Eastern Connecticut State University
PAE-10: Affordability and Access Programs

Eastern runs the Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admissions Program also known as STEP/CAP and the Hartford/Manchester Dual Enrollment Initiative to recruit, enroll, retain and eventually graduate students who are first-generation, from families who live at or below the poverty line and come from racial and ethnic groups that are traditionally under-represented on college campuses. STEP/CAP is now in its 30th year of continuous funding from the state of Connecticut.

The admissions office hosts group visits for school from inner city and rural communities. Eastern also facilitate College Knowledge Days designed to help students from underrepresented and low income populations start thing about college earlier.

Eastern offers an event known as 'College Knowledge Day' which is designed to inspire students to dream of college and help them plan even while they are in middle school or in the first year of high school. Students attend age-appropriate sessions about planning and preparing for college and career exploration.

At Eastern all students are considered for merit scholarships those with high need also get a higher percentage of their need met through grants. STEP/CAP and Hartford/Manchester Dual Enrollment students receive a wide array of supplemental instruction, tutorial support, professional and peer advising and mentoring designed to guide these students to graduation in four to six years – thereby minimizing costs. A big part of these services include direct interaction with the Office of Financial Aid in efforts to maximize a student’s eligibility for federal Pell grants and other state of Connecticut subsidized scholarships.

Administrative staff ranging from the Office of the President, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Office of Financial Aid office, the Dean of Students to department chairs in math and English to part-time university assistants in the Academic Services Center and the Intercultural center form a series of ad hoc and flexible teams that monitor and discuss ways in which faculty can best meet the individualized needs of these students. Each spring and summer, Math and English faculty review summer curricula designed for STEP students. This review is geared towards preparing faculty to successfully guide STEP students to complete the college writing requirement in the first semester and the math for liberal arts requirement by the end of the second. STEP/CAP students are offered Pell grants and state of Connecticut subsidized scholarships. Dual Enrollment receive these scholarships plus subsidies provided by Eastern’s private foundation.

Staff from admissions at Eastern target high school visits to inner-city communities.

Admission to Eastern is competitive. The Admission Committee considers many factors when evaluating applications for admission. In general, applicants ranked in the top half of their high school class with acceptable SAT scores are offered admission to the University. Applicants' secondary school grades, along with strong letters of recommendation are also considered important in the review process. Eastern seeks to enroll students who have demonstrated academic success in a solid schedule of college preparatory courses in high school. From the president to the interim director of STEP/CAP, from full-time staff from the Office of Financial Aid to part-time university assistants in the Academic Services Center, Eastern staff makes itself available to parents through formally scheduled workshops and presentations, frequent e-mail contact, face-to-face discussions with parents and their students. The parents of STEP/CAP and Dual Enrollment students are encouraged to contact staff.

The Financial Aid Office at Eastern Connecticut State University assists parents and students who might not otherwise be able to meet their educational expenses. The staff in the Financial Aid Office is available to assist students, both current and prospective, in determining their eligibility for available financial aid. Financial need is determined by a federal formula that takes various factors into account including: Student and/or Parent income Family size Assets (Parent/Student) Number of family members in college, not including parents The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed to determine finacial aid need and eligibility. One of the key factors, in addition to need, that determines the amount of aid that a student can receive in an academic year is availability of funds. Eastern, like most schools, will not be able to meet the full demonstrated need of many aid applicants.

Eastern also offers work/study experiences for students who qualify as low-income. Eastern participates with the Federal Work Study (FWS) Program that provides funds for part-time employment to help needy students to finance the costs of postsecondary education. Hourly wages must not be less than the federal minimum wage.

http://www.easternct.edu/admissions/CK.htm; http://www.easternct.edu/admissions/; https://www.ecsujobs.org/Cmx_Content.aspx?cpId=81;