THE
COLLEGE CONNECTION NEWSLETTER FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
A Publication of Future Focus Educational Services January 2017
VOLUME 24, ISSUE 5
TIME TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN On the wall of some Les Schwab Tire Stores, there appears this quote by the great tire philosopher himself: “There are three types of people in the world: Those who make things happen; Those who watch things happen; Those who ask: what happened?” To which type do you relate most strongly? Only one type requires planning, aspiration, determination and resilience. Only one type discovers that foresight actually develops options which allow for choices and making informed decisions about one’s direction in life. January is not too late to “make things happen” for those heading to college. Many schools have application deadlines stretching from mid-January to July. Students live now in a cyber-world of instant information leading down any path they wish to explore. However, one essential component of any journey will forever remain inaccessible on the internet. That is: positive ATTITUDE! To “make things happen”, positive attitude can only be found, shaped and defined deep within ourselves. Whether you begin your college journey at a community college, public or private university or college, online or campus-based, you can “make things happen” starting now. As part of your planning, be sure to make use of the Tracking Sheet on p. 3 and Senior Checklist on p. 4 for keeping application requirements and materials organized and updated.
College Board Faces Rocky Path after CEO Pushes New Vision for SAT (“Reuters.com”, by Renee Dudley, 12/12/16)
One man, David Coleman, the new 2012 CEO of the College Board, succeeded in pushing his “vision” for a redesigned SAT aligned with the national Common Core standards. Against reasoned opposition, he insisted on implementing the new test in March 2015, in spite of the fact that some states wouldn’t have begun implementing the Common Core learning standards until the 2014-2015 school year. Then it would take years for teachers and students to get fully up to speed on the new curriculum. Currently 7 states (NE, OK, TX, AL, IN, VA, SC) have fully rejected the Common Core and MN has partially adopted it. They account for 18% of the U.S. populace. 42 states have fully adopted it. In the rejecting states conservatives saw the standards as federal encroachment on state and local decisionmaking and liberal critics said Common Core would require more standardized testing, which they opposed. By so closely linking the exam to the Common Core, critics contend, the College Board has built an SAT that could discriminate against students whose states either have rejected or haven’t fully implemented the learning standards. “It was a bad year, and I’m sorry,” Coleman said in September, at a conference of university admissions officers and high school counselors. “It is no good to have vision if you don’t deliver.” Coleman also insisted on hiring an outside company to develop a digital version of the SAT. After paying them $3 million, the company was fired after 4 months for failing to deliver its first batch of work on the project. This July, ACT announced plans to roll out an online version of its test in 2017. Meanwhile, the College Board is again rebooting. In October, Coleman announced new hires to handle its digital efforts. On top of this, president-elect Trump has promised to kill the Common Core. Look for more colleges to join the growing list of test-optional schools at: http://www.fairtest.org.
ATTN: EARLY DECISION APPLICANTS!!! When students apply under an Early Decision plan, they agree to withdraw their applications to other colleges if admitted. To do this, students must contact those other colleges directly. The Common Application does not have a mechanism for withdrawing submitted applications. Students seeking financial aid do not need to withdraw other applications until they have received notification about financial aid from the admitting Early Decision institution.
