David Gelinas, NASFAA's 2005-2006 National Chair, has shared his objective to bolster early awareness efforts for students most at risk for not enrolling in college. To help aid administrators get their "boots on the ground" to instigate change in college-going behaviors, the 2005-2006 NASFAA Access and Diversity Committee compiled tools that NASFAA members can use to conduct their own early awareness activities.

The committee also developed an early awareness presentation and handout for middle school students to help them get started with planning for college. The presentation "Education After High School: Do YOU Want to Go to College?" is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) (182 KB) and in Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT) (263 KB). The "Preparing for College Checklist" that is included in the presentation is also available as a separate handout in PDF format (69 KB) that members may download and photocopy for distribution. The URLs for links are included in both versions, but the links are live in the PDF presentation but not in the PowerPoint presentation.

The Committee sends a challenge out to each NASFAA member to reach out to his/her local community. We encourage you to make an early awareness presentation at an elementary or middle school. We have assembled some tips to help you get started.

The Access and Diversity Committee would like to gather information on the number of presentations members provide during the year. Please click here to submit an Early Awareness Presentation Report.

The following hints will get you started on planning your first early awareness outreach presentation. For more information and resources, see NASFAA's ABCs of Early Awareness pages and 2006-2007 NASFAA Financial Aid Night and Counselor's Materials.

Before Your Outreach Presentation

• Contact local agencies that work with your target audience to invite students and families

  1. GEAR UP
  2. TRIO
  3. Parent Teacher Associations (PTA)
  

• Arrange the facility and equipment
  
• Develop a presentation (or download one of ours to use)
  
• Order forms and materials you will want to provide
  
• Create a brief evaluation and feedback form

During Your Presentation

• Set up registration table with materials and any forms you plan to use
  
• Share the presentation with your audience
  
• Leave contact information for future questions
  
• Ask audience to complete and return to you any evaluation or feedback forms
  
• Have fun!

After Your Presentation

• Submit NASFAA's online Early Awareness Presentation Report to add your presentation to the running national tally
  
• Encourage a colleague to participate
  
• Get out and do it again!

Helpful Links

• http://www.collegeaccessmarketing.org
• http://www.educationplanner.org
• http://www.mapping-your-future.org/paying
  
• http://www.pathwaystocollege.net
  
• http://www.NASFAA.org/savings.html
  
• http://www.tgslc.org/pdf/Spanish_glossary.pdf