Published: January 23, 2008 11:11 am            

WC implements college prep for area high schools

Weatherford College and the school districts in 25 surrounding areas are partnering to assist nearly 2,000 seniors in high schools over the next two years in completing the college admissions process to assure each receives a letter of acceptance to Weatherford College as well as their high school diploma during their respective commencement ceremonies.

The program, WC College Connection, is being funded by a $22,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Seniors in all 25 Weatherford College service-area high schools are eligible to participate in the admissions program.

To date, high schools in 20 area school districts have committed to participate in College Connection. They are Aledo, Alvord, Boyd, Bridgeport, Brock, Bryson, Chico, Decatur, Gordon, Granbury, Jacksboro, Lipan, Millsap, Mineral Wells, Peaster, Perrin-Whitt, Poolville, Santo, Springtown and Strawn.

“We want to create an expectation in these seniors that college can be part of their future,” said Vicki Traweek, Weatherford College director of distance education and dual credit, who along with Glenn Yockey, Weatherford College dean of enrollment management, will direct the program.

Weatherford College will provide assistance with testing, advising, all phases of financial aid and the college admissions process to the seniors at their respective schools.

The College Connection program was developed to increase an awareness of the importance of post-secondary education for all seniors and to increase participation in college. It is part of the Closing the Gaps initiative that was established by the Texas Coordinating Board to help increase the number of students in Texas colleges and universities to 1.5 million by 2015.

Traweek, Yockey and their team will begin making presentations to student assemblies in the participating schools in February, emphasizing current and future career fields, college life and expectations, financial aid and the nuts ’n bolts of enrollment processes.

All seniors at the schools will be able to take college placement tests, if needed, and Weatherford College employees also will help complete college financial aid paperwork, ensuring that students will be ready to go when they graduate whether they attend Weatherford College or another college or university.

Weatherford College was one of 10 Texas colleges to receive the THECB grant.

For additional information about the grant or participation, contact Traweek or Yockey at Weatherford College, (817) 598-6218 or (817) 598-6247, respectively.

        

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