Learning Modules

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• Guiding questions:
  • What educational options are available to me?
  • How does education affect my career options?
• Objectives:
  • Describe academic, social, and financial features of education pathways including
  • Adult schools and GED programs
  • Trade and vocational schools
  • Community colleges
  • Colleges and universities
  • Identify requirements for admission to each education pathway
• Activity:
  • Initial goal setting activity
  • Discuss goals for education
  • Discuss social, financial, and academic priorities
  • Take a career interest assessment
  • Evaluate eligibility for pathways of interest

• Guiding questions
  • How much do education options typically cost?
  • What earning potential do I have available through each educational pathway?
  • What support is available to help me afford my education?
• Objectives
  • Define direct and indirect costs
  • Compare cost and earning potential of different educational options
  • Define grants, scholarships, and loans
  • Identify examples of funding supports for your selected education pathway
• Activity
  • Research relative cost and value of two educational options and career pathway available through that option. Identify two options for financial support to fund the option explored

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• Activity: “Problem Solving Worksheet – Getting Help at School” – If you are experiencing a problem at school (or elsewhere!) it can be helpful to go through the following steps together and keep track of your answers: 
  • What is the real problem? Define/describe it here:
  • What will it look like when the problem is solved? How will you know when you are successful?
  • Brainstorm as many ideas as you can for solving the problem. Be as specific as possible.
  • Choose your top 2-3 ideas for solving the problem. Then you can evaluate each possible solution using these questions:
    • How much time will this take? How would I find that time?
    • Are there possible downsides? How would I overcome those?
    • Do I need more information about this possible solution? If so, how will I find that information?
  • Decide on a solution and make an action plan. Break your action plan down into smaller steps and decide who is responsible for each step, and when each step should be completed.
  • Make a date to follow up and evaluate whether the solution has worked, or whether changes need to be made.
• Activity: “Practice Together! Problem Solving at School” – Below are situations with common problems that students face in the U.S. Choose a few situations to talk about together – how would you solve each problem? Could you solve the problem in more than one way? 
  • You are in class and the teacher gives directions for a task that students must complete on their own. You didn’t understand what the teacher said. All the other students are beginning the task. What can you do?
  • Your part-time job finishes at 5:30 pm, and your class begins at 6:00 pm. The bus ride takes 25 minutes. You are often 15 minutes late for class because you sometimes miss your normal bus. What can you do?
  • You have been in your class for one month, and you have failed almost every assignment and quiz. When the teacher explains things in class, you understand – but when you try to do the work for yourself, it’s much harder. What can you do?
  • You will be absent from class on the day when there will be an important test. What can you do?
  • You are halfway through your course, but you don’t have enough money to pay the rest of the course fees. What can you do?
  • Your class is almost over, but you are worried because you don’t really know what to do next. What can you do?

Step 1: Research your options

• Guiding questions:  
  • What programs are available through my local adult schools?
  • Which programs best meet my goals?
• Objectives:
  • Determine your primary program interest: Language acquisition, vocational skills, GED
  • Identify 3 programs available in your local community or region
  • Identify the direct and indirect cost of each 
  • Research enrollment requirements
• Activity:
  • Research and compare 3 programs of interest

Step 2: Build a financing plan

• Guiding question:  
  • How will I pay for my program?
• Objectives:
  • For any direct or indirect costs, determine support options (fee waivers, grants, scholarships)
  • Determine plan for financing any remaining costs
• Activity:
  • Draft a financing plan

Step 3: Enroll

• Guiding question:  
  • How do I enroll in a program of choice?
• Objectives:
  • Identify all enrollment requirements for program of choice
  • Determine enrollment date
  • Build a plan to complete all enrollment requirements by target enrollment date
  • Identify support needed for enrollment and potential obstacles to enrollment
• Activity:
  • Draft an enrollment support plan

Step 4: Build a success plan

• Guiding question:  
  • How can I ensure I successfully meet my academic goals in this program?
• Objectives:
  • Research support resources available through program (childcare, tutoring, career counseling, language resources)
  • Identify support needed and potential obstacles to success
  • Build a program success plan
• Activity:
  • Draft a program success plan

