By Glenda Dowdy
For the Georgia College Advisers, the month of May is a time for reflection, and a wrap up period of the 2022-2023 school year. Every year one special event allows the advisers to celebrate the strides they have made with their students. This event is Decision Day.
by Emaleigh Fleeman
After graduating from the University of Georgia in 2022, Gabriel Smallwood joined GCAC to serve as a college adviser at Clarke Central High School in Athens.
Building off the skills he learned in college, Gabriel has spent the school year creating trusting relationships with the seniors. To date, he has met with over 95% of the senior class to provide individualized college and career advising sessions. In addition to his one-on-one advising appointments, Gabriel has hosted a variety of events to help students and families complete financial aid forms.
by Abigail Poirier
On March 10 the Georgia College Advising Corps advisers had the opportunity to attend the Skills USA Expo and Competition at the Georgia World Congress Center. The Expo offered advisers the chance to learn more about technical college programs in Georgia and career options for their students. The event also brought together the top students in Georgia to compete in their respective technical programs.
Brook Thompson, program director of the Georgia College Advising Corps, and Azariah Partridge, adviser at Cedar Shoals High School, provided an overview of the goals and successes of the advising program’s work at a special session for the McBee Institute faculty and students.
GCAC is a nationally recognized outreach program that works in underserved high schools across Georgia to assist students through the postsecondary selection, admissions, and financial aid processes.
by Emaleigh Fleeman
GCAC advisers are well versed in the various institution types, and make sure students are aware of all options before making post-secondary plans. Several advisers who serve in our partner schools have recently held events to ensure students are exposed to multiple institution types, and the unique opportunities they offer.
by Abby Poirier
Last week, the GCAC advisers attended the 2023 College Advising Corps Adviser Assembly titled Celebrating Our Impact and Embracing Our Future. Held every year, the event brings together over 1,000 college advisers, university program partners, alumni, and donors to connect with one another while attending keynote sessions, informative adviser-led workshops, and professional development-focused panel discussions all centered around promoting access and equity.
by Emaleigh Fleeman Since 2008, November has been recognized as Apply to College Month in Georgia. Many colleges in the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia participate by waiving application fees throughout the month of November. College advisers prepare for this initiative by partnering with counseling staff, teachers, colleges, and other organizations to provide multiple opportunities for students to complete college applications.
by Abby Poirier
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1st, which presented a new opportunity for advisers to kick off financial aid efforts and motivate their students to submit the FAFSA. Throughout the month advisers have spent time educating students and their families about filling out the FAFSA and applying for scholarships.
by Jewel Caruso
Brook Thompson, program director of the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC), was recently recognized in an article by UGA Today.
Her dedication to professional advocacy for education equity was highlighted in the article:
by Renni Turpin
Well into the spring semester, many college seniors are looking for their next opportunity. The Georgia College Advising Corps is actively recruiting for open college adviser positions which will begin July 2022.
by Renni Turpin
Four months into “FAFSA season,” Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) college advisers work hard to motivate and support seniors to submit their financial aid forms. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is critical for college enrollment and is the gateway for federal and state grants, work-study, and federally backed student loans. According to the Department of Education, 34.4% of seniors at GCAC schools have submitted the FAFSA, putting us more than 2 percentage points above the Georgia average of 31.3%.
by Brionna Johnson
The University of Georgia’s College Advising Corps is proud to announce our program’s expansion into the Newton County school system in Covington, GA. With support from the Newton County School District, we are placing three new college advisers at Alcovy High School, Eastside High School, and Newton High School to begin their service in mid-January 2022. GCAC now has 24 advisers serving 20 high schools across the state of Georgia.
Brook Thompson and Brionna Johnson led an information session about the Georgia College Advising Corps to members of the McBee Institute community.
As summer transitions to autumn, the excitement of going back to school is palpable for students, families, school staff, and the advisers of the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC). On August 2nd, GCAC advisers entered their school sites, ready to assist students and families at seventeen high schools across Georgia with navigating post-secondary applications.
After completing her first year as a Master’s student at the Institute, Brionna Johnson is continuing her graduate assistant duties with the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) into the summer as a training coordinator. She is excited to work with the advisers this summer, especially after engaging with her coursework this past semester.
Bradford Porter loves working with young people. His genuine enthusiasm and empathy created some amazing results at the two high schools he served as part of the Georgia College Advising Corps.
The College Advising Corps featured Porter in a blog post this spring. Through a year marked with virtual learning amid a deadly pandemic, Porter helped students thinking post-graduation plans.
The adage that "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" might feel very real to high school students preparing for their path to college, particularly navigating the college admission process and financial aid applications. The anxiety and uncertainty of how to begin can make that first step difficult or insurmountable without a guide.
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