1. College Transition for
Students at Risk
Challenges and Opportunities for
At-Risk & Special Needs
College Bound High School Seniors

2. Introductions
O Jeff Brain, MA, CTS, CEP
Dean of Admissions
The Bridge Program at The Family Foundation
School
O Mike Kowalchick, MA
Assistant Head of School for Internal Affairs
The Forman School
O Jeff Dvorak, M.Ed.
Educational Consultant & College Counselor
Educo Consulting

3. Challenges
O Readiness for College
O Managing independence, responsibilities
(academically, emotionally, behaviorally)
O Drop-out/failure rates

4. Data
O 30% - 35% of college and university students
drop out after their first year.
O private and four-year public schools that used
to expend more energy recruiting students
than retaining them are struggling to prevent
students from dropping out or "dropping
down“
O The United States does a good job enrolling
teenagers in college, but only half of students
who enroll end up with a bachelor’s degree
O 56 percent of college students complete four-
year degrees within six years. Only 29 percent
of those who start two-year degrees finish
them within three years

5. Solutions – Preparing Students
O Exposure to college level work and
academic expectations
O Exposure to freedoms/independence
O Opportunities for decision making
O Experience with managing
failure, loneliness, and finding supportive
peer group

6. Solutions – Preparing Parents
O Balancing support with room to
experience realities
O Manage expectations
O Learning to trust

7. Program Example:
Bridge at FFS
O Preparation as part O Phases
of process O Residential
O Commuter
O Independent

8. Preparing
O Be honest. Student performance, class
content, course
offerings, grades, activities.
O Start the college/career process early. Do
college tours, career days, parent
workshops.
O Create a process for evaluating college
readiness
O Provide extra support and get outside help
when necessary

9. Applying
• GPA and course rigor. The number one
indicator of potential college success is good
grades
• Standardized test: ACT vs. SAT. I like ACT
• Activities. All students need to show interests
other then school. These should be sustained
and focused
• Leadership. Start a club, captain the soccer
team, be a manager at work, compete in a
science fair
• Good essays that tell something unique about
you. Be honest about your LD or past
struggles

10. Wrap Up
O Share experiences
O Be realistic about the challenges
O Be pro-active in talking about and
addressing those challenges
O Consider what your school is doing to
prepare students for success

11. References
O 1
www.usnews.com/education/articles/2009/08/19
/dropouts-loom-large-for-schools
O 2
http://www.brighthub.com/education/college/artic
les/82378.aspx
O 3
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/business/ec
onomy/09leonhardt.html?_r=0
O 4
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/27/us-
attn-andrea-education-dropouts-
idUSBRE82Q0Y120120327