Step 1: Research your options

• Guiding questions:
  • What vocation would I like to pursue?
  • What vocational training options would best prepare me for this vocation?
• Objectives:
  • Determine your primary vocational interest
  • Research certification options aligned with that professional pathway
  • Identify 3 programs aligned to your goals
  • Identify the direct and indirect cost of each program and requirements for enrollment
  • Research application requirements
• Activity:
  • Research and compare 3-5 programs of interest

Step 2: Build a financing plan

• Guiding question:  
  • How will I pay for trade school?
• Objectives:
  • Determine eligibility for federal aid
  • If eligible, apply for FAFSA,
  • Assess remaining costs for top program choice after federal aid
  • For remaining expected direct or indirect costs, determine support options (fee waivers, grants, scholarships, loans)
  • Determine plan for financing any remaining costs
• Activity:
  • Draft a financing plan for top 3 options

Step 3: Apply

• Guiding question:  
  • How do I get into trade school?
• Objectives:
  • Determine target enrollment date
  • Determine all application requirements for top 3 schools
  • Build a plan to apply to 1-3 options
  • Identify support needed for application and enrollment and potential obstacles
• Activity:
  • Draft an application support plan
  • Follow plan to submit applications

Step 4: Decide and enroll

• Guiding question:  
  • Which program will I attend?
• Objectives:
  • Compare financial, social, and vocational fit of programs accepted to
  • Identify requirements for enrollment
  • Revise financing plan
• Activity:
  • Decide program of choice and build an enrollment plan
  • Complete enrollment

Step 5: Build a success plan

• Guiding question:  
  • How can I ensure I successfully meet my academic goals in this program?
• Objectives:
  • Research support resources available through program (childcare, tutoring, career resources, language resources)
  • Identify support needed and potential obstacles to success
  • Build a program success plan
• Activity:
  • Draft a program success and transition plan

Step 1: Research your options

• Guiding questions:
  • What academic programs are available at my local community college(s)?
  • Is a transfer or associate degree option best for me?
• Objectives:
  • Determine your primary goal: Associate degree or transfer to four year university
  • Identify 3-5 programs of interest
  • Identify the direct and indirect cost of each program
  • Research academic programs, including degree programs available, graduation rate, and transfer rate
  • Research academic and social supports, including transfer support
  • Determine your target enrollment date
  • Research application and enrollment requirements
• Activity
  • Research and compare 1-5 programs of interest (community colleges or programs within local community college)

Step 2: Build a financing plan

• Guiding question:  
  • How will I pay for community college?
• Objectives:
  • Determine eligibility for federal aid
  • If eligible, apply for FAFSA,
  • Assess remaining costs for top program choice after federal aid
  • For remaining expected direct or indirect costs, determine support options (fee waivers, grants, scholarships, loans)
  • Determine plan for financing any remaining costs
• Activity:
  • Draft a financing plan for top 3 options

Step 3: Apply

• Guiding question:  
  • How do I get into community college?
• Objectives:
  • Determine target enrollment date
  • Determine all application requirements for programs of choice
  • Identify support needed for application and enrollment and potential obstacles
• Activity:
  • Draft an application support plan
  • Follow plan to submit application(s)

Step 4: Enroll and register for classes

• Guiding question:  
  • How do I get started?
• Objectives:
  • If you applied to more than one program, compare financial, social, and academic fit of programs accepted to
  • Identify requirements for finalizing enrollment (orientation, course registration, academic counselor meeting)
  • If needed, revise financing plan based on final choice
• Activity:
  • Build an enrollment plan
  • Follow plan to complete enrollment and register for courses

Step 5: Build a success plan

• Guiding question:  
  • How can I ensure I successfully meet my academic goals in this program?
• Objectives:
  • Research support resources available through community college ( academic counselor, office hours, mental health supports, writing center, transfer counselor)
  • Identify support needed and potential obstacles to success
  • Build a program success plan
• Activity:
  • Draft a program success and transition plan
  • If planning to transfer, arrange and meet with transfer counselor to ensure well informed on transfer pathways

