High School Students & Families
Programs & Services
Prepare for College & Career
College Now advisors provide support and resources to middle school students, high school students and adult learners to prepare for and explore educational opportunities after high school, including 2-year, 4-year college and technical/vocational certificate programs. College Now advisors serve 29,000 students each year – students starting as early as middle school, traditional high school students and adult learners – in more than 185 settings, including schools, our downtown Resource Center, businesses and community settings.
Prepare for College & Career
At College Now, advisors are uniquely trained to match individuals of all ages and levels of experience with the educational pathways to wealth-creating occupations. This is not a “one size fits all” approach. For some the educational pathway might be a four-year degree in accounting; for others, a two-year nursing degree; and still for others, an 18-month welding apprenticeship.
College Now advisors meet students where they are, assess their education and career experience and goals, and match them with the opportunities that are their best fit.
College and Career Access Advising
College Now advisors provide guidance and resources to students to prepare for and explore postsecondary educational opportunities, including two-year, four-year and certificate programs. With the help of College Now advisors, students develop a college and career plan by:
- determining skills and interests
- exploring career fields and coinciding
- academic programs
- navigating the admissions process, and
- registering for required tests
Financial Aid and Student Loan Counseling
College Now offers advising in schools, in our Resource Center and at community venues on student financial aid, including:
- learning about financial aid options
- completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), federal, state, institutional and private grants, loans and scholarships
- evaluating financial aid award packages
The advisors focus on helping students achieve a goal of securing maximum financial aid with minimal loan debt.
Scholarship and Retention Services
To be selected to receive a College Now scholarship, students must attend a high school served by a College Now advisor. Winners are selected based on recommendations by the advisor, and students must meet our criteria for academic performance (high school grades and SAT/ACT test scores) and have financial need.
Learn more about the schools College Now serves across Greater Cleveland. Talk to your advisor for more information on our scholarships, including eligibility and requirements.
You can also access Scholarship Renewal Forms here.
Educational Pathways
There is a misalignment between employer demand and worker supply in Northeast Ohio. Research tells us that occupations which offer family-sustaining wages and hold promise for future employment and income almost all require a postsecondary professional or technical training credential. We also know that the proportion of jobs that require postsecondary credentials has continued to rise, but educational attainment of Northeast Ohio residents has not kept pace. By 2020, 64% of Ohio jobs will require a postsecondary credential, but only 43% of Cleveland residents have this level of education, leaving a 21% gap (Lumina Foundation, 2015).
At College Now, advisors are uniquely trained to match individuals of all ages and levels of experience with the educational pathways that make good-paying jobs in in-demand fields attainable. This is not a “one size fits all” approach. For some the educational pathway might be a four-year degree in accounting; for others, a two-year nursing degree; and still for others, an 18-month welding apprenticeship.
College Now advisors meet students where they are, assess their education and career experience and goals, and match them with the opportunities that are the best fit.
