Georgia College Advising Corps
Financial Aid & Scholarship Awareness Edition
The Cost of College
With the rising cost of college tuition, it is becoming more important than ever for college advisers to expose students to scholarships, the financial aid process, and choosing a school based on the right “financial fit.” The purpose of this edition of our newsletter is to showcase how our advisers provide ample resources through FAFSA Night workshops, one-on-one FAFSA assistance, scholarship newsletters/postings, and outside supporters such as NEXTGENVEST, Atlanta Metropolitan State College, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission to educate our students on financial literacy. Throughout the newsletter, you will have the opportunity to view the excellent work our college advisers have done to promote understanding of the cost of college and to help their students afford higher education.
by Delisha Hodo
GCAC Hosts FAFSA Nights
Best Academy
Adviser Delisha Hodo assists family members with their financial aid applications.
Cedar Shoals
Adviser Ashley Simpson shows a parent how to navigate a financial aid website.
Mays High
Advisers display Georgia Student Finance information during their FAFSA Night.
Therrell High
Jackson High
Rockdale County
Scholarship Hide and Seek: The Search for Funds
One of the many duties of a college adviser is to ensure that students are aware of the various ways they can afford college. Along with encouraging FAFSA completion, advisers help students find scholarships. Advisers promote various national scholarships, such as the POSSE scholarship and the Gates Millennium scholarship, as well as local scholarships sponsored by small businesses, sororities, and fraternities. “It is important that we not only find scholarships that offer great money but also that fit the demographics of the students that we work with, such as our minority students who may be interested in an underrepresented career field or our undocumented students who may feel that paying for college is impossible,” explains North Atlanta High School adviser Taylor Thomas. The North Atlanta High School team has a goal to acquire $25 million in scholarship money for the Class of 2018.
It is challenging for students to commit to the scholarship search in addition to applying for college: many seniors feel that they do not have time to research and complete scholarship applications. For this reason, it is important that advisers work to simplify the scholarship search for students. Brandi Thompson, college adviser at Rockdale County High School, has started “Scholarship Saturdays." She schedules a monthly text message that goes out to over 300 students and parents highlighting numerous scholarship opportunities. Abby Mason, the adviser at Drew Charter High School, has created a "How-to Scholarship" completion guide for big scholarship programs, such as Questbridge and the Coca-Cola scholarship. Ms. Mason's comprehensive guide provides students with deadlines and instructions for applications leading up to their due dates.
The advisers who are placed in Atlanta Public Schools (APS) have an additional goal attached to scholarships. They are charged with identifying Achieve Atlanta Scholarship qualifiers. For the past three years, this renewable scholarship program has provided APS students with up to $5,000 in scholarship money to attend a 4-year college and $1,500 for a 2-year college. It has assisted a number of Atlanta Public School graduates in affording college.
by Taylor Thomas
Rockdale County Advisers Host Outstanding FAFSA Night
A GCAC college adviser is placed at each of the three high schools in Rockdale County (Rockdale County High School, Heritage High School, and Salem High School). The Rockdale County advisers collaborated in planning the county-wide FAFSA Night. “Showing unity on behalf of all students in Rockdale County is a great feeling. I was able to interact with parents and students from other high schools by sharing knowledge and passing along suggestions,” said Brandi Thompson, the first-year adviser at Rockdale County High.
In addition to helping students and parents complete the FAFSA, the college advisers also helped students explore their college options at the event: there were over 25 college representatives in attendance to interact with students and their families.
“Once you have completed one FAFSA correctly, you will have the confidence to complete them in the future. It’s important to provide opportunities for families to receive guidance and to give them a platform to ask questions,” Thompson explains.
The event was hosted at the Rockdale Career Academy. The college advisers were assisted by Brenda Vaughn of the Georgia Student Finance Commission, LaTrice Binna of Wells Fargo and Mandy Branch of the University of Georgia.
by Raysean Ricks
Adviser Spotlight
Jasmine Moorman and Aryana Brantley
Therell High School, Atlanta Public Schools
"Ms. Brantley and Ms. Moorman are a wonderful asset to the school counseling staff at D.M. Therrell High School. College Bound Thursdays have been a huge success. Student participation has grown so much that we are now meeting in the computer lab. The personal attention they give to each student has been instrumental in the college application process. Students are actually applying to schools that are a good fit because of the time and genuine care they give."
- Tamolyn Galloway, Senior Counselor
"To be an adviser, it takes patience, creative thinking and flexibility. You have to be willing to meet students on their level and push them to achieve goals they never thought possible. I serve as their resource and mythbuster, which is critical for maintaining a positive college-going environment for students and their parents. It is truly a rewarding responsibility."
- Aryana Brantley
"I think the most rewarding thing about being a college adviser at D.M. Therrell High School is seeing students utilize us more and more each day and being comfortable with us to ask us questions related to the college application process. To be an adviser you must be willing to go the extra mile when no one else does, show compassion for each and every child who comes through the door, and never let them see you sweat. Also, you must be able to build relationships with faculty and staff because you can't fulfill all of your responsibilities alone. Having that support from the Panther Staff makes things so much easier for us to succeed."
- Jasmine Moorman
Laetitia Adelson
My college adviser motivates and supports me to take steps to further my education when I feel like I can’t.”
- Marcell Thompson, Senior at Salem High School
“Being a college adviser is an amazing job. We wear so many different hats, and are able to affect change in so many different ways. I love being able to influence my students and being their champion.”
-Laetitia Adelson
Jayme Allen, Glenda Dowdy, and Jennifer Harris
“The ladies have done a remarkable job becoming a part of the fabric at Mays-from their heavy FAFSA campaign to meeting all of the one-on-one and test registration goals within the first two months of school. All of the students and parents know them and utilize them and their services at all times. They are doing a wonderful job.”
- Richard Fowler, Principal
“Being an adviser is validating because throughout the year we work hard with SAT/ ACT and college applications to see the end result of college acceptances. It kicks off the beginning of a student’s life and future success, so I am happy to be a part of the experience.”
- Jayme Allen
“There is never a "normal" day at Mays High School. It is rewarding yet challenging working with students. Even though we experience bumps in the road on the way to securing a post-secondary plan, their success feels like my success.”
- Glenda Dowdy
“As a first-year adviser, the most rewarding experience is being able to motivate and be an advocate for students. I never thought that I would be in a position to inspire a child to alter his or her entire life plan. I want to create a college-going culture at Mays for future students, and take away the negative stigma of technical, two-year, and trade schools. My goal is to have every senior at Mays on the road to a reasonable postsecondary option by the end of their senior year. It is a steep goal, but through the dedication and love I have for my job, I will strive to get as close as possible!”
- Jennifer Harris
Program Spotlight
Meet Your Newsletter Team
Creative Director: Delisha Hodo
Co-Creator: Brandi Thompson
Features Content Manager: Taylor Thomas
Adviser Content Manager: Jennifer Harris
School Event Spotlight Manager: Raysean Ricks
Committee Adviser: Jessica Robinson
GCAC Contact:
Email: GCACNewsTeam@gmail.com
Website: http://ihe.uga.edu/outreach/georgia-college-advising-corps/
Location: Meigs Hall, Athens, GA, United States
Phone: 706-541-0579
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaCollegeAdvisingCorps/
Twitter: @GeorgiaCAC