Step 1: Research your options

• Guiding questions:
  • What are my priorities in selecting campuses to apply to?
  • What is my likelihood of admission into the schools on my list?
• Objectives:
  • Utilize college research tools to identify 10-12 options
  • Identify the direct and indirect cost of each option
  • Research academic programs, including degree programs available, graduation rate, instructional philosophy
  • Research academic requirements, including standardized testing policies, average GPA, and selectivity
  • Research social components, including clubs and activities, campus diversity, campus size
  • Evaluate likelihood of admission to categorize schools as safety, match, and 
• Activity:
  • Build your initial college list of 8-12 schools
  • Revise your list to include a mix of safety match and reach schools

Step 2: Determine if admission tests are required

• Guiding questions:
  • What are the testing policies at the schools I’m applying to?
• Objectives:
  • Define test optional and test free schools
  • Identify test policies for each school on list
  • Determine if you should plan for standardized testing
  • If planning to test, determine whether you will prepare for ACT or SAT
  • If planning to test, build preparation plan 
  • If planning to test, register for tests 
• Activity:
  • Research test policies at schools on list
  • Build a testing plan if applicable

Step 3: Build an application plan

• Guiding questions:
  • What do I need to do to apply to college?
• Objectives:
  • Determine application type and requirements for each school on list
  • Start application portals as relevant
  • Determine whether you will apply early decision, early action, or regular decision
  • Determine application deadlines
• Activity:
  • Build college application tracker and application support plan

Step 4: Apply for Financial Aid

• Guiding question:  
  • How will I pay for college?
• Objectives:
  • Determine eligibility for federal aid
  • If eligible, apply for FAFSA
  • Use net price calculators to assess remaining costs for top program choice after federal/ state aid
  • For remaining expected direct or indirect costs, determine support options (fee waivers, grants, scholarships, loans)
  • Determine plan for financing any remaining costs
  • Begin a scholarship list
• Activity:
  • If eligible complete FAFSA
  • Begin scholarship list

Step 5: Draft college essays

• Guiding question:  
  • How do I tell my story in college essays?
• Objectives:
  • Identify common types of college essays
  • Determine values, strengths, skills, and challenges you want to convey in your essays
  • Brainstorm ideas for essays
  • Build outlines for your essays
  • Draft your essays
• Activity:
  • Brainstorm essay ideas
  • Draft essays
  • Revise essays

Step 7: Submit college applications

• Guiding question:  
  • How do I submit my strongest application?
• Objectives:
  • Identify common application mistakes
  • Revise and finalize application materials
  • Submit applications
  • Build a plan for checking application status
• Activity:
  • Revise and submit applications
  • Develop a support plan for checking admission status

Step 8: Apply  to scholarships

• Guiding question:  
  • How can I get scholarships to help pay for college
• Objectives:
  • Identify scholarship research tools
  • Select 10-12 scholarships to apply to
  • Determine application requirements
  • Build scholarship plan
• Activity:
  • Build a plan and apply to 10-12 scholarships

Step 9: Decide

• Guiding question:  
  • What college will I enroll in?
• Objectives:
  • Evaluate financial aid offers
  • Compare financial, academic, and social fit of schools accepted to
  • Determine requirements to accept offer and enroll
• Activity:
  • Complete financial aid offer comparison tool
  • Finalize selection and complete enrolment requirements

Step 10: Build a success plan

• Guiding question:  
  • How can I ensure I successfully meet my goals in this program?
• Objectives:
  • Identify housing plans
  • Determine personal financing plans
  • Determine orientation and course enrollment dates
  • Build a moving plan if applicable
  • Research support resources available through community college ( academic counselor, office hours, mental health supports, writing center, transfer counselor)
  • Identify support needed and potential obstacles to success
  • Build a transition plan
• Activity:
  • Draft a program success and transition plan
  • If planning to transfer, arrange and meet with transfer counselor to ensure well informed on transfer pathways

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 Academic Resources

Academic resources can be utilized regardless of whether you are currently experiencing academic difficulties or not. Many resources are there to help you familiarize with the new academic environment.

