Completion Toolkit

Many students need help to identify an appropriate degree program and remain on track to complete their post-secondary credential. Proactive advising provide meaningful, credible, timely support to students on selecting a program that will meet a student’s academic and career goals and provide support when they become off track in their program. The role of advising with relation to student success cannot be underemphasized.

As a primary point of contact for students on campuses, academic advisors are responsible for developing lasting relationships with students to help them navigate college and graduate. Professional advisors, faculty, and even other students serve as advisors at USG institutions, working to provide accurate, appropriate, and timely information to students as they progress through programs of study. In recent years, changing needs among students and new technology have influenced the role of advisors and highlighted a need for additional skills within the profession.

Beyond Financial Aid is a toolkit designed to help two- and four-year institutions close attainment gaps for low-income students. BFA expands the concept of “financial supports” for college beyond grants, scholarships and loans and describes six college-tested strategies for helping low-income students overcome the significant challenges created by limited resources. BFA features a self-assessment that college teams can use to analyze their service capacities and an interpretation guide to help map out their first steps toward strengthening these capacities.

Guided Pathways to Success is an initiative of Complete College America to ensure that students receive guidance to complete degree programs efficiently, without taking excessive courses that will not count toward degrees. Overall, the goal is to increase guidance to students by providing clear degree roadmaps and intrusive advising to keep them on the path to a degree. Guided Pathways to Success moves away from offering students a "menu" of options that can lead to excessive credit accrual and no clear path to a degree.

Among the goals of Complete College Georgia is shortening the time to degree through programs that allow students to earn college credit while still in high school and by awarding credit for prior learning that is verified by appropriate assessment.