Free Dot Edu

Free Dot Edu is letting students know that resources exist. 

I thoroughly understand that each individual student has their own life circumstances, resources available to them and definition of a successful future. 

This initiative has been designed to sit with each student to ask where they are interested in going with their career and their life, what will be required of them to accomplish their goals and share resources that can help them get there. 

I invite you to review this research report, highlighting available tools to help all students who are working to build their foundations, from currently enrolled students to working adults looking for opportunities to advance their careers. 

Academic Opportunities, page 55, discusses The College Navigator, a free database developed by The National Center for Education Statistics, to review Technical Certificates, Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Advanced degree programs. 

Students are encouraged to meet with their Guidance Counselors to make sure that they are on track to complete their high school curriculums, as earning a diploma will be a requirement for many opportunities. 

Working adults who were unable to complete their high school curriculums are advised to earn their certificate of high school equivalency.  

Athletics Opportunities, page 57, discusses college programs that assist student athletes with continuing their careers while pursuing their degrees. 

Two Year College programs, also known as JUCOs, assist student athletes with improving their academic and athletics profiles to earn opportunities to transfer to Four Year College programs. 

Four Year College programs assist student athletes with earning their Bachelor’s degree, with opportunities to earn a Master’s degree, while continuing their careers. 

Student athletes interested in coaching or administrative careers are advised to review Graduate Assistantships with Four Year College programs, discussed on page 66. 

Professional Opportunities, page 67, discusses searching for organizations who have open staff positions for you to begin your career. 

Students are advised to be as specific as possible when using search engines to make sure they are reviewing openings relevant to their career paths, submitting resumes to organizations that they want to work with. 

In order to assist students with their skills while enrolled in school, as they may not be able to earn formal experience, the Build, Find, Fund model has been developed to assist them. 

Build, page 32, discusses building your study habits, skills and resume. 

Find, page 54, discusses navigating databases to review degree programs and search engines for available tools, programs and information that can assist students with accomplishing their goals. 

Fund, page 69, discusses public and private financial aid resources to assist students with the costs of pursuing their education. 

 As you review the Free Dot Edu report, I invite you to visit the Community page to share resources with the students, education staff members and organizations of your neighborhood.