People to go to:

• Professors & Teaching assistants
  • If you have any course related questions, professors and teaching assistants (TAs) should be your first go-to. Professors and TAs generally have office hours which are intended to answer questions in smaller group settings. Reserve a time slot to chat if reservation is needed and bring your questions. Also, remember that professors can provide more than just academic support; they can also provide pointers on employment and how to navigate college in general. You can also get to know your professors better during office hours.
• Tutors
  • Because office hours hosted by professors and teaching assistants are usually limited, if extra help is needed with school work and you would like to receive more one-on-one guidance,  you could check with the apartment to see if they offer tutors. Many colleges offer tutor support for free. Tutors can be professional or peer tutors.
• Academic advisors
  • Academic advisors can help with a range of topics: course selection, major selection, major requirement, graduating requirement, general advice on college, pointers on which academic program to apply to, etc. It is good to check in with academic advisors regularly to make sure you are on track to complete your majors or that you are informed about different academic programs.  
• Academic dean
  • Academic deans are meant to serve you in addition to your professors and advisors. They tend to deal with topics that your professors and advisors may not have the answers to.

Places to visit:

• Writing center
  • Writing center is a great place to receive advice and tips on writing. Academic writing is new to many first year students and the writing center’s goal is to help you familiarize yourself with the format and polishing up your style. You don’t even need to bring a full draft if you just want to have a discussion with the staff member.
• Quantitative center
  • Guidance on problem sets in STEM subjects.
• Library
  • Research staff [Research staff can help you with using different databases, explain what resources the library has to offer]
  • Ordering/reserving books [Most textbooks that you will be using for class should be available at the library. For books that you need that the library does not have, you can request the library to borrow from another library or purchase.]
  • Online research resources [Many universities have subscriptions to online courses such as coursera, EdX]
  • Reserving studying space
• IT
  • Loaner computer and other electronic devices needed. [Consult with your school IT department to see if they provide any short term or long term loaning of a laptop if you do not currently have one.]

Extra-curriculum Resources

Want to discover a new hobby or develop leadership skills? Utilize extra curriculum resources to meet friends and gain meaningful experience. Not only can you get to know the campus more through these resources, you can also

• Students organizations
• School sponsored student center
  • Women’s center, LGBTQ center, International Student Center, etc.
• Study abroad programs
• Exchange program

  Career Resources

It is important to think about employment opportunities early and plan accordingly. Think about your objectives first—are you trying to explore different options and discover your interest? Or you already know what you are interested in and want to know how to get an offer? Depending on where you are in the career exploration process, you should be using different resources.

Student on-campus employment opportunities:

• Academic-related
  • Teaching assistant, tutor, research assistant, lab assistant
• School functional arms
  • IT, dining hall, library, gym etc.
• Student organizations
  • Student organized clubs sometimes offer paid leadership positions
• Resource centers 
  • For instance, centers such as women’s center, first generation student center, international student center may offer paid student positions

 Internship/full time:

• Career center 
  • Provides one-on-one appointments [discuss career interest, receive feedback on resume/cover letter, mock interview, learn about on-campus interview schedules]
• Job fair (regional/on-campus)
  • Gain exposure to different industries & companies quickly
• Company info sessions
  • Learn about company culture, fit, interview process
• Workshops
  • Some companies will host workshops to help students gain a better understanding of their company environment or skill. A few companies hosts workshop to expose students to a particular skill valued by the company; for instance, a tech company may host coding workshops on campus to simulate the work environment at that company
  • The career center at many universities often host workshops to help students prepare resumes and cover letters or introduce them to particular industries
• Alumni network
  • Reach out to alumni to learn more about their industries and how to break into them
• Student organizations to prepare for recruiting
  • Accounting club, finance club, consulting club, etc.

Health Resources

It is important to take care of your bodily and mental health while at college.

• Bodily health
  • health center
  • fitness center
• Mental health resources
  • Counseling center
  • Helplines
  • Resource center
• Understanding health insurance

Financial Resources

Colleges and universities offer a range of resources to financially support its students.

• Scholarship
  • Pre-graduation & post-graduation
  • Scholarship office
• Financial aid
• Student loans
• Federal grants
• Emergency aid
• Banking information

Campus life

• Student Housing Resources
  • Residential life office
  • Dinning resources