The College Connection Newsletter Common App Changes to Ease Applicant Anxiety “Hechingerreport.org”, 12/09/16)
College applicants can now watch videos that explain how to fill out each section and, if they qualify for a fee waiver, request an online mentor. In addition, for the first time, current juniors can start filling out their applications this year and roll them over to their senior year, instead of waiting until August 2017 to begin. This change will give students extra time to get familiar with the questions and seek answers from knowledgeable adults. However, experts emphasize that deeper, systemic problems remain with the college admissions process that are reflected in the Common App. They say the application should be less a catalogue of a student’s accomplishments and more a picture of the student as an ethical human being. They push for eliminating or shortening the section that requires listing extracurricular activities, which benefits affluent students, in favor of another essay or video that could let students reveal more about what is meaningful in their lives. One critic states, “We can make a better application by dialing down on the kinds of achievements that typify the upper strata of our society and expanding the range to be more inclusive of underserved kids.” The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success, a consortium of more than 90 selective colleges, is trying to give disadvantaged students a head start by letting them create their applications as early as ninth grade. This year, more than half its member schools are accepting the Coalition application; by next year, all will accept it. http://www.coalitionfor collegeaccess.org
University of California Application Verification Process By late December freshman applicants, who had been randomly selected, were notified to verify information in their application. The deadline to respond is Jan. 31. A small number of students will also be asked to provide documentation of 7/8th grade geometry. Failure to respond to the request by the deadline will result in cancellation of the application. The American Opportunity Tax Credit This program has been given permanent life instead of expiring at the end of 2017. The credit reduces your federal tax bill dollar-for-dollar by up to $2,500 per year for each eligible college student for whom you pay qualified tuition expenses. This is the most generous tuition benefit available to students and families. Allowed annually for individuals earning less than $80,000 for single filers, and $160,000 for married/joint filers. Page 2
HELPFUL FAFSA REMINDERS 1. Use your legal name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. 2. If your parents are divorced or separated, the parent with whom you lived the most during the past 12 months is the parent responsible for filling out the FAFSA. This is not necessarily the parent who has legal custody or claimed you on their income tax form. 3. Prepaid tuition plans are not reported as assets on the FAFSA. 4. For a step-by-step tutorial (with images) to learn how to fill out your FAFSA quickly and accurately, go to: https:// www.edvisors.com/fafsa. Includes other helpful tips and advice. *** If you’re unclear about a question or are having trouble filling out the FAFSA, the website offers immediate access to online chat connections with FAFSA officials. You can also call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1800-433-3243.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT CHOOSING A MAJOR??? Pursuing majors that match your interests may seem difficult in the face of your parents’ wishes or the wealth of stats about top-paying jobs and fast-growing careers, but doing so will strongly increase your chances of happiness and career success. It’s a good idea to begin exploring your options as early as possible. You’ll probably discover some that you never even knew existed. For example, if you’re interested in music, you can not only earn a degree in music performance, but also in music therapy, music librarianship, music recording, and arts management, among other majors. Visit the websites of colleges to learn what types of degrees are offered. You can also visit websites that will help you learn more about college majors. To start, try exploring http://careerkey.org and https:// www.candidcareer.com. Most majors prepare you for a variety of career paths—many of which you may not have thought of. For example, those with a degree in biology can work as biologists, but they can also work as science writers or teachers, or pursue careers in biotechnology, forensic science, politics and public policy. A philosophy degree is often disparaged as the quickest way to becoming the most-educated person working at Starbucks. But did you know that the critical-thinking and debate skills taught in philosophy programs are excellent preparation for careers in education and business? One excellent book to guide you is College Major Quizzes: 12 Easy Tests to Discover Which Programs Are Best, by John Liptak. January 2017
The College Connection Newsletter TRACKING CHECKLIST FOR COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES (Attach a copy of this to the front of each college folder)
