Individual format replaces group orientation
BENTONVILLE — Orientation has changed from a group affair to individual appointments at NorthWest Arkansas Community College.
A pilot group of Pea Ridge students walked into the college Wednesday, April 2, as high school students and left as college students, schedules in hand. They had applied to the college before their visit, but for some it was their first visit to the campus.
Sadie Robertson, a senior at Pea Ridge High School, said she was still a little confused partway through the morning. She plans to major in early childhood education. Her scholarship applications are in, but she hasn’t seen the money in her account just yet. She’s been to the campus before, but never walked the halls and tried to find her way around. After going 13 years of school in Pea Ridge the idea of leaving is intimidating.
College can be intimidating, said Ladonna Penner, scholarship director for Pea Ridge High School. Students need to picture themselves on the college campus, she said.
Last year her students had a tour and they got their student identification cards. This year students sat down with advisers and made out their class schedules before they left the campus. They logged into computers and saw where their financial aid will show. The 30 students she brought all met the requirements for the Arkansas Challenge Scholarship, she said.
College often comes down to what a student can afford, Penner said.
July may be the deadline, but earlier is better when it comes to ironing out financial aid, Turner said. Some awards have money early on that won’t be there in July and August, she said.
As Arkansas Challenge recipients the Pea Ridge students will need to schedule 12 hours for fall and 15 hours every semester after that, Turner reminded them. Changes to class schedules have to be made before the drop date or the scholarship won’t pay, she said.
The financial aid explanation helped him because he’s concerned with how to pay for college, Emanuel Munoz said.
Karen Ketterman said her daughter Heather Ray has been taking college classes in the culinary program. She’s happy to have the paperwork filed.
The change to individual appointments instead of group sessions is the result of parent and student feedback, said Todd Kitchen, vice president of learner support services. Students said they wanted to know where to start to get set up for school, Kitchen said. There will still be senior day, he said. An open house is planned for the fall.