This story is based on reporting by Olivia Sanchez for The Hechinger Report.
The broadcast version is by Terri Dee for Indiana News Service, reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News Service Collaboration


College admission counselors generally review an applicant's grade-point average, school activities and volunteer work to decide if a student would be a good fit. But some institutions are looking beyond the 'traditional' student profile with an online tool before granting acceptance.

Technology called the "Common App" includes a question which allows a potential student to explain their outside obligations.

Tricia Ross Anderson, college admission program director for the Making Caring Common project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, said many of the skills can contribute to a successful academic experience.

"I think many colleges are looking at this as, this is a student who can manage a lot. And this is really impressive, right?" Ross Anderson pointed out. "You might have time management skills; if you're translating, you've got language skills and translation skills. So, I think this can speak to a lot of students' strengths and skills, absolutely."

The app asks if the applicant is responsible for caring for siblings, transporting an older family member, or managing their finances. The belief is if a student is getting good grades while managing multiple responsibilities, their tenacity and time management skills could be good indicators of academic ability.

Enrollment numbers for Illinois colleges and universities for this school year total nearly 696,000. Most institutions are unaware of an applicant's home and family responsibilities.

Ross Anderson noted the app allows better insight into a student's life. She also encouraged students to include the information in college applications.

"The tricky part is that a lot of students don't know to include this information as part of their application," Ross Anderson explained. "Then there's not a great place to put it on the current application. I think all colleges are happy to review it when it is included."

Since 2022, about two dozen colleges have accessed the app while reviewing student applications, and 66% of students who applied to a dozen colleges checked at least one box on the app.

This story was produced with original reporting by Olivia Sanchez for The Hechinger Report.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

First generation students attending the University of New Hampshire benefit from a growing trove of campus resources to ensure their success.

The school was recently selected to join the FirstGen Forward Network, which helps create campus environments that improve the academic and social experiences of these students - all of whom are the first in their families to attend higher education.

Donna Perez, executive director of UHS's Institute for Student Success, said many first gen students are navigating college on their own.

"Some of that social capital, or networking or familiarity with a college campus that continuing generation students might have," said Perez, "some first gen students don't have that when they get here."

Perez said inclusion in the FirstGen Forward Network is a boon for UNH, connecting it to peer institutions nationwide also working to improve first gen student outcomes.

Research shows that once on campus, first gen students are less likely to complete a degree.

Twenty percent of undergraduate students on the UNH Durham campus are first gen. That number jumps to more than 40% in Manchester, and nearly 70% in the College of Professional Studies Online.

Perez said staff routinely work with these students to build confidence in engaging with campus organizations or even attending a professor's office hours.

She said it helps when they see a "proud first gen" sticker on their instructor's door.

"So, we're trying to build an identity that we have not previously had on the campus for what being a first-gen student is," said Perez, "and we're lucky to have lots of our administrators, faculty, and staff who were first-gen themselves."

Perez said that includes the Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, and even the president of UNH herself.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.





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College financial aid experts in Massachusetts say this year's phased rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid should be error free.

The revised form, which unlocks student loans and grants for millions of American students will be tested by select schools starting in October before a full launch on Dec. 1.

Julie Shields-Rutyna, director of college planning for the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, said she feels optimistic families will avoid the stress of last school year's technical debacle.

"Hopefully, most of those glitches are fixed," Shields-Rutyna stressed. "Hopefully the dream of the simplified FAFSA will start to be realized this year."

She pointed out students can get a jump start on their college plans by registering for upcoming admissions and financial aid webinars designed to help families more easily navigate what can often be a stressful process.

A recent survey of nearly 400 private colleges and universities revealed FAFSA delays and technical errors may have already altered this fall's incoming class. Roughly 75% of schools reported changes in the composition of their first-year students while more than 40% said enrollment is down from last year.

Shields-Rutyna observed students with parents lacking Social Security numbers suffered numerous delays while some students are still waiting to finalize their financial aid awards.

"Some of those students who had so many problems," Shields-Rutyna acknowledged. "They might have made other decisions because it was just, just too much to get through."

She added aid experts saw firsthand the challenges many students experienced in trying to determine whether they could afford college. Fortunately, the aid experts also experienced the FAFSA glitches and are better prepared to help families with any potential issues that lay ahead.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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Student parents at New Mexico's community colleges represent a significant portion of the postsecondary population.

And while the state has taken steps to help them, graduation is an uphill climb.

A study across nine New Mexico higher state education institutions by the research center Child Trends, found most parents pursuing an advanced degree are taking six-to-11 credit hours.

The nonprofit's Senior Research Scientist Renee Ryberg said most have more than one child - which means they're balancing kids, academics and a job.

"Three-quarters of them are working, and to make all that fit in the 24 hours in a day," said Ryberg, "they're going to school largely part-time - 85% are pursuing degrees and certificates."

Ryberg said almost 60% of student parents work at least 30 hours a week.

In New Mexico, three-quarters of student parents are mothers and 33% say they have no formal child care, while the same percentage relies on unpaid relatives or friends.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says without access to child care, many student parents may miss classes and drop out.

Ryberg said community colleges offer students higher educational opportunities with less financial strain, more flexible schedules and smaller class sizes.

Currently, tuition and fees for full-time, in-state enrollment at a public two-year college average about $4,000 per year, compared to $11,000 at a public four-year institution.

Nonetheless, Ryberg said many parents, especially women eventually benefit from a few more years in the classroom.

"If that single mom has an associate's degree, she earns $367,000 more across her lifetime," said Ryberg, "and if she has a bachelor's degree, she earns more than $600,000 more across her lifetime than a single mom with a high school degree."

A recent report on best community colleges by the personal finance site, WalletHub, lists Santa Fe Community College and Southeast New Mexico College as 4th and 5th in the nation.

San Juan college nabbed 15th place among the country's top 20.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.




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