VirginiaCAN Toolkit:
This space will be used for references and links in the Toolkit, to be published and distributed in the last quarter of calendar year 2009
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National, Regional and State Organizations
The National College Access Network (NCAN) is dedicated to assisting local communities all over the country initiate, develop and sustain their own college access programs
The Pathways to College Network is a national alliance of organizations committed to using research-based knowledge to improve postsecondary education access and success for the nation’s underserved students, including underrepresented minorities, low-income students, those who are the first in their families to go to college, and students with disabilities.
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is the Commonwealth's coordinating body for higher education. SCHEV was established by the Governor and General Assembly in 1956. Then as now, our mission, which is outlined in the Code of Virginia, is "to promote the development of an educationally and economically sound, vigorous, progressive, and coordinated system of higher education" in Virginia.
The Virginia Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (VAEOPP) was founded in 1975. TRiO personnel in Virginia saw the need to create an alliance among all TRiO program within the state in order to collaborate efforts in educating Virginians and state politicians about the work of TRiO programs.
The Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (VASFAA) is an organization of individuals who administer financial aid or are otherwise active in a financial aid-related profession. Their mission is to maintain an organization that promotes the professional growth and collaboration of our members in order to serve fairly the needs of students, families, and institutions in matters related to financial and informational resources that support students’ postsecondary education goals. The organization, with 500 committed and dedicated members, is determined to help students pursue and attain their educational goals Financing postsecondary education is not always easy for students and their families, but the members of VASFAA consider the challenge of helping students with this task a privilege.
Counselor Resources
This guide is intended to help schools and districts develop practices to increase ac- cess to higher education. It can be use- ful for individuals who work in schools and districts in planning and executing strategies to improve preparation for, and access to, higher education. A panel of experts in college access programs and strategies and in research methods devel- oped the recommendations in this guide. The guide contains specific steps on how to implement the recommendations that are targeted at school- and district-level administrators, teachers, counselors, and related education staff. The guide also indicates the level of research evidence demonstrating that each recommended practice is effective.
The Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance issued the linked report; it is broken into three sections:
1) a framework of information that students and families should know to make informed decisions about the financial aspects of college preparation and enrollment,) ten guidelines for how to deliver that information, and
3) a timeline and unit plans for delivering the information in an age-appropriate manner, including an extensive resource list.
For your convenience, a 10-page abridged version is also attached to help you navigate the full report.
2008-09 Directory of Colleges Cooperating with the SAT®Program Fee-Waiver Service The colleges and universities listed in this booklet are cooperating with the College Board SAT® Program Fee-Waiver Service.
- Some of the institutions listed do not charge application fees; those that do charge fees and are listed here have agreed to consider waiving the application fee for applicants who use SAT fee waivers during the 2007-08 academic year.
- Students who use fee waivers for the SAT Reasoning Test™ or SAT Subject Tests™ and plan to enter college in fall 2008 are eligible to receive up to four Request for Waiver of College Application Fee forms. Please distribute these forms only to students who have used SAT fee waivers.
- Students should send Request for Waiver of College Application Fee forms only to institutions included in this booklet.
- Institutions listed in the booklet are not obligated to waive their application fees, and some may require additional information before considering or granting an application fee waiver.
- Some institutions not listed may be willing to assist students from low-income families. In such cases, a letter from a counselor, on school letterhead, explaining the student’s financial circumstances should be submitted with the college application.
- Institutions not listed here may be prohibited by law from waiving application fees.
Counselors and Mentors Handbook on Federal Student AidIf you would like to order hard copies of the publication, you can call 1-800-394-7084
Going2College – presented by Mapping Your Future, provides state-by-state information on:
- career planning,
- planning for college,
- finding a college and
- paying for college.
2008-2009 Federal School Code (FSC) List of Participating Schools
The Federal School Code List contains the unique codes assigned by the Department of Education for schools participating in the Title IV federal student aid programs. Students enter these codes on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to indicate which postsecondary schools will receive the processed application results.
