The National College Access Network (NCAN) is currently researching, identifying and promoting the use of researched based best practices for college access programs.  In an effort to share best practices among member programs of the network, NCAN launched its first Best Practices Gallery that was held at the 2005 National Conference in Las Vegas.  If you are in the process of establishing a programs or seeking ideas for additional program components or capacity building, click on the link below view the roster, contact information and type of practice for member programs that exhibited at the conference.  You may want to contact these programs for additional information and/or materials to review as you examine the options for your program.  In addition, NCAN is also willing to provide Technical Assistance to member programs wishing to add components or build capacity for your program.  For technical assistance request forms, please click here.

BEST PRACTICE CHARACTERIZATIONS

NCAN has established six areas of best practices for college access programs.  Below are the areas and the characterizations associated with each.  Please note that while the list covers a vast amount of college access programming, there may be some areas not mentioned that can certainly be considered a best practice.  

Academic Preparation and Enrichment –
The ultimate goal of academic prep activities is to prepare students for college-level work.  The strongest indicators of student success include taking rigorous core academic courses, especially Math and English.  At a minimum, students should graduate from high school college-qualified, that is, having taken the correct number and type of courses to be qualified for college admission.  The practices that have yielded results in this category are widely varied from well-structured one-on-one tutoring programs to state-level academic reform.  Preparing students for college-level academics is usually done in collaboration with schools in order to create systemic change. 

College Admissions Advising, Awareness, Experience, and Materials –
The college admissions advising category is primarily concerned with helping students apply to college through application and essay assistance, college visits, college selection assistance, and accessible technological infrastructure.  It is widely acknowledged that the process of applying to college begins long before the senior year.  Developing college aspirations as early as the eighth grade has a strong effect on whether a student will attend college.  Practices in this category that have yielded results primarily include information dissemination through required information courses for students, information workshops, and developing parental and peer involvement.  Additional effective practices include, having adequate counseling resources and well-structured mentoring programs. 

Financial Aid Advising, Awareness, Support, Assistance, and Materials –
As the price of college increases, it is becoming increasingly important to structure financial assistance effectively.  Merit aid has been widely criticized for assisting primarily upper and middle-income students and doing little for at-risk students.  Other funding schemes have been more successful with at-risk students, including providing last-dollar scholarships and guaranteed scholarships to students before they enter high school.

Personal Growth and Development –
The personal growth category is concerned with developing the skills students need to pursue their ambitions, understand themselves, and become leaders.  Practices that have yielded results in this category include career counseling, social skills development, cultural awareness activities, internships, co-curricular activities, and community-based activities. 

College Enrollment, Success, and Retention Efforts –
Once a student has been admitted to college, practices in the retention category seek to ensure that they enroll and persist to college degree completion.  Academic support services including peer tutoring, counseling and academic advising, summer programs, mentoring, retreats, workshops, test taking and study skills development have all helped students persist to degree completion.  For last dollar scholarship recipients, having well-communicated scholarship eligibility requirements and accessible financial aid staff are effective student retention practices.

College Access Program Administration and Support –
Behind every great college access practice is a great college access administrator.  Several key principles have been identified as effective practices in supporting college access activities.  These include having a consistent leader who creates strong relationships with students, staff, and sponsors over a long period of time; collecting demographic and achievement data on programs; conducting rigorous program evaluations and evaluating cost effectiveness; tracking students through at least their first term in college; collaborating with schools; and developing a coordinated public funding structure.