In This Issue
·New book speaks to first-generation college students
·How Latinos pay for college

ACCESS: INFORMATION & ENCOURAGEMENT
New book helps first-generation students
How do students muster the determination to attend college, if their families have not gone before them? How do they find the information they need, defy stereotypes and low expectations? A new book that speaks directly to and from first-generation college students answers these questions and more. Read an excerpt or download a PDF version of First in the Family: Advice About College from First-Generation Students, published by What Kids Can Do.

ACCESS: INFORMATION & ENCOURAGEMENT
First-generation struggle
Students whose parents have no education beyond high school do not perform as well as those whose parents were college graduates. First-generation students have lower first-year GPAs, complete fewer academic courses, and are less likely to attain a bachelor's degree. Read the National Center for Education Statistics report, First-Generation Students in Postsecondary Education: A Look at their College Transcripts.

ACCESS: FINANCIAL AID
Aid disparities for Latinos, according to new report
The percentage of Latino students receiving college financial aid is at an all-time high, yet Latinos receive the lowest average federal aid awards of any racial or ethnic group. How Latino Students Pay for College, released by Excelencia in Education and the Institute for Higher Education Policy, disaggregates participation rates for Latino students in financial-aid programs.

SUCCESS: THE CRITICAL FIRST YEAR
Increasing success and reducing costs
Course redesign can improve the success of adult students, students of color and low-income students and, at the same time, reduce costs, according to a new report released by the National Center for Academic Transformation. Read Increasing Success for Underserved Students: Redesigning Introductory Courses.

ADULT LEARNERS: ACADEMIC SERVICES
Adult student participation in education
Between 2002 and 2003, 40 percent of U.S. adults participated in one or more formal adult educational activities for work-related reasons. Read more in this recent National Center for Education Statistics report.

Help for college-access counselors
The Outreach Program Database can help students, parents, teachers, counselors, and college admissions officers locate information on pre-college outreach programs around the country. To list your program, complete a survey.

Interested in increased college participation? 
What are the barriers to college access in your state or community? The College Access Marketing Web site can help those seeking to increase college participation.