Information for Financial Aid Professionals is sponsored by Federal Student aid and includes:
- Dear Colleague policy update letters
- Federal regulations
- Publications
- EFC worksheets, schedules, and tables
- And much more
The National College Access Network is valuable resource and advocate for access providers.
Student Resources
Opportunities: A Guide to Pursuing Higher Education" is your complete Virginia resource for information about the college application and financial aid process.
Going2College – presented by Mapping Your Future, provides state-by-state information on: o career planning, o planning for college, o finding a college and o paying for college.
SCHEV – the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). o Click on “Students and Parents” for information about how to prepare, apply, and pay for higher education in Virginia. o The “Financial Aid” link will take you to financial aid contact information, application deadlines, institution Title IV numbers, and much more.
- Private and Out of State Post Secondary Opportunities in the Commonwealth of Virginia (POPE) - The purpose of this booklet is to highlight alternative opportunities available at the private and out-of-state post-secondary educational institutions certified to operate in Virginia by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). The Commonwealth of Virginia has a number of outstanding postsecondary institutions, but that number is not limited to the fifteen 4-year or twenty-four 2-year public colleges and universities. SCHEV certifies over 352 non-public branches and sites of colleges, universities, and career/technical institutions, which offer exceptional educational opportunities, particularly for adult learners. It is our hope that this booklet will provide information that can assist you when making a decision about attending a private or out-of-state postsecondary educational institution. The NASSGAP Library and Resources are quite extensive and can be found here.
NCES College Navigator - A US government site that allows future students to evaluate and compare institutions' prices, financial aid, enrollment fees and academic disciplines.
Research/Policy Maker Resources
Economic Diversity of Colleges - Higher education in America has become increasingly stratified, with some institutions enrolling large numbers of students from low-income families, while others primarily serve students from more privileged backgrounds. Because education is essential for upward mobility in American society, it is important for researchers, policy makers, and the public to keep a close eye on this trend.The goals of this web site are:
- To make public the extent to which American colleges and universities enroll undergraduates from various economic, ethnic and racial backgrounds;
- To encourage discussion and examination of economic diversity and related issues; and,
- To identify ways to improve the quality and use of data related to access and success in higher education.
The Education Trust works for the high academic achievement of all students at all levels, pre-kindergarten through college, and forever closing the achievement gaps that separate low-income students and students of color from other youth. Our basic tenet is this — All children will learn at high levels when they are taught to high levels.
The National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs (NASSGAP) is dedicated to the promotion, strengthening, encouragement and enhancement of high standards in the administration and operation of student grant and aid programs so that these programs shall be available to students in all states to expand and further postsecondary educational opportunities. NASSGAP's membership is drawn from single agencies in each state or territory which are responsible for state-funded student aid programs. The NASSGAP Library and Resources are quite extensive and can be found here.
Jobs for the Future (JFF) has recently released Adding It Up: State Challenges for Increasing College Access and Success (http://www.jff.org/Documents/Adding_It_Up.pdf), which includes profiles for each of the states. Included in each profile are indicators that address educational attainment levels, changing demographic profiles, leakages in the traditional educational pipeline, and degree production.
The Pathways to College Network is a national alliance of organizations committed to using research-based knowledge to improve postsecondary education access and success for the nation’s underserved students, including underrepresented minorities, low-income students, those who are the first in their families to go to college, and students with disabilities.
The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education conducts and disseminates research and policy analysis to encourage policymakers, educators, and the public to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for low-income, first-generation, and disabled college students.
Project on Student Debt. In response to the new wave of colleges eliminating loans and lowering tuition, this site lists the schools and the particular details for each.
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has released "The Condition of Education 2008," a Congressionally mandated report that provides an annual portrait of education in the United States. The 43 indicators included in this year's report cover all aspects of education, from early childhood through postsecondary education and from student achievement to school environment and resources. Go to the full report HERE