Report Release: Reengaging COVID-Disconnected College Students in Newark

Report Release: Reengaging COVID-Disconnected College Students in Newark

by | Sep 9, 2024 | Blog

By Elisabeth Kim, Ph.D., Bernie Lombardi, Ph.D., and Robyn Ince, Ed.M.

FROM THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICY LAB

The New Jersey State Policy Lab, in collaboration with the Newark City of Learning Collaborative (NCLC), has released a new report that examines barriers and opportunities to reengaging COVID-disconnected college students ages 18 to 26 in Newark, NJ. In New Jersey, postsecondary enrollment dropped 6.7% from the spring of 2021 to the spring of 2022, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Newark experienced an even greater drop of 9% in undergraduate enrollment.

Our report informs the “narrative gap” between dropout youth (as articulated in NJ Assembly Bill 398 which established the Office of Dropout Prevention and Reengagement of Out-of-School Youth and the Student Dropout Prevention Task Force), and the 18- to 26-year-olds who are not currently enrolled in college. As a part of this research, from December 2023 to May 2024, we conducted listening sessions, focus groups and/or interviews with 22 disconnected youth between the ages of 18 and 26, as well as 10 representatives of local community-based organizations (CBOs) that work with this population. We explored their exposure to planning for the future while in high school, factors that dissuaded them from enrolling or reenrolling in college, youth mindset around college enrollment, social-emotional factors impacting mindset, COVID’s impact on college enrollment, and available opportunities and supports in Newark. We also completed a landscape scan of nine community-based organizations providing support to Newark youth who are disconnected from college.

We found that youth in Newark are mostly exposed to planning for the future through their high school teachers and school counselors, but they would like to engage in more college visits and receive support that is targeted to students with goals other than traditional 4-year colleges as well. Disconnected youth, including those who are “college ready,” are dissuaded from enrolling in postsecondary education by financial issues, social-emotional factors impacted by life events such as the death of a family member, and the assumption that college is not for them. To address immediate financial needs and obligations, they often have to work to make ends meet in the now but are unsure how to and/or lack the privilege of time and resources to plan for long-term goals.

The COVID-19 pandemic and virtual schooling further exacerbated these feelings of disconnection. Some of those who had started on a path toward postsecondary education quit during this period and are unsure of who to turn to in order to get the support and guidance they need in how to apply to or return to college. Many disconnected youth still feel that college is a worthwhile investment to attain their goals though some question its utility in a modern technology-based society. These youth do have access to several Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) in Newark that offer support with planning for the future but are not always sure how to access it. Since they have graduated from high school but are not enrolled in college, they are not sure where to go for support.

Our policy recommendations:

  • Further collaboration is needed between CBOs working with this population so that disconnected youth can take advantage of available support.
  • It is important that the Student Dropout Prevention Task Force also collaborates with CBOs working with this population.
  • We must begin to think of this population of 18- to 26-year-olds who have graduated from high school but are not currently enrolled in college as a distinct group that is different from those who have dropped out of high school or college.
  • More data must be collected about this group so that we understand their unique context and can develop appropriate strategies to reach out to them and support them in planning for the future.
  • Colleges and universities must begin to think of new creative ways to reach out to college disconnected youth and provide programming that is engaging and motivating for them.

This is an important time for the youth of New Jersey. It is our hope that – through initiatives such as New Jersey Senate Bill 3080, which establishes the Youth Disconnection Prevention and Recovery Ombudsperson (YDPRO) in the Department of Education and the School Disconnection Prevention Task Force, as well as the work of researchers, local CBOs, policymakers, and colleges and universities to build better supports for the transition to and thriving in college – strategies will be developed to best support youth who are “college-ready” yet currently disconnected from college. With the right people at the table and youth’s voices at the center of policy development and program creation, we can have a positive impact on their futures.

What is the FAFSA? (And other Financial Aid Terms)

What is the FAFSA? (And other Financial Aid Terms)

by | Apr 18, 2024 | Blog, Resources

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is a form used to be considered for financial aid for school. Though it is provided through an office of the US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, the form is the key for students to be considered for federal aid, state aid, and institutional aid to pursue their postsecondary goals.

What does ‘postsecondary’ mean?

Postsecondary education can be many things. It can be a degree from a four-year or two-year institution, like a university or community college. Postsecondary can also mean vocational or technical school (like cosmetology school), or programs that provide the student with an industry-recognized credential (like a culinary arts specialist, an automotive technician, or a medical assistant).

What does ‘financial aid’ mean?

Financial aid is a general term for funds that help a student pay for their education. Aid can come from multiple sources and can have different expectations. For example, a student can receive aid from the federal government, from the state, or from the school/program to which they apply.

Types of aid:

Federal Loans: Money from the federal government that must be paid back after completing postsecondary education. There are subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans. Subsidized loans are available to undergraduate students with financial need and do not accrue interest while students are in school. Unsubsidized loans are available for undergraduate and graduate students, with no requirement to demonstrate financial need. However, unsubsidized loans will accrue interest while students are still in school. Still, interest rates are fixed and often much lower than those from private or bank loans. Parent PLUS loans are an additional federal student loan option. These should be considered a last resort for aid.

Grants: Money granted that is usually based on the student’s financial need. This is money that does not need to be paid back by the student. Grants can be awarded from the student’s school, from the government, or from other entities. Usually, the FAFSA is required to be considered for a grant.

Scholarships: Money granted that is usually merit-based. This is money that does not need to be paid back by the student. Scholarships can be awarded from the student’s school, or from other entities. For example, students can apply for scholarships wherever they can be found (through corporations, community organizations, faith-based institutions, etc.). Sometimes scholarships have expectations (i.e. maintaining a minimum GPA or a certain number of credits). If scholarship expectations are not met, the student’s scholarship may not be renewed for the following year. It is important to understand any requirements associated with a scholarship. Usually, a FAFSA is required to be considered for a grant.

Gifts: Money outside of the student’s (or student’s parents’ income) that can be used to pay for school. For example, money that a student’s grandparent set aside when they were born could be considered a gift.

Work-Study: The federal work-study program provides students with an opportunity to work part-time at their school for extra money while attending school. Money earned by the student is theirs to keep. A FAFSA is required to be considered for a grant.

Private/Bank Loans: Loans that a student or student’s family may apply for, and do not require a FAFSA. These types of loans have variable interest rates which are much higher interest rates and require students to begin repayment immediately. Credit checks will be part of a private or bank loan process. It is highly recommended that students seek other forms of financial aid before turning to private or bank loans.

Students should visit the Federal Student Aid website to complete a FAFSA form.

Quick FAFSA facts:

  • The FAFSA must be re-submitted for every year that a student attends school.
  • FAFSA uses federal tax information to help determine a student’s eligibility for aid.
  • Students are not required to accept any of the awards they receive because of the FAFSA. It is simply the key to open the door to financial aid options.
  • The State of New Jersey has an organization called the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) dedicated to supporting students in postsecondary financial aid. This office exists solely to support a student’s journey through seeking financial aid to attend school.
  • There is an alternate process for students who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA in New Jersey. NJ Dreamers is the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application.
  • The government may not use information provided on the FAFSA for any purpose other than postsecondary financial aid. The FUTURE Act, among other stipulations, places strict limits on how information can be used. Federal Student Aid states that “Federal Tax Information” will only be available to institutions, state higher education agencies, and designated scholarship organizations.