Overview

Even many of the highest-achieving disadvantaged students — young men and women who are well qualified to continue their education beyond high school — do not consider attending a four-year college, and many who say they plan to apply, never do. Trinity University College Advising Corps aims to increase the number of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students entering and completing higher education.

By placing recent Trinity graduates as college advisers in local San Antonio-area high schools, advisers work full-time with high school students and assist them with planning their college searches, completing college admissions and financial aid applications, and enrolling at schools that will serve them well.

The College Advising Corps Model

• Utilizes a near-peer model so advisers are close in age to the students that they serve
• Partners with colleges and universities across the state, drawing on their infrastructure and resources;
• Advisers serve the whole school, rather than a cohort of particular students, to foster a school-wide college-going culture;
• Participates in a national external evaluation to quantitatively measure outcomes and qualitative results; and
• Focuses on best-fit colleges, encouraging students to attend schools that will serve them well both academically and socially.

Partner Schools
As a partner of the College Advising Corps (CAC) which consists of institutions of higher education in 16 states, Trinity joins other Texas chapters. Each chapter recruits, hires, and trains its own graduates to serve as college access advisers at selected partner high schools.

• Texas Christian University (TCU)
• Texas A&M University
• University of Texas at Austin

Application Process

Adviser Eligibility and Selection

In order to comply with the College Advising Corps "near-peer" advising model, all adviser candidates must meet these requirements in order to be considered for employment:

• Advisers must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited University at the time service begins in the high school, preference will be given to Trinity graduates.
• Advisers must be near-peers to the high school students they serve. Therefore, advisers should be traditional-aged college students and no more than six (6) years removed from their high school experiences.
• Advisers should have a successful academic record.
• Advisers are hired for a one year service commitment with an option to be re-hired for a second year. Advisers cannot serve with the Advising Corps for more than two years.
• Advisers must demonstrate a commitment to public service as evidenced by previous work in the community and/or among the targeted populations. 

Training

Advisers receive intensive training before serving in a high school, completing a four-week practical curriculum that focuses on college access, college admissions, financial aid, student services, diversity, community service, and professionalism.

Find Your Adviser

Trinity University has made a commitment to work in the highest need high schools to provide access to all colleges and universities. Advisers work with school counselors to help students and their families become excited and informed about college.