College Possible Chicago is thrilled to announce a transformative new coaching model for this school year! College students, who previously worked with AmeriCorps coaches, will now have a full-time, experienced advising specialist, allowing for more continuity and specialized guidance.
Since 2015, we have focused on narrowing the degree divide through a model of near-peer coaching, leading to impressive results. Last year, 96% of seniors earned admission to college. While our AmeriCorps model has been effective, we saw an opportunity to enhance support during the crucial college years.
We recently piloted this model with two advising specialists and, due to its success, expanded to a team of eight specialists, each working with approximately 150 students. “I’m excited that we’ve created this community of experienced advisors,” says Ciana Ashton, director of college success. “They’re sharing best practices from their work and putting their heads together on new ideas to help students succeed in college.”
Something that sets this new model apart is the opportunity for full-time staff to engage with students earlier: advising specialists begin their work with seniors in the spring, providing support with college decisions and guidance through the enrollment process to combat “summer melt”—a common challenge where high school graduates fail to enroll in the fall. Once students arrive on campus, their advising specialist remains a trusted ally, checking in on them regularly and offering support tailored to each student’s unique needs and college journey.
Another exciting aspect of advising specialists is the professional expertise they bring to students. We understand the importance of students connecting their studies to future careers, so supporting them through milestones like major selection, degree mapping, resume development and internship applications is crucial. Our goal is to see students graduate not just with their degree, but with a solid plan and the tools needed to reach their career aspirations.
In addition to career guidance and workshops, college success team members are digging deeper into student data, strengthening college partnerships and building out resources for more nuanced student experiences, like a recent workshop on transferring from community college to a four-year school. “Our team has gained a lot of capacity through this change, and we can harness new staff expertise to tackle projects that have been on our wish list for years,” Ciana explains.
We’re already seeing success with increased student engagement this year and can’t wait to witness the positive impact our advising specialists will have on students’ college experiences and future paths. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to empower College Possible students on their journeys!
