By partnering with Hamilton County school counselors, the College Access Center is working to increase the number of students who pursue postsecondary education. The College Access Center funded a pilot program for the 2003-2004 school year that placed trained college advisors in Brainerd, East Ridge, Soddy Daisy, and Tyner High Schools. The program was so successful that we now serve over 10 schools. See the
list of college advisors, their schools, and contact information.
School-based college advisors collaborate with and support the existing guidance program by serving as a resource for college and financial aid information for students, parents, faculty and staff. Working with school counselors and principals, college advisors help to increase awareness of postsecondary opportunities as well as college and scholarship applications.
While each high school is different, the college advisor's role is specifically devoted to college and financial aid awareness. Some of their activities include the following:
- Conducting curriculum and college planning workshops for students in grades 9 and 10
- Meeting one-on-one with students during spring of the junior year or early fall of the senior year to build and refine postsecondary plans
- Handling registration for the ACT, monitoring vouchers and fee waivers, and reporting trends in scores
- Maintaining a college counseling database for ongoing accountability, end-of-year reports, and college matriculation follow-up
- Working with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga peer counselors to help families complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Coordinating college tours and/or college representative visits to the schools
- Developing a school profile
- Assisting students with college and scholarship applications
- Facilitating professional development opportunities relating to the college admission process for the high school faculty and staff.
