SAS College Programs and Services
SAS College Programs and Services
The Office of College Retention and Success (OCRS) provides programs and services to meet Sponsor-A-Scholar (SAS) students’ academic, social, and financial needs once they enroll in college. Proactive counseling and a flexible array of services assist students as they explore new opportunities and overcome potential barriers to their academic success. Support for collegians begins in the summer following high school graduation, and continues throughout their college careers. Program components include:
Individualized Academic and Personal Support
The SAS Office of College Retention and Success staff provides personalized guidance concerning academic, social and personal issues, including accessing on-campus resources for tutoring and counseling; managing time, stress and family problems; setting goals; and communicating with professors and administrators.
Students participate in twice-yearly mandatory meetings to monitor grades, review progress toward academic and career goals, and troubleshoot problems as they arise. The OCRS staff keeps in touch regularly via phone, email, electronic newsletters, and campus visits. A policy of proactive advising enables OCRS staff to provide early intervention to struggling students.
Financial Support
Upon graduation from high school and enrollment in college, each SAS collegian has a $6,000 account with Philadelphia Futures, accessible on a semester-by semester-basis. These funds – contributed by the student’s sponsor – are used for books, fees, and other college-related expenses.
In addition to disbursing students’ sponsorship funds, the OCRS provides assistance with undergraduate and post-graduate financial aid applications, helps to cover the cost of summer coursework through a partnership with PHEAA Path, and provides support for collegians with financial emergencies.
Graduate School and Career Preparation
To help collegians make a successful transition to the world of work, the OCRS offers individual assistance with resume writing and interviewing skills, help with professional and graduate school exams and preparatory courses, and career preparation and job-hunting seminars during semester breaks.
Positive Peer Networking Opportunities
Annual programs such as the SAS Conference and the College Kick-off provide forums for SAS collegians to network and gain useful information. These programs create a college success culture among students who are achieving, despite statistics and circumstances that would suggest otherwise.
The Dream Team, a group of students attending local colleges, meets monthly to discuss strategies for overcoming obstacles unique to students attending college close to home.
Strategic Partnerships and College Contacts
Philadelphia Futures has formed groundbreaking strategic partnerships with area colleges dedicated to diversity and committed to providing our students with academic and personal support and scholarship aid.
In addition to these formal partnerships, the OCRS team maintains relationships with key campus personnel at colleges where a cohort of SAS students is enrolled. Ongoing communication with staff members within ACT 101, TRIO Student Support Services, Multicultural Affairs, Financial Aid, and other critical resources allows OCRS staff to refer collegians to the appropriate services on each campus.
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