Register  |  Login    
 Alaska College and Career Advising Corps

Alaska’s historical pattern of low rates of college-going was the catalyst for the development of a peer mentor program in conjunction with state and national partners. This new initiative is based on a model developed by the National College Advising Corps (NCAC).  NCAC’s model takes recent college graduates - one year or less - and trains them in college access and success strategies. It then places them in target high schools with a high concentration of potential first-generation college students, low-income, and minority students.

These College and Career Guides work along-side counselors and career resource staff to help students get on track. Because they are close to the students in age, and have only recently completed the college experience themselves, they are best suited to connect with students that might otherwise fall through the cracks.

College and Career Guides start candid conversations about the future, and help students:

  • explore careers and develop a career plan
  • apply to colleges and postsecondary institutions
  • find scholarships and other financial aid

The ultimate goal of the program is to increase the number of high school students who graduate from secondary school and enroll in and complete postsecondary education with an emphasis on underserved populations while developing strategies for long-term program sustainability.

During Alaska’s project pilot phase, two College and Career Guides worked alongside guidance counselors at Service High School in Anchorage to help motivate, encourage, and assist students with career exploration and higher education preparation. The guides, recent University of Alaska Anchorage graduates, brought a unique perspective to Service High’s student engagement activities.

Since the pilot launch in March 2009, the program engaged more than 2,400 students at Service High in outreach services, ranging from individualized college and career advising to information about financial aid and college entrance exams. In Spring of 2010, the program expanded to Bartlett High in Anchorage. The next stage of the program is sustainable statewide expansion. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Greg Monrad, ACAC Program Manager.

 Going to College in Alaska

The annually published Going to College in Alaska magazine gives a quick and easy comparison of all postsecondary institutions in Alaska, and also provides helpful financial aid information. It is mailed to every high school junior in the state.

Our online version of the magazine is now HERE!
 Alaska Career Information System (AKCIS)
This interactive online career and college planning system is available free to all Alaskans. It offers detailed information, assessments, and activities to help students from middle school through college, including those returning to school, to create a personal career plan.
Students and adult job seekers can create a portfolio to:
  • build custom resumes
  • keep track of assessment results
  • save information about programs of study and careers that interest them

 

Parent and teacher resources are available, as well! Learn more about AKCIS at www.akcis.org.

Offered in partnership with the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. 

 College Goal Sunday

Offered at the end of January or early in February, Alaska College Goal Sunday is a 2-hour event providing free assistance with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial aid professionals from Alaska’s higher education institutions and the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education walk students and their families through the process at designated sites across the state. Learn more at www.alaskacollegegoalsunday.com.

If you’re interested in volunteering for or hosting an event in your community, please contact ACPE Community Liaison Christina Campbell.

Co-sponsored by ACPE, the University of Alaska, and the Coalition of Alaskans Supporting Higher Education (CASHE).