Plan would put college adviser in every Utah high school
Sep 21, 2018, 9:35 AM
Utah's financial literacy program came out looking good in a recent audit, though regulators say oversight could use improvement.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah higher education officials will talk about a plan today to put a college access adviser into every single high school in the state.
These advisers would be recent college grads, and they would help high school students with applications, admissions, exams, finding scholarships and aid, as well as and transitioning to college.
Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Dave Buhler says an adviser would be in the guidance counselor’s office in every high school.
“…where they can work directly with the students and seems more approachable to the high school students because it is somebody near their own age,” he said.
The University of Utah has had advisers in 12 high schools as part of a pilot program known as the Utah College Advising Corps, so this program expands what the U. has been doing since 2007. Buhler says it’s been working wonderfully.
According to the Utah Board of Regents, only 49 percent of Utah high school graduates go on to college right away, but in the 12 schools with the Utah College Advising Corps program, graduates went straight to college at a much healthier 58 percent.
Buhler says the advisers will help with any and all questions.
“How to access Pell Grants, how to apply for college, deciding which college is best for them. We are very excited about it,” he said.
Buhler added that by college, they mean any form of post-secondary education like trade school or certificate to Associates or Bachelors degrees.
The legislature would have to fund it. It would cost nearly $7 million, $6 of which would be part of their 2019 budget request.
You can read more about how it has been working and the future plans in the Deseret News.
