ISACorps Presentations

The goal of the ISACorps is to be near-peer mentors for low-income and first generation college students, helping them navigate the college and financial aid process. In addition, the ISACorps offers presentations on a variety of topics, listed below. ISACorps members also provide one-on-one mentoring for students about the career, college and financial aid search process through individual meetings, a curriculum of activities, and interactive activities on Whats Next Illinois. Our goal is to be a resource for teachers, students, and parents about college, careers, and financial aid.

The Financial Aid Process (Students and Parents, 45 minutes 1 hour) Available in English and Spanish Many students and parents consider finances the biggest barrier to college. This session outlines the financial aid process and provides insight on ways to maximize access to financial aid to help pay for college. It introduces the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), summarizes state and federal aid programs, and identifies trusted sources of information. FAFSA Step-by-Step (1 hour) The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form used to apply for most federal and state and many institutional financial aid programs, including the Federal Pell Grant and the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP). This session provides a detailed review of the FAFSA that includes: what information is required to complete the form; student eligibility and dependency questions; and how to avoid common mistakes in completing the form. FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) in computer lab (1 1 hours) This workshop provides hands-on instruction on how to navigate through the FAFSA on the Web process. Topics include: getting a Personal Identification Number (PIN); IRS data retrieval process; making corrections; and checking application status. Welcome to High School (8th Graders, 20 minutes) This presentation introduces eighth graders to what is to come when they start high school. Topics include high school resources, classes to take, getting involved, managing time, study tips, and starting to think about college. The Road to College (Parents, 45 minutes to 1 hour) Available in English and Spanish It is never too early to start planning for college. This presentation outlines the college and financial aid processes and provides tips and tools parents can use to learn more about planning, applying, and paying for a postsecondary education. WhatsNextIllinois.org Online Student Portal (Students, 45 minutes 1 hour) ISAC provides a free online student portal to assists students with: career planning (e.g., self-exploration inventories, job descriptions, salaries, career clusters) high school planning (e.g., plan of study/course pathways, planning timeline) college planning (e.g., free test prep, college search, explore majors) financial aid planning (e.g., scholarship search, Expected Family Contribution calculator, financial literacy)

Connect the Dots (Freshmen & Sophomores, 40 minutes) The purpose of this presentation is to help students make the connection between careers and education. Students will gain a better understanding of their interests, post-secondary education, and their future career. Topics include a career game, connecting high school with careers and a post-secondary education, examples for exploring their interests, examples of post-secondary options, and examples of career exploration. Paving the Road to College (Sophomores, 35 minutes) This presentation is to inform students about how they can prepare themselves to achieve college admission. Topics include academic criteria and extracurricular activities. Taking the Tough Classes (Freshmen, 25 minutes) This presentation teaches students how to prepare for college by taking a rigorous high school curriculum. Topics include high school graduation requirements, college bound: required vs. preferred, AP & dual credit courses, and tips and strategies for success. College Knowledge Jeopardy (All grades, 60 minutes) This presentation is meant to motivate students to go to college and teach them more about the process. Topics include paying for college, types of colleges, admissions, and picking a major. Resume: Your Passport (Sophomores-Seniors, 40 minutes) Students will leave this workshop with an understanding of why a resume is important, what to include on it, and a rough draft of their own resume. Topics include applications, resumes, wording, and interviews. College 101 (Juniors & Seniors, 35 minutes) This presentation will familiarize older high school students with post-secondary options and why it is important to start thinking about this. Students will learn that this is a decision that requires time and consideration. Topics include post-secondary options, how to find schools to apply to, what to think about when deciding on a college and major, the importance of college visits, what to do on college visits, and examples of careers with different educational degrees. Trade Schools (Juniors & Seniors, 30 minutes) This presentation will familiarize those students who dont want to attend college with career-specific postsecondary options. This is also good for students who want to obtain some education, but want to study only what will relate to their specific career. Topics include what trade schools are, who offers those programs, examples of programs offered by both the local community college and trade schools, what are apprenticeships and examples of two specific apprenticeships, and questions to consider before deciding on a school/apprenticeship. Preparing for the ACT (Juniors, 20 minutes for PowerPoint, 30-40 minutes for online program) The purpose of this presentation is to provide students with information about the ACT test so that they will know what to expect on the test, how to study for it, and tools available to them to prepare for it. Using these resources, students will be better prepared for the ACT. Topics include what is the ACT, sections of the ACT, test tips, and ACT prep on Whats Next Illinois. Breaking Down College Applications (Juniors & Seniors, 30 minutes) The goal of this presentation is to inform juniors and seniors about writing college applications and scholarship applications. It includes steps and tips for writing the essays, as well as, how to search for scholarships. Topics include college applications, searching for scholarships, and writing application essays.
"Making college accessible and affordable for Illinois students." http://www.ISAC.org/
College Changes Everything www.collegechangeseverything.org

