A lot can happen between the time a student graduates from high school and when they begin their official college journey. Concerns regarding finances, apprehension about leaving home or not completing required paperwork in a timely manner can completely derail a student enrolling in college on time, if at all. That’s where College Possible’s summer transition team steps in with focused support to ensure students not only enroll in classes but are fully prepared for the year that lies ahead.
On July 1, AmeriCorps coaches Elliott, Lupe, Meg and Sylvia began a nine-week program connecting with 253 students enrolling in their freshman year of college and 244 students who were returning for their second, third or fourth year of college. Having just completed a year of service as College Possible coaches, the shift to summer transition coaches was an easy one. By serving throughout the summer, Meg felt she was able to help students she had already worked alongside in the 2020-21 school year. She thought the familiarity helped students have a smooth transition.
I wanted to serve through the summer because I wanted to continue supporting the students I had been working with during the school year,” Meg said.
To help support College Possible students as they transitioned from high school to college, AmeriCorps coaches started the summer assisting them with a variety of tasks related to enrollment like registering for classes and accepting financial aid packages. Whether students were attending school in-state or out, AmeriCorps coaches helped them navigate the process according to the requirements set by their school of choice.
AmeriCorps coaches tried to assist students with the enrollment process early in the summer, so students could relax and enjoy the rest of their free time before starting college. However, sometimes special circumstances arose, and by the end of the summer that was what coaches focused on. Elliott said that coaches had to take an individualized approach to help students with different needs. The enrollment process and tools needed to succeed looked different for everyone, so the coaches were equipped to help with various issues.
The summer enrollment is enormously important to incoming freshmen, as a seamless transition will help them start their first semester with as few roadblocks as possible,” said Elliott Abromeit.
Programming was made possible in part by a sponsorship from Cox Communications, the largest private telecom company in America. Their charitable giving is focused primarily on youth and education with diversity as a core value. College Possible thanks Cox Communications for their generous support and their leadership in strengthening the social, economic, and educational infrastructure of our community.
