How was Warren High first in the state for financial aid submissions three years in a row? Watch how they did it
This video was edited by Carlos Salgado.
If you want to hear more about the amazing college going culture of Warren High, check out this podcast episode.
[MUSIC PLAYING] ADRIAN PEREZ: We noticed that students who were primarily Latino males, African American students, Indigenous, they were the least likely to ask for support or help with financial aid or college application.
RAQUEL PEREZ: We noticed that those were the students that weren’t applying to four-year universities. Even though they were A-G eligible, they had the GPA qualifications.
ADRIAN PEREZ: Oftentimes, they’re first-generation college students, and so those were the students that typically didn’t have that support at home. We developed that list based on that criteria, on the numbers of students who didn’t really apply to financial aid or college applications. And so ever since then, we’ve been targeting those students and providing more in-depth support.
We actually joined CARPE back in 2019. I remember our director at that time, John Harris, he approached me, and he said that– he was challenging us to meet a– I believe it was 70% rate of submission for financial aid applications. And so after that, we placed three in the state.
And then ever since then, that motivated us to really push hard and to support our students. But a lot of it had to do with things that we learned with CARPE. Being part of CARPE actually really helped us streamline our process and be more intentional and become more data-driven.
RAQUEL PEREZ: We have students share out and giving their perspective, and coming to the center and making those connections and feeling welcomed and knowing that they have a place to go, a safe place to receive support.
ADRIAN PEREZ: By inputting all that data and putting all the data that is offered through CSAC, plus what we request from the SIS, we’re able to break down specifically students by GPA, by special programs that they’re part of.
NAYELHI R: One of my teachers, Ms. Croft, from the beginning of the year, she told us to start planning what schools we’re going to go to, what we need to be able to succeed this year. And she also recommended to come to a College and Career Center to seek some help. And it really did help a lot.
ADRIAN PEREZ: It was a bit challenging in the beginning. But as the years progressed, we started to invite teachers and really just reach out to them ourselves. The fact that we do have a lot of buy-in from our administration has really made the difference because when it comes straight from the top, you really have no other choice but then to move forward with what you’re being asked to do. So that really helped get the buy-in from our teachers.
RAQUEL PEREZ: Reaching out to our athletic director and giving a list of all the students that are athletes that haven’t completed their financial aid applications really helps because those coaches will remind their students at practice, it’s coming from somebody that they respect, and it really helps for them.
Sometimes, they’ll cancel practice and just bring their kids in to make sure need to get this done. It’s important. When athletics have a big group of seniors on their team, and that pressure is there, they’re going to do what they need, what’s best for their kids. So our most wanted list are the students that have completely avoided us.
ADRIAN PEREZ: We’ve summonsed them. We’ve called home. We’ve called them out of class, but they’ve just ignored us. And so that’s how that list came to be.
RAQUEL PEREZ: That list is shared with basically our whole school. So admin reach out, counselors reach out. If security sees a student that is on that list, they’ll even ask like, did you do your financial aid application? It says that you haven’t. Why haven’t you done it? So it’s our last push in making sure that these students and parents know the importance of completing the financial aid application.
ADRIAN PEREZ: So that really helped me understand that I need to take time to do that and really explain to students and equip them and really teach them how to fill out these applications. So that way, they’re self-sufficient and not always depending on someone else, because someone else is not always going to be there.