State and Local Resources

Illinois Agencies that Assist Students

Academic Advising

Students may find one-on-one academic advising by talking to their local ISACorps member. Through ISACorps mentoring, high school students may speak to recent college graduates about the college application process. Find the ISACorps member in your area at: https://www.isac.org/students/before-college/isacorps/members.html

Disability Accommodations

Illinois TRiO service make obtaining a college education possible for all. The Objectives of TRiO are to:

1. Service the needs and interests of (1) students, faculty, and administrators in institutions of higher education, and (2) individuals in public and private agencies and organizations concerned with or engaged in the support and/or administration of TRIO and Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP) by promoting and facilitating the coordination of educational opportunites and by advising and assisting in the promotion and development of positve program implementation.
2. Promote and facilitate communication between instutions of higher education and the sponsors of student aid funds.
3. To stimulate, promote, and conduct systematic studies and research, cooperative experiments, education, conferences, and such other related activities as are desirable or necessary to fulfill the purposes of the Chapter.

Accommodation offices exist at all Illinois’ campuses, but may vary slightly from campus to campus. To learn more about TRiO, visit https://www.illinoistrio.org/.

Local Workforce Development Organizations

• WorkNet DuPage – American Job Center: https://worknetdupage.org/ 
• Naperville Development Partnership: https://naper.org/workforce-training 
• Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity: https://dceo.illinois.gov/workforcedevelopment.html 
• Kane County Workfoce Development Board: https://www.kanecountyil.gov/Pages/ocr/WDB.aspx 
• Elgin Development Group: https://www.elgindevelopment.com/workforce/ 
• Workforce Development Board Finder: https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/WorkforceDevelopment/find-workforce-development-boards.aspx?&location=IL&curpage=3 

District 49 Public Libraries

Aurora Public Library District – https://www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/home

• Eola Road Branch: 555 S. Eola Rd. Aurora IL 60504
• Santori Library: 101 S. River St. Aurora, IL 60506
• West Branch: 233 S. Constitution Dr. Aurora IL 60506

Bartlett Public Library – https://www.bartlettlibrary.org/

• 800 S Bartlett Rd, Bartlett, IL 60103

Batavia Pubic Library – https://www.bataviapl.org/

• 10 S Batavia Ave, Batavia, IL 60510

Gail Borden Public Library District – https://www.gailborden.info/

• Main Library: 270 N. Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
• Rakow Branch: 2751 W. Bowes Rd, Elgin, Il 60124
• South Elgin Branch: 127 S. McLean Blvd, South Elgin, IL 60177

Geneva Public Library – https://www.gpld.org/

• 227 S 7th St, Geneva, IL 60134

Schaumburg Township District Library – https://www.schaumburglibrary.org/

• Hanover Park Branch: 1266 Irving Park Rd, Hanover Park, IL 60133

Naperville Public Library District – https://www.naperville-lib.org/

• Nichols Library: 200 W. Jefferson Ave, Naperville, IL 60540
• Naper Blvd. Library: 2035 S. Naper Blvd, Naperville, IL 60565
• 95th Street Library: 3015 Cedar Glade Dr, Naperville, IL 60564

Poplar Creek Public Library – https://pclib.org/

• 1405 S Park Ave, Streamwood, IL 60107

Warrenville Public Library – https://www.warrenville.com/

• 28W751 Stafford Pl, Warrenville, IL 60555

West Chicago Public Library – https://wcpld.info/

• 118 W Washington St, West Chicago, IL 60185

Find Your Elected Official

Find your federal and state elected officials at: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/b62f98ad44314d18ade2545833aa498a/#data_s=id%3Awidget_6_output_config_0%3A0
or at https://www.maurahirschauer.com/area-governmental-units/

Find your local officials at: https://www.ballotready.org/

Veteran, and Adult Learners

Student veterans may find state support at: https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/military-service/

Adult learners may find support and resources at: https://directory.iladultedhotline.org/ , and https://alrc.thecenterweb.org/other/resources-for-administrators/

First Generation Students

College Vocabulary:

Add/Drop Period: students who start taking a class and discover they don’t like it or need a different class can “add” or “drop” them during the add/drop period. Students who drop but don’t add a class may have to do so by a certain deadline in order to get their money back for that class. They may only be allowed to add a class during a certain period at the beginning of the term (colleges may not want students to take a course when they have missed a lot of classes by adding it late). If students leave a class after the add/drop deadline, their transcript may say “W/P” meaning that they were passing when they withdrew from the class, or “W/F” if they were failing it at that time

Bursar’s Office: office at the university that is involved with billing and student accounts

