Financial Aid Programs for Low Income Students

1. Financial Aid Programs for Low Income Students Lois Douglass Financial Aid Counselor, UNC-Chapel Hill Julie Rice Mallette Assoc. Vice Provost & Dir. OSFA NC State Emily Bliss, Director OSFA UNCW

2. The Carolina Covenant • What is It? • Announced in 2003, but first entering class in 2004-05. • A promise for students to graduate debt-free who are at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. • Meet 100% of need with grants, scholarships, work-study, no loans. • Receive a laptop grant. • Summer Orientation fees and housing on campus for student and one parent. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

3. The Carolina Covenant • Poverty Guidelines The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

4. Characteristics of Covenant Scholars* [*] The income threshold for consideration for the Carolina Covenant was initially established at 150% of federal poverty guidelines. Starting in fall 2005, it was increased to encompass students with parents’ adjusted gross income up to 200% of the federal poverty standard.

5. Characteristics of Covenant Scholars, cont. Fall FallFallFallFallFall 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Average Parental Income First Year Scholars $18,428 $22,967 $22,484 $23,972 $22,913 $26,026 All Covenant Scholars $23,086 $24,551 $25,856 $26,716 $27,744 Average Expected Family Contribution First Year Scholars $ 769 $ 1,221 $ 1,060 $ 951 $ 910 $ 681 All Covenant Scholars $ 1,415 $ 1,508 $ 1,469 $ 1,505 $ 1,079 Percentage of Award by Type of Assistance (All Covenant Scholars) Grant 91.2% 88.8% 86.7% 87.2% 86.9% 93.1% Loan 3.2 5.41 7.2 7.1 8.3 5.0 Work Study 5.6 5.9 6.1 5.6 4.7 1.9 Percentage of Award by Source of Assistance (All Covenant Scholars) Federal 40.5% 36.0% 35.1% 35.6% 35.5% 30.4% State 13.4 18.9 17.8 18.9 21.0 28.6 Institutional/Other 46.1 45.1 47.1 45.5 43.5 41.0 Fall 2009 data as of December 1, 2009, Office of Institutional Research and Assessment

6. The Carolina Covenant • More than Financial Aid • Summer Orientation for students and parents • Faculty Mentoring Program • Peer Mentoring Program • Programming for students through Learning Center, Career Services, Memorial Hall, Medical School, Student Advisory Board • Academic counseling – monitoring grades, and intrusive contracts for summer restoration of grades The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

7. The Carolina Covenant • Other Access Initiatives and websites • Covenant Website: http://www.unc.edu/carolinacovenant/ • Access Initiatives Clearinghouse: http://studentaid.unc.edu/pdf/misc/CollegeAccessInitiatives.pdf • Poverty Guidelines: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/09poverty.shtml • Development Office support – major fund raising campaigns for support programs. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

8. NC State’s Pack Promise • Approved by the Board of Trustees in April 2006 • Communication Plan • www.ncsu.edu/packpromise

9. NC State’s Pack Promise • Meets 100% of need for up to 9 semesters for students from families with incomes at or below 150% of poverty level. • Parents must not have significant assets (less than $100K) • Not a debt-free commitment • Provides mentoring and academic support in addition to funding

10. NC State’s Pack Promise • Numbers of New Students Funded Per Year: • 2006-07 – 315 • 2007-08 – 319 • 2008-09 – 332 • 2009-10 – 285 • Cumulative Total Pack Promise Scholars Per Year • 2006-07 – 315 • 2007-08 – 576 • 2008-09 – 833 • 2009-10 – 1058 (enrolled for fall 2009 as of 8/31/09)

11. NC State’s PackPromise • 91% NC Resident (compared to 89% of all FR) • 9% Non-Resident (compared to 11% of all FR) • 53% Male (compared to 53% of all FR) • 47% Female (compared to 47% of all FR) • Ethnic Diversity of Pack Promise Scholars • Enrolled Ethnic Group • Number (based on fall 09 ethnic enrollment data) • Caucasian 494 2.8% • Native American 15 12.4% • African American 328 16.7% • Asian 112 9.5% • Hispanic 68 10.1% • Unknown/Multi 41 4.3%

12. Greensboro Guarantee • Implemented for first time in 2010-2011 • Individual academic success plan to be developed for students • Full time academic advisor assigned to cohort • Will keep them on track to graduate in 4 years • Will meet with students 3 to 4 times per semester

13. Greensboro Guarantee Services to be offered • Tutoring • Mentoring from within the Greensboro University and the surrounding community • Workshops on study skills, time management, money management, etc.

14. UNCW’s SOAR • 200% of Poverty • 2.5 GPA • Verification • Opportunities for Non-Financial Aid Programs • Graduated Increments of Grant Funding • Desired Outcomes

15. UNCW’s SOAR • Tried to run as a financial aid program only • Awarded too late in the year • Were not able to keep loans as low as we would have liked • Not as many students in the 200% range as we had expected • Had difficulty tracking due to time

16. UNCW’s SOARRevamped Program • Still at 200% poverty • Will contact upon admission for freshmen • Base amount will be $3000 • Students can receive more if they participate in different programs • Job Shadowing • GPA 3.0 • Leadership activities • Work or volunteer

17. UNCW’s SOARRevamped Succeeded in getting buy-in from other offices • Tutoring Lab • Counseling Center • Center for Leadership • Advising (freshmen seminar) • Dean of Students • Diversity Office

18. UNCW’s SOARRevamped Financial Aid will • Award Funds • Track academic success of students • Track involvement of students • Meet with students at least once a year • Survey students to see what works and what doesn’t • Try to get more funding

19. Working with funds you have • Identify an amount of current funding and direct it to a single cohort • Ask for funding from your budget office, then ask again, and then again. Do not stop until they give you some to keep you from asking • Ask your Advancement Office for help • Do not give up. Sometimes this takes years.

20. Questions