NAME OF COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY_____________________________ DATE APPLICATION SUBMITTED ______________ COPY MADE OF APPLICATION _____ TEACHER RECOMMENDATION #1 IF REQUIRED _____ TEACHER RECOMMENDATION #2 IF REQUIRED _____ COUNSELING OFFICE VISIT DATE _____________ SCHOOL REPORT _____ 7 SEMESTER TRANSCIPT SENT _____ DATE _________ MID-YEAR REPORT SENT ____ DATE __________ FINANCIAL AID FORMS - FAFSA SUBMITTED DATE __________ PRINT FAFSA CONFIRMATION PAGE _____ CSS PROFILE IF REQUIRED _______ DATE ________ SAT SCORES SENT FROM COLLEGE BOARD- DATE ________ ACT SCORES SENT – DATE ___________ SCHEDULED COLLEGE INTERVIEW____ DATE ___________ AUDITION DATE & TIME ____________________ UPDATED INFORMATION NOTES: ____________________________________________ DATE ________ _____________________________________________ DATE ________ _____________________________________________ DATE ________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
January 2017
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The College Connection Newsletter SENIOR CHECKLIST FOR JANUARY. . . ____ Complete and submit FAFSA as soon as possible at: https://fafsa.ed.gov. The US Depart.of Ed. is now requiring applicants to transfer 2015 federal income tax return info directly from the IRS into the FAFSA. This is accomplished through the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. This saves time in completing the FAFSA. It also reduces the likelihood that your FAFSA will be selected for verification. For simple steps in transferring IRS info to your FAFSA: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/resources/irs-drt-text ____ After you submit applications, be sure to check with school admission offices to see if your application is complete, and they have received test scores and any other emailed or post-mailed materials. ____ At the end of first semester make sure your 7th semester transcript has been sent either electronically or postmailed from the counseling office to colleges where required. UC Schools do not want them. ____ If applying to more competitive private schools, make sure you know whether they require the CSS Profile as an additional financial aid form. Most regular decision CSS deadlines are February 1 or 15. You can find info at: https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile, including a listing of schools which require it. You can use your student SAT login user name and password. You will automatically be informed if you qualify for a fee waiver, based on the information entered. Some schools require that the Non-Custodial Parent (NCP), usually a divorced parent with whom the student does not live more than 6 mo. of the year, is required to submit information. The Participating Institutions list indicates “yes” or “no” for each school.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Perkins Loan Program Last year Congress reached a bipartisan agreement to revive the expired federal Perkins Loan Program for two years through September 30, 2017, though the deal would tighten some of the eligibility criteria. The restrictions on the extended program include limiting it to undergraduates and requiring recipients to reach the borrowing limit on subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans ($5500/freshman) before obtaining Perkins Loans. The tighter eligibility requirements will help pay for what the Congressional Budget Office has determined is the cost of renewing the Perkins Program. The federal government has not contributed money to the Perkins Program in more than a decade. Colleges have funded the loans mostly from older borrowers repaying their loans and in part with the institution’s own money. Colleges and universities have lobbied heavily to save the Perkins Loan Program, which is used by more than 500,000 students who collectively borrow more than $1 billion. Page 4
COLLEGE NEWS +++ The president of the University of Notre Dame (IN) is trying to decide whether to invite President-elect Donald J. Trump to deliver the commencement speech in the spring of 2017, Traditionally, the university has invited the U.S. president to be the commencement speaker during his first year in office, a custom that stretches back to Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 2009, Barack Obama became the sixth president to take the university up on its offer +++ Pomona College (CA) has named G. Gabrielle Starr as the school’s next president, the first time a woman and African American has been appointed to lead the Claremont liberal arts institution. +++ Stanford University (CA) has announced that it has temporarily suspended the university band until the end of next school year, and plans to hire a professional music director who “retains final control”. It was found in violation of university rules on alcohol, controlled substances, hazing, and sexual harassment in the spring of 2015. +++ Education Secretary John B. King Jr. has rejected an appeal from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, one of the largest national accreditation agencies, to remain the gatekeeper between colleges and billions of dollars in federal financial aid. King is siding with his staff and an independent advisory board that deemed the council incapable of rectifying years of lax oversight of troubled for-profit colleges. +++ According to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, foreign language education is dwindling at every level, from K-12 to postsecondary. This runs counter to the U.S. need to build language capacity to meet the needs of the increasingly global economy and otherwise shrinking world. January 2017
The College Connection Newsletter IMPORTANT WEBSITES!!!
