A BluePrint for Success: Case Studies of Successful - Educational ...

A Blueprint for Success
College transition and orientation support
Academic and personal counseling
Financial aid and scholarship guidance/instruction
Parent/guardian development and support
Transfer admission advising
Career counseling
Leadership development
College Scholarship Program
To alleviate some of the financial hardships that students may experience during their college years,
FCE developed the College Scholarship Program, which provides grants for FCE students. These
grants “play a key role in retention.” Every year, FCE awards 6 to 8 scholarships ranging from
$2,500 to $5,000. Other types of financial support to students cover additional expenses such as
books, student fees, travel, etc.
In addition to the three major programs in which FCE students participate, FCE also holds monthly
meetings for students and families. SPACE (Students and Parents for a College Education) is a
community meeting that brings together staff, students, and parents every other month. Information
provided at these meetings is relevant to all grade levels and discusses topics such as “college life.”
During the alternating months, FCE holds grade-specific meetings to work with students on particular
projects and topics such as transitioning to high school (for 9th graders) and assisting seniors with
refining the list of colleges and applying for financial aid etc. Attendance at the grade-specific meetings
is mandatory for students and parents. FCE also provides after school and late night tutoring
sessions for students three nights a week during the school year. Students can choose to attend group
sessions on a drop-in basis or schedule one-on-one meetings with tutors.
To increase college awareness, FCE brings in 15 to 25 different college representatives in the fall to
speak with students about various aspects of college life. Students are required to attend a minimum
number of sessions each year. This minimum increases as students get further along in high school.
The focus of the program is to help students gain knowledge about the different types of colleges and
universities.
As the program has grown, a concern has been maintaining the personal interactions and high levels
of attention and support for students.
Data-­‐Driven Practices
FCE collects a range of academic indicators to determine if their students are “college eligible” and
prepared for college. Once students are enrolled in college, the information collected is used to determine
if students are on track to graduate within five years. Some of the data collected in both the
College Bound and College Success programs are the number of preparatory courses taken, grade
Educational Policy Institute 77 www.educationalpolicy.org