"I'm Going to College"

Anchorage 5th and 6th graders are busy gearing up for their May 8 visit to UAA. The "I'm Going to College" program is their chance to learn how they can become college students -- and to see first-hand what it will be like!

This national program is made possible in Alaska through a partnership between the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) and the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) AlaskAdvantage Programs. It enables children, many from low-income areas or families without college-going role models, to participate in a variety of exercises and activities. This includes a full-day event at a nearby college campus, sponsored with support from the host institution.

2008 "I'm Going to College" events are taking place all across Alaska: the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the University of Alaska Southeast, Ilisagvik College in Barrow, Prince William Sound Community College in Valdez, Matanuska-Susitna College, and the UAS Ketchikan campus will also host events. About 1,600 elementary students statewide will participate.

In Anchorage, more than 500 students from Airport Heights, Chinook, Fairview, Lake Otis and Muldoon elementary schools received the "I'm Going to College" activity book. They learn in their classroom about the benefits of a college education, college costs and financial aid, and the entire college process. The children learn how to prepare for college academically and how their interests can align with different career paths.