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 Supported by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC),
ICAM is part of the nationwide American College Application
Campaign® (ACAC) initiative which seeks to increase the number of
students who are applying to college early in their senior year,
especially those who might not otherwise consider it.
“I’ve learned that I have to take the initiative, but it’s a big
relief to be able to get the help I need to complete all my college
applications with time to spare,” said Jessica Mendoza, a senior at
North Boone High School in Poplar Grove who will be the first in her
family to attend college. Indeed, getting those college applications
in early could improve chances of admission at some schools, says
Grayslake Central High School college counselor Glenn Miller.
Mendoza, who is interested in pursuing international business, has
already applied and been accepted to one college on her list. She
plans to attend her high school’s upcoming application workshop,
which will be staffed by counselors and volunteer business and
community leaders, to complete other college applications. Mendoza
and her parents will also attend this month’s financial aid workshop
presented by a member of the ISACorps--recent college graduates who
provide free assistance to students and parents across the state to
help them through the college search, application and financial aid
process.
Nico Buccieri, a senior at Grayslake Central High School who is also
interested in a business degree, says tuition cost and potential
financial aid are certainly factors he has considered in applying to
colleges. “You definitely want to consider what is realistic so you
don’t have to take out too many loans.”
Still, college counselors like Amy Velez of North Boone High School
say it’s important for students to consider applying to a variety of
schools that meet their interests, both “safe” and “reach” schools
from an admissions and financial standpoint, and then make informed
decisions in the spring after they are admitted and receive their
financial aid award letters.
Kathi Paxton, a counselor at Roanoke-Benson High School, agrees.
“Our activities are not just about filling out applications, but
about getting our students excited about the array of career
opportunities and related college programs available to them—at
community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, and
technical schools.”
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During this year’s ICAM events at Roanoke, students can earn points
for a cash prize by attending college fairs, playing a bingo game in
which they guess which teacher participated in which activity during
college, and finishing applications. Senior Dillon Hodel has already
started earning points by completing two applications and attending
college fairs, but says one of the best parts has been learning
about programs in aviation and health sciences that he would never
have known about if he hadn’t participated.
During ICAM 2014, ISAC partnered with 98 high schools in 82 Illinois
cities to support 299 application workshops attended by over 6,600
students. This year, over 130 high schools have already signed up to
host ICAM workshops, with many more expected to participate before
month’s end. In addition, for adult students, parents and others,
the ISACorps will hold free workshops at libraries and various other
community locations throughout the state.
High schools interested in participating in ICAM 2015 can visit the
College Changes Everything website to fill out a registration form,
and access a College Implementation Guide and other downloadable
tools to make their College Application Month activities a success.
About ISAC
The mission of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is
to help make college accessible and affordable for students
throughout Illinois. ISAC provides comprehensive, objective, and
timely information on education and financial aid for students and
their families--giving them access to the tools they need to make
the educational choices that are right for them. Then, through the
state’s flagship Monetary Award Program and other scholarship and
grant programs ISAC administers—totaling more than $380 million in
academic year 2014-15—ISAC can help students make those choices a
reality. www.isac.org
[Lynne Baker, ISAC] |