Core (or distribution or general education) Requirements: many colleges have a list of the kinds of courses students have to take in order to graduate (look for these online). These often include one or two composition (writing) courses, and they may include two classes in social science, two in humanities, two in science, etc. There are often a number of classes to choose from in order to satisfy these requirements. Students should look online for class rating sites (like ratemyprofessors.com) to see what other students say about different courses at their school so that they can have some information to help them choose from the options available

Liberal Arts: schools that are considered to be “liberal arts” colleges usually offer degrees in literature, philosophy, economics, political science but also offer degrees in science and math fields. Some see the liberal arts schools as those where the faculty members focus on teaching of undergraduate students, rather than research

Pass/Fail Option: sometimes, students can take a challenging class they need to without worrying about the grade affecting their GPA– they can choose this option and simply have to pass the class in order for it to count for credit – students may have to choose this option when they register (i.e., they can’t wait to see how they’re doing and then decide to go pass/fail). This option may not be available for courses required to complete the college’s core requirements or the requirements for students’ major or minor

Pre-requisites: classes that students have to take before they are allowed to take a certain higher-level class or enter a program to pursue a certain major. For instance, students who want to enter an engineering program might have to take (and earn a certain grade in) physics

Work-Study: some students earn financial aid in this way – they take a job on campus in order to get this money for their tuition (their wages are applied to their tuition bill to pay it down). Students may be able to choose their desired work-study job from a list, so students who want a better chance to get a job they like (rather than choosing from whatever is left over) should ask early about the opportunities available and sign up

Tips for communicating with professors:

• Before you decide to reach out;
  • Read the course syllabus first, many general questions will have been premtively addressed
  • Check the course website, i.e. Canvas
• Use professional email conduct
  • Email from your student account
  • Explain your questions clearly
  • Professionaly format the email using polite language and proper grammer
• Attend office hours
• Be honest about any struggles you may be having in the class
• Use any and all campus resources

TRiO offers support for Illinois first generation students. For more information, visit: https://www.illinoistrio.org/

Foster Youth

College applicants that are currenty being cared for in a foster home setting may find resources at: https://dcfs.illinois.gov/loving-homes/fostercare/resources-for-current-foster-parents.html

Undocumented and Mixed Status Students

Here are some Illinois financial aid programs available to eligible students regardless of federal aid eligibility:

• Illinois Student Assistance Commission – https://www.isac.org/resources-for-non-us-citizens/
• College of DuPage – https://cod.edu/student-experience/resources/intercultural/undocumented-student-resources.html
• Higher Ed Immigration Portal – https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/effective_practice/beyond-daca-a-directory-of-resources-for-undocumented-students-individuals/
  

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Before College

FAFSA Checklist and Deadlines

Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is mandatory for high school graduation in the state of Illinois. The FAFSA form opens on October 1st and is due June 30th at 11:59 P.M. CST. It is highly recommeded that you fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible.

FAFSA Checklist – https://studentaid.gov/articles/things-you-need-for-fafsa/

1. Your StudentAid.gov account
2. Your contributer information
3. Your federal income tax return (accessible online)
4. Records of recieved child support
5. Records of your assets
6. List of schools you’re interested in attending

College Application Essay Advice

The majority of colleges and universitys require students to submit an application essay as part of their overall application. This essay typically has a 250 word minimum and 650 word maximum length. Application essays are formatted as personal statements that are meant to display growth, vulnerability, writing skills, and the applicants core values. Common essay categories include; overcoming specific challenges or failures, a major event that changed your view of life, a uniqe skill that defines you, or a topic that makes you so curious that you loose track of time.

Find more indepth advice at: https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/personal-statement

CSS Profile

The CSS profile is a non-federal student aid application that applies to about 270 private universites. The CSS Profile opens on October 1st, deadlines vary based on the specific school(s) you are applying to. The CSS Profile must be sent to each school you are applying for individually through the CSS Portal.

Needed documents:

• Most recent federal tax returns
• W-2 forms
• Records of current year income
• Records of untaxed income & benefits
• Records of assets
• Bank statesments for you and your parents (if applicable)

List of participating institutions: participating institutions

Create account and begin profile at ​​https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/

Map Grant

Map Grant eligibilty is determined based on the information submitted in a student’s FAFSA and does not requrie an additional application. Undocumented stuends who do not qualify for the FAFSA may apply for the MAP Grant using the Alternative Application.

