I’m looking for advice from those of you who have experience assisting FGLI kids with post high school life, specifically with college/trade school applications, financial aid, scholarships. As a new empty nester, one of my goals is to increase my volunteer activities and there is a need for this at an organization I already volunteer with (currently doing after school tutoring, corporate tutoring, etc.)
I’ve only been through the college application process once and from a different situation so I need to educate myself better on the available and appropriate resources. I would be volunteering under an employee counselor so this would not be a stand-alone volunteer position or a program they need me to develop. (Although it is not a focus of their overall mission at this point they do want to beef it up, hence looking for volunteers.) But I do want to bring as much to the table as I can.
In addition to meeting with the coordinator at the center, I have an information gathering meeting set with a guidance counselor at a Title One school. I’m reading up on QuestBridge and Posse. Does that sound like the place to start? What else should I do? TIA!
Perhaps reach out to the scholarship committees of a couple of local/regional organizations in your area that give scholarships? Get a sense of what their missions are, how much they fund, who they fund, what the criteria are?
Perhaps reach out to other local organizations (mentoring programs offered by local corporations, Junior Achievement, etc.) to learn what they do in the college app arena so you can coordinate/not duplicate what’s already available in your area? For example, if a corporation offers a robust shadowing/internship program to teach HS kids about different careers, you’d be a great conduit for them as you work with young people who don’t have exposure to a lot of “grownup jobs”.
Post on your local Facebook/Marketplace/BuyNothing/Backyard page that you are interested in building a library of recent college viewbooks, SAT and AP Prep books, Fiske etc. guides. I was so happy to donate our “library” when my kids were done… and a few years later I was able to add GRE prep and other relevant books to the donate pile! You’ll be ahead of the game if you’re well stocked. $25 for a prep book is real hardship for many families.