but do not matriculate at that college the
following fall.
Here, summer melt describes the phenomenon that
college-intending students fail to enroll in college at all in the fall following high school graduation.
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Magnitude of the summer melt problem
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Fulton County
22%
Fort Worth, TX
44%
Boston, MA
21%
Dallas, TX
28%
Albuquerque, NM
29%
Providence, RI
33%
Philadelphia, PA
32%
Percentages indicate the share of college-intending
students that do not enroll anywhere in the fall
following high school graduation
The summer melt problem 47
FAFSA verification
Award letter review
Supplementary loan
applications Tuition payment plan
set-up
Orientation and placement
test registration
Housing applications Health insurance applications
and waivers
Unanticipated fees
(orientation, housing, etc.)
Even after being accepted to college and choosing where to attend,
low-income students face many hurdles to college enrollment…
…but typically have little access to professional help.
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HS counselor outreach
Text-based information & outreach
Outreach via HS-university partnership
Peer mentor
outreach
Navigating complexity
Simplifying information
Facilitating access to support
Summer melt
intervention
strategies
Summer outreach improves enrollment & persistence
83% 81%
72% 78%
74%
64%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Fall enrollment 1st yr persistence 2nd yr persistence
Impact of HS counselor outreach on enrollment and persistence
Treatment
Control
* ~
**
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• Results from probit regressions including fixed effects for high school or advising team and baseline covariates.
• ~ p <0.10 * p<0.05 ** p<0.01
Impacts largest
among students from
the lowest-income
backgrounds
Extensions earlier and later in college process
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Application
& choice
• Proactive outreach & support for college choice and award letter review
• Personalized prompts to complete FAFSA and income verification
Transition
• Experiment to assess comparative benefit of personal outreach from a counselor to personalized outreach via text messaging
• Collaboration with College Bound STL to evaluate an adaptive online platform to increase counselors’ capacity to mitigate summer melt
Persistence
& success
• Encouragement to maintain satisfactory academic progress and renew FAFSA
• Personalized, text-based prompts to: make use of academic & social support services; meet with advisor during academic year; and get involved with campus-based organization
Why focus on FAFSA renewal?
Students have to renew the FAFSA each year to
maintain their financial aid
There has been considerable attention to obstacles that
FAFSA complexity creates during HS but little
attention once students are in college
~10-20% of freshman year financial aid recipients in
good academic standing do not renew their aid
Students are likely to procrastinate on renewing the
FAFSA in the face of pressing academic and social
priorities
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Freshman year financial nudges
The intervention:
• Text message reminders for college freshman about
important financial aid renewal tasks
The messages:
• Invited students to FAFSA renewal parties
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Freshman year financial nudges
• Offered students individual help
with FAFSA completion
• Offered help interpreting
award letters
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Freshman year financial nudges
87%
73%
90%
58%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Four-year enrollers Two-year enrollers
Impact of text-based outreach on sophomore year persistence
Treatment
Control
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*
• Results from probit regressions including fixed effects for high school or advising team and baseline covariates.
• ~ p <0.10 * p<0.05 ** p<0.01
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