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Student Outreach and Selection
Gateway to College staff connect with organizations throughout the community. They meet with or provide information to youth-serving agencies and community-based organizations. They also go to high schools and alternative schools to help counselors and others find out about the Gateway to College option for out-of-school youth or students who are on the verge of dropping out. Word-of-mouth is another important outreach strategy. Our students know other young people who are not in school and spread the word.
Finding our students is a two-way street. We look for students who not only have the preliminary skills they need to enter the program, but are ready to improve their academic habits in order to succeed in the collegiate setting. We expect potential students to evaluate Gateway to College, to make sure that it is the right place for them. To facilitate this dual assessment process, Gateway to College has designed an application process that requires students to demonstrate their commitment of returning to school. Gateway to College is a scholarship program. There are often more interested students than Gateway to College programs can serve, so choosing the students who are ready to take advantage of the program is critical to everyone's success.
The first step is a two hour information session. Potential students meet with resource specialists who provide a detailed overview of Gateway to College, outlining the expectations and benefits involved. Parents and other support persons are also invited to attend. During the information session, interested young people take the API (Adult Placement Indicator) assessment to see if their reading skills meet the entrance requirement of an eighth grade equivalency. Resource specialists analyze the assessment results and look at each applicant's age, number of credits, home school district, and other factors to see if Gateway to College is a good fit for them. If it is not, each attendee receives advice on other programs that may better meet their needs. If a student looks like a match, they are scheduled for a two-day evaluation.
The second step is the intake evaluation. Students spend three hours each day, over a two-day period, engaged in an intensive evaluation to see if their affective and academic skills are appropriate for the program, and to assess if they are able and willing to meet the basic program expectations. The evaluation also provides important skill-level information for the instructors who teach the Foundation term. During the evaluation, a proctor administers in-house instruments designed to assess mechanics, grammar, and reading and literature skills, plus basic math. Applicants are asked to write a five-paragraph essay. The proctor monitors behavior, each student's ability to follow instructions, and restricted activities such as using cell phones in the classroom. A homework assignment is given on the first day, and students must return it on the second day. Students must also be on time for the evaluation. The idea is to ask applicants to jump through a number of hoops prior to being accepted into the program, to demonstrate their motivation and commitment. Gateway to College provides intensive, one-on-one support to help dropouts succeed, but there is a clear expectation from the start that students must attend and work hard to improve their academic skills and study habits.
Gateway to College staff analyze the results of the intake evaluation, looking for applicants who achieved a score of about 80 percent on each evaluated topic, followed instructions, arrived on time, and behaved appropriately in the classroom. Some replication sites include individual interviews with students as part of the application process. This 30 to 60 minute interview gives the program an opportunity to know the student better and learn more about their strengths and motivations. The students also have a chance to ask questions about the program. Staff then place accepted students into a learning community best suited to their home or work location and their day or evening availability.
Gateway to College National Network
Portland Community College, Southeast Center
Mt. Scott Hall, Room 106
2305 SE 82nd Ave.,
Portland, OR 97216
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