MAP Grant eligibility:

• Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen or meet the RISE Act criteria
• Must be an Illinois resident or the dependent of an Illinois resident
• Must demonstrate financial need
• Must be enrolled a minimum of 3 hours per term at an approved Illinois college in a degree or certificate program
• Must maintain satisfactory academic progress as determinded by individual colleges
• Must not be in default on any student loan or owe a refund on any state or federal grant
• Must have not yet received a bachelor’s degree
• Must not be incarcerated

State Scholarships

• Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Scholarship Program – https://www.isac.org/ecacescholarship
• Displaced Energy Worker Depended Transition Scholarship Program – https://www.isac.org/displacedenergyworker
• Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program – https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships/P-MSSWSP.html
• Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois – https://www.goldenapple.org/scholars-illinois
• Deceased, Disabled, and MIA-POW Vetrans’ Dependents Scholarship – https://veterans.illinois.gov/services-benefits/education/mia-pow-scholarship.html
• Nursing Education Scholarship – https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships/nursing-education-scholarship-program.html
• Illinois Graduate and Retain our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program – https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships/iGROW.html
• Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program – https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships/TISP.html

College Application Timeline

June – August before senior year:

• Finalize college list
• Write personal statement
• Start supplemental essays

August 1st:

• Common App opens
• All essay prompts are released

September:

• Continue working on supplemental essays for early applications
• Request high school transcript
• Ask teachers for all necessary letters of recommendation (do this as early as possible)

October 1st:

• FAFSA opens
• CSS Profile opens

November 1st-15th:

• Early Action and Early Decision deadlines (exact dates depend on the school)

Mid-December:

• Early Action and Early Decision results are released
• Continue working on essays for regular applications

January 1st-15th:

• Regular Decision deadlines (exact dates depend on the school)

February – March:

• Rolling decision results are released

March – April:

• Regular Decision admission results & financial aid packages are released

May 1st:

• Students choose which school to commit to

College Application Vocabulary

Additional information section: a section on most college applications that applicants may use to explain important context for their application, such as significant struggles, interruptions in their academic lives, or other external factors

Admission tests: standardized entrance exams (such as the SAT and ACT) used by universities to measure a student’s readiness for college-level work and compare applicants across different high schools

Articulation agreement: an agreement between two schools that explains how earned credits will transfer from one school to the other (used by students who transfer schools)

Candidates reply date agreement: a standard policy that gives students until May 1 to accept or decline an offer of admission at each college they are accepted into

Class rank: a numerical measure that compares your cumulative grade point average (GPA) and course rigor against the other students in your graduating class

Coalition Application: a centralized online platform used by over 150 colleges and universities in the United States that allows students to apply to multiple schools

Common Application: a standardized online platform that allows students to apply to more than 1,100 colleges and universities worldwide (most common application program)

Deferred admission: a decision in which a university postpones a final decision on an early applicant, choosing to reevaluate them later with the regular decision applicants

Demonstrated interest: a metric colleges use to measure how actively and enthusiastically a student engages with their school before applying

Early Action (EA): a non-binding college application process that lets students apply early (usually by November 1st) and receive their admission decision early (typically by mid-December), without being forced to commit

Early Decision (ED): a binding college application process that allows students to apply early (usually by November 1st) to one top school, which they commit to attending if admitted (typically raises admission chances significantly)

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): the official form students submit to apply for financial assistance to pay for college or career school (required by most colleges & is a graduation requirement in Illinois)

Financial aid: money given or loaned to help pay for college, whether from the government, a specific college, or a private organization

Legacy applicant: an applicant who has a close family member (typically a parent or grandparent) who graduated from the same institution the student is applying to

Need-blind admission: a policy in which a college does not consider your family’s financial situation or ability to pay when deciding whether to offer you admission

Open admission: an acceptance policy where a college admits every student who has a high school diploma or GED, without factoring in high school grades, GPA, or SAT/ACT test scores

Personal statement: a narrative college application essay received by every college you apply to that lets admissions officers understand the values, skills, interests, and qualities you bring to that campus and community

Placement tests: tests used by colleges that measure the academic skills needed for college-level work and help determine what classes a student is ready for

Priority date/deadline: the date by which your application must be received to be given the strongest consideration.

Registrar: the college official who registers students, keeps permanent records, and maintains all student files

Rolling admission: an admission policy of considering each application as soon as all required information has been received, rather than setting an application deadline and reviewing applications all together

Sophomore standing: having earned enough college credits (typically 30 semester hours) to be classified as a second-year student rather than a freshman upon entry into a college

Supplemental essays: additional, school-specific essays required alongside the personal statement in many applications

Transfer student: a student who enrolls in a college after having attended another college

Waitlist: a status meaning you meet the school’s academic and personal requirements, but the admissions office cannot offer you an immediate spot because the incoming class is currently full

Community College vs. Four Year Universities

Community colleges typically offer two-year associate degrees and certificate programs, have lower tuition, and often have open admissions policies, making them an affordable and accessible option for many students. In contrast, four-year universities offer bachelor’s degrees as well as graduate programs, usually have more selective admissions requirements, and provide a traditional college