Alumni advise high schoolers

August 19, 2008, The Daily Tar Heel, Chapel Hill, NC - By Kellen Moore

Nineteen recent UNC graduates are going back to high school.

They'll be part of the Carolina College Advising Corps, trained to help about 7,000 N.C. students from across the state tackle the college application beast.

They, too, feel pre-class jitters.

"There's definitely some anxiety about how I'm going to fit in," said CCAC adviser Pharen Bowman. "Meeting new teenagers is always a challenge because you never know how they're going to interact with you."

The advisers - three of whom are returning for a second year with the program - underwent a comprehensive six-week training session this summer to prepare for an influx of student questions.

They toured almost 20 college campuses, learned all about applications and navigated the financial aid process, which some advisers said was the most difficult part.

"You don't really want to mess up anybody's money," said CCAC adviser Dexter Robinson.

Several advisers said they felt poised to set up new programs in their two assigned schools after completing the training.

"One of the strong points about our training was they gave us so many ideas, but they were very honest to say that every community is going to be different," said CCAC adviser Rachel Brody.

Anything from workshops to parent nights to giveaways are welcome, as long as they are geared toward helping more low-income, minority and first-generation high school students attend college.

"The program allows you to be as creative as you want to be," Robinson said.

Throughout the training, advisers also considered how to be sensitive to the students and counselors with whom they'll work.

"I definitely don't want to go in with the mentality of, 'We're going in on a white horse to save the school,'" Bowman said.

But with an average student-to-guidance counselor ratio of 400 to one in North Carolina, the advisers likely will be welcomed with open arms.

"The CCAC advisers will ease the burden on guidance counselors," said Jennifer Cox Bell, CCAC interim program coordinator and assistant director of admissions.

"Also, by virtue of their youth, background and experiences, the CCAC advisers are uniquely positioned to connect with students."

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.