Tags: Outreach

by Renni Turpin With spring break behind us, Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) advisers are planning elaborate decision day events to celebrate seniors' post-secondary plans. GCAC advisers are also beginning to focus their attention on juniors. Starting the college planning process in the junior year is critical, with early scholarship and college applications coming up fast in the fall. The summer before senior year is also a perfect time…

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. One of the questions most frequently asked by applicants is: What does a typical day look like? This question is a difficult one, as what advisers do varies by the time of the year and the school at which they serve.…

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…

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…

by Renni Turpin Over the last semester, GCAC schools and advisers have acclimated to the “new normal,” though complications of the pandemic linger. Invigorated by in-person classes, GCAC advisers are meeting with students face-to-face, finding students as they walk to class, and building a college-going culture throughout the school. To date, GCAC advisers have met with 86.91% of seniors, over 4,000 students. Comparing outcomes from virtual…

by Brionna Johnson November 8th marked the fifth annual First-Generation College Celebration, a nationally recognized event created to acknowledge the accomplishments of first-generation college students and graduates. In observance, a number of the Georgia College Advising Corps advisers planned events to engage the students, faculty, and staff at their school sites in the celebration and spread positive messages to encourage first-generation…

Brook Thompson and Brionna Johnson led an information session about the Georgia College Advising Corps to members of the McBee Institute community. GCAC began at the Institute in 2009 and works in underserved high schools throughout Georgia to increase the number of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students who attend and complete higher education. The program currently serves seventeen high schools in Georgia and will…

by Renni Turpin In the world of college admissions, October 1st means one thing: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is open. For most college-bound students, the FAFSA is the most important financial aid form, allowing students to access federal grants, work-study, loans, and institutional aid. GCAC Adviser Isis Owusu said, “FAFSA completion is one of the greatest predictors of students attending college because cost is the…

by Brionna Johnson Following President Joe Biden’s proclamation declaring September 5th through 11th National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, several Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) advisers sprang into action and quickly prepared for celebrations at their school sites. The events were particularly robust in Rockdale County Schools, where GCAC Advisers worked closely with school staff to commemorate the week and expose…

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. The advisers are fresh off an intensive, month-long training, focusing on all…