The Path of a FAFSA (Seniors, 45 minutes) The goal of this presentation is to teach high school seniors about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), what happens to student FAFSA information after it is submitted, and how to read an award letter from a college/university. Topics include sample FAFSA questions, cost of attendance formula, and financial aid award letters. Supporting Your High School Student (Parents of Juniors & Seniors, 30-45 minutes) This presentation provides tips on how parents can support their student as he/she searches for the right fit college. Topics include know the facts: college value, college visits, just the facts: financial aid, basic loan information, teaching your student to budget, and common concerns. Get Involved (Freshmen, 20-35 minutes) This presentation introduces ninth graders to the notable differences they will experience as they transition from junior high school into high school and how each component, especially extracurricular activities, can help advance a student academically and socially. Freshmen will also gain useable tips for high school and beyond. Topics include reasons why students should join clubs and other extracurricular activities, skills gained in high school, and how students can go about accessing these opportunities. Preparing for Your Senior Year (Juniors, 40 minutes) This presentation is best utilized during the end of their second quarter in light of all that goes into being a Senior: preparing for standardized tests, college readiness and becoming knowledgeable in filing for financial aid during the Spring Semester. Topics range from discussing graduation and the transition to a postsecondary education and/or the workforce, as well as a brief season-by-season checklist for the year and additional resources to assist in this process.
Contact Information:

Division of College Access and Outreach Illinois Student Assistance Commission 1755 Lake Cook Road. Deerfield, IL 60015-5209 Fax: 847-831-8508 E-mail: isac.outreach@isac.illinois.gov

Katrina Morales ISACorps Coordinator, Region 7-Metro North C (708) 638-7325 Katrina.Morales@ISAC.Illinois.gov

Alyssa Humbles ISACorps Coordinator, Region 3-Metro South C (708) 638-4232 Alyssa.Humbles@ISAC.illinois.gov

"Making college accessible and affordable for Illinois students." http://www.ISAC.org/

College Changes Everything www.collegechangeseverything.org

ISACorps Overview
In the fall of 2009, ISAC announced one of its newest initiatives, the ISACorps. The ISACorps is funded by the College Access Challenge Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Education. The Corps main mission is to expand ISACs college access and outreach programs and services to help students navigate the process of applying to and entering college. The ISACorps is responsible for assisting students with career exploration, college selection, test preparation, scholarship searches, application completion, and the financial aid process. They also build and enhance ISACs partnerships with local schools, businesses, and nonprofits in order to deliver free career and college planning and preparation services to students from families with no prior college-going experience. The Corps is comprised of recent college graduates who serve as near peer mentors to high school students. Each of the members is assigned to a community college district in Illinois. Each college district has one to three ISACorps members assigned within their community. Currently, there are 81 mentors and 7 regional coordinators. While the community college districts were used to equitably divide up the state, the Corps is not affiliated with the community college system. Each ISACorps member has been trained by ISAC to reach out to students to help them prepare for the college-going process. They are required to attend an extensive training that covers a variety of topics including, but not limited to: community organizing; academic barriers to postsecondary education; financial barriers to postsecondary education; social barriers to postsecondary education; counseling and mentoring skills; college access marketing; and professional and public speaking skills. This summer, the Corps members just completed 6 exciting weeks of training at CorpsCon2012. Ongoing training is also provided to ISACorps members consistent with the training provided to other professional ISAC College Access and Outreach staff. Last year, the Corps assisted in the completion of over 5,328 FAFSAs. In addition, the Corps conducted over 724 FAFSA workshops and hosted a total of nearly 3,000 events. In total, over 72,835 students and 19,591 parents interacted with Corps members at these events. In FY2012, the Corps partnered with 491 high schools, 140 community-based organizations, and 72 colleges and universities.

Please visit ISAC.org, and click on the map to find your local ISACorps representative!

"Making college accessible and affordable for Illinois students." http://www.ISAC.org/

College Changes Everything www.collegechangeseverything.org