COLLEGE NEWS
https://collegeabacus.org - Here is a FREE web tool that allows students applying for college to enter financial and other personal data for up to three schools at a time. It then spits out three estimates of the net price they might actually pay once colleges offer them admission, and after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the total cost of education. You can sign up for the website or simply enter and exit as a guest. www.salliemae.com/plan-for-college/scholarships/scholarshipsearch - This well-known financial services company offers a scholarship database of more than five million scholar- ships worth $24 billion. All you need to do is register (for free), create a brief profile, and start finding dollars for college. Each scholarship listing features an overview of the scholarship, the award amount, requirements, and application deadline. Students who register at the site automatically qualify for a monthly $1,000 at-random scholarship drawing. Other resources available at the Sallie Mae site include the College Planning Calculator and the College Ahead Mobile App. www.mynextmove.org - Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and developed by the National Center for O*NET Development, will help you match your interests (e.g., writing, helping people, building things, etc.) to a career. Just type in your interests to generate a list of careers that are a good match. Each career entry lists required education, skills, abilities, and personality type, as well as information on earnings and the employment outlook. You can also use the O*NET Interest Profiler, an assessment tool that asks you a series of questions about your skills, hobbies, and personality to help you find good career matches. My Next Move is an excellent place to begin exploring potential career paths. https://www.coursera.org/learn/college-life - U101: Understanding College and College Life. After being admitted to college, if you are nervous about what the next step in life might look like, this free course is for you. From the online learning platform Coursera, it describes what faculty are looking for in college-level academic work, lists effective study strategies and suggests ways to select a major, among other topics. The course is divided into 4 weeks/8 lessons, which provide an overview of the different aspects of college life. If you just watch the videos and look at some of the links, the whole course would take about 4-5 hours
+++ Through Dec. 1 the Common Application has received 1,077,900 applications for various early-decision programs, including nonbinding. That total is 17% higher than it was a year ago. +++ The incoming Trump administration is likely to rein in what many see as overly aggressive enforcement actions that have produced unfair results for accused students. Making it harder to prove campus sexual assaults by raising the burden of proof is likely to be first among the major changes coming. +++ Swarthmore College (PA) is among a host of wealthy academic institutions nationwide that saw a drop in the values of their hefty endowments, a new analysis from American City Business Journals shows. Early investment returns coming in from America’s most prestigious and deep-pocketed colleges indicate that fiscal 2016 will go down as one of the worst performance periods for endowments in recent memory. +++ Over the past five years, there has been a 35% decline in graduate enrollment and a 43% drop in enrollment in undergraduate teaching-related programs throughout the State University of New York (SUNY) system. +++ In fall 2017 Mary Baldwin University (VA) – traditionally a women’s college will include the newly formed, co-educational and career focused University College and the College for Women. Men can apply for the new 3-year fast-track learning communities: Murphy Deming Scholars in Health Professions, Shakespeare and Performing Arts, and Education Leaders. They can also live on campus, but so far, no varsity sports teams. $22,000 merit scholarships are available. +++ The federal government is on track to forgive at least $108 billion in student debt in coming years, according to a report that for the first time projects the full cost of plans that tie borrowers’ payments to their earnings.
Don’t Forget About State Aid for College (“College Spotlight”, 12/16/16)
Many high school students heading to college apply for federal financial aid via the FAFSA, which became available on October 1, but some forget that aid is also available at the state level. With college tuition on the rise, it’s important to take advantage of every possible funding stream in order to avoid accruing high debt upon graduation. Here are four facts to keep in mind as you apply for state aid. Follow-up with questions for your high school counselor. 1. Each state has its own application rules. Some states simply require the FAFSA, while others have their own applications. 2. State deadlines typically fall earlier than federal ones. Awards are made until funds are depleted, so it’s important to apply as soon as possible. 3. Need-based aid is most common, but many states also offer meritbased scholarships to high-achieving students. Additionally, some states offer only need-based grants. 4. Most state aid can only be used to attend college in that state, although some states that share a geographical area offer reciprocity grants, such as the Western Undergraduate Exchange. See: http://www.wiche.edu/ wue. January 2017
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The College Connection Newsletter SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS & CONTESTS th
10 ANNUAL CREATE-A-GREETING-CARD SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST Submit photo, artwork or computer graphic for the front of a greeting card to earn the top $10,000 prize. Entry Deadline: March 2, 2017. Details at: http://www.gallerycollection.com/ greeting-cards-scholarship.htm SEGF SCHOLARSHIPS Society of Exploration Geophysicists Foundation offers approximately 75 different merit scholarships, ranging from $500 to $14,000, averaging $2,500 to HS seniors intending to pursue a career in applied geophysics, geosciences, physics, geology, or earth and environmental sciences. Requires a 200 word essay describing how you will use geophysics and/or geoscience in your future career. Deadline is March 1, 2017. http://seg.org/Scholarships SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MILITARY CHILDREN A total of 700 $2,000 scholarships will be awarded. There will be at least one recipient selected at every military commissary location. Requires 3.0 GPA. Deadline: February 17, 2017. More at: http://www.military scholar.org/sfmc/index.html 2017 NAVY LEAGUE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS Presently the Foundation has twenty five endowed scholarships. Scholarships are awarded for four years and provide an award of $2,500.00 per year. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic record (3.0 GPA), leadership achievement, character, all-around ability, and financial need. Must be a dependent or direct descendent of Sea Service personnel. Application Deadline: March 1, 2017. Apply at: http://navyleague.org/ scholarship/application.html OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST Open to students under the age of 18 as of October 1, 2016. 700-800 word essay topic for the 2016-17 School Year is: “Chasing Optimism in the Face of Challenges” Contact your local Optimist Club in early January. To locate a contact near you, e-mail the Programs Department at:
[email protected]. Club winners advance to the District contest to compete for a $2500 college scholarships. All Club-level contests are held by early February. http://www.optimist.org/e/ member/scholarships3.cfm. Page 6
HISPANIC METROPOLITAN CHAMBER SCHOLARSHIPS Available to any high school student with Hispanic ancestry in Oregon or Clark County Washington. Requires 3.0 GPA. Postmark Application Deadline: January 31, 2017 http:// www.hmccoregon.com/scholarship.html#schol5 Phone: (503) 222-0280 SONS OF ITALY NATIONAL LEADERSHIP GRANTS Includes 10-12 merit-based scholarships ranging from $4,000 to $25,000 for entering undergraduates who are American citizens of Italian descent (at least one Italian or Italian American grandparent). A non-refundable $40 processing fee is required. An essay of 500750 words is required about a personal experience which demonstrated or generated pride in your Italian heritage. Postmarked Application Deadline: February 28, 2017. To apply and see full list of scholarships: http:// www.osia.org/students/scholarships.php 2017 RELIGIOUS LIBERTY ESSAY SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST Open to HS juniors & seniors. Grand prize: $2,000 + airfare & lodging for two to Washington, D.C.; 2nd prize: $1,000; 3rd prize: $500. Requires essay of 800-1200 words on: “Discuss whether a religious test should be conducted as a part of the United States’ immigration and refugee policies.” Postmarked Application Deadline: March 10, 2017. Website: http://bjconline.org/contest/ NATIONAL PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP 25-35 need-based, renewable awards up to $2000 for superior young students preparing to enter as full-time incoming freshmen in one of the 60+ participating Presbyterian colleges listed on the website. Must be member of a Presbyterian Church. Requires recommendation of pastor and high school counselor. Must write a 500-1000 word essay on: “What is Christian vocation?” Application Postmark Deadline: March 1, 2017 (not May 15 as listed). http:// www.presbyterianmission.org. In the search window in the upper right, indicate: “I want to…’get a grant, scholarship or loan’ “. Then click on “here” on “Financial Aid: Loans, scholarships and grants for undergraduate, etc.” Then click on “Undergraduate Opportunities”. January 2017
The College Connection Newsletter SCHOLARSHIP CONTESTS AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIPS Need-based, renewable scholarships for $2500 up to $5,000 for African-American, American Indian, and Hispanic high school seniors intending to major in a chemically related field. Application Deadline: March 1, 2017 Apply online at: http://www.acs.org. Click on “Education”, then on “High School” under “Students”, then scroll down to “ACS Scholars Program”. WOMEN’S WESTERN GOLF FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS Award winners receive renewable grants of $2000 yearly. Must be a high school female senior, apply to a 4 yr. school, file the FAFSA. Two brief 150 & 200 word essays required. Candidates will be selected on the basis of academic achievement, financial need, excellence of character and an involvement in the sport of golf. Excellence in golf is not a criterion. Must submit FAFSA Student Aid Report and Preliminary Application by March 1, 2017, with Final Application deadline April 5. All details at: http:// www.wwga.org/WWGA.org Click on “Scholarships” at top. NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS Scholarships are awarded in two categories: 1) Italian American students who demonstrate outstanding potential and high academic achievements; 2) Students from any ethnic background majoring or minoring in Italian related studies. Requires 3.5+ GPA and some are need-based. 60-70 Non-renewable Scholarship awards range from $2,500-$12,000. Application Deadline: March 1, 2017. Online applications for NIAF scholarships: https://www.niaf.org. Click on “Scholarships” under “Programs”. Italian American students must have at least one ancestor who has emigrated from Italy.
Admissibility vs Competitiveness ("The AdmissionsGame.com)
Admissibility means that you will be admissible—you can do the work in the classroom—at most of the colleges you have applied to. Competitiveness means you possess credentials to be competitive among that school's most highly valued candidates. Have you targeted colleges where your credentials put you in the top half of the admitted student profile from past entering classes? It is neither healthy nor constructive to regard the college application process as a matter of acquiring a prize or a particular “destination.” January 2017
COLLEGE NEWS +++ Since 2008, the number of undergraduates nationwide who use private student loans has declined to only 6%, while the percentage of undergraduates borrowing from the federal government through the Stafford Loan program has increased to 40%. +++ Hampshire College (MA) announced in early December that it had resumed flying the U.S. flag at full staff from a main flagpole on campus. The college had faced intense criticism and a protest by 400 veterans after it announced in mid-November, following the presidential election, that it would stop flying the U.S. flag due to intense debate on the campus over the issue. +++ Under its new 2014 president, Trinity College (CT) has dropped standardized test requirements, emphasized applicants’ qualities like curiosity and persistence, and added optional essay prompts. The freshman class has also not been allowed to increase. +++ Liberty University (VA) is planning to open a stateof-the-art shooting range on campus next fall as part of the conservative Evangelical Christian School’s commitment to promoting gun ownership and firearm sports. +++ Closed since August after losing its accreditation, Dowling College (NY) has sought chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in order to sell its Long Island campus and other remaining assets “for the maximum value achievable under the circumstances.” +++ For-profit colleges are looking with relief to the incoming Trump administration, banking on a rollback of tough regulations that threatened to lead to the closure of hundreds of schools and that drove their stock-market valuations down sharply. Investors, in turn, have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into education stocks since the election. +++ A string of failures by the Obama administration have jeopardized the future of its ambitious student loan forgiveness efforts, which government auditors revealed this week will likely cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars more than initially expected. +++ The policies governing the acceptance of undocumented students at public and private colleges and universities vary greatly from state to state. In California, tuition and financial aid policies encourage undocumented students to enroll at public colleges with substantial state aid for tuition and other costs. Georgia has some of the most restrictive rules in the nation for undocumented students, even banning them from attending some public universities. (see p. 8 for more) +++ Middlebury College (VT) says it has become carbon neutral, meeting an aggressive goal set last decade and becoming one of just a handful of institutions to reach the sought-after sustainability status. Page 7
The College Connection Newsletter Risking Political Pushback, Private Colleges Enroll Undocumented Students (Timothy Pratt, The Hechinger Report, 12/05/2016)
Emory University (GA) is among a growing number of private universities and colleges that have joined some public institutions in accepting undocumented students. Undocumented immigrants with temporary residency status, who arrived in the U.S. before they were 16, are exempted from deportation under the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). There’s even a new project by a group of philanthropists to give undocumented students private loans to be repaid as a percentage of their future incomes. So far, 740,000+ people have been approved for DACA status, and the estimated 65,000 undocumented immigrants who graduate high school in the U.S. each year are hoping to join them. DACA students can also study abroad and return lawfully if they receive “advance parole” from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Although President-elect Trump had promised to reverse the executive order establishing DACA, he recently said, “We’re going to work something out that’s going to make people happy and proud.” Currently no undocumented students can get federal Pell Grants or, without a national DREAM Act which has yet to be passed, federal subsidized loans. But young DACA recipients themselves, using apps and websites, have created digital networks of information about which schools will take them, what sources of money are available and more. See: https://www.facebook.com/dreamersroadmap and https://mydocumentedlife.org. According to the DREAMer’s RoadMap founder, who was undocumented when she began her college education and is now a permanent resident, DREAMer’s now has a database of 145 scholarships for which DACA students are eligible and has surpassed the goal of 10,000 downloads for its first year in just seven months. According to the founder of My (Un)documented Life, launched in 2011, since the election, it has gotten 650,000-plus views. More than 440 college and university presidents and chancellors recently signed a letter asking Trump to extend the DACA program. University and college leaders in California separately appealed to Mr. Trump to let undocumented students continue their educations without living in fear of being deported. The private universities and colleges that admit undocumented students include, as of this fall, Cornell and Emory, which allow students with DACA status to apply as domestic students and receive institutional scholarships, and Brown (RI), Wesleyan (CT) and Williams (MA), which allow all undocumented students to apply as domestic students and receive institutional scholarships. Other schools, including Oberlin (OH), Northwestern (IL) and Rice (TX) have started offering services to help undocumented students stay in school. Page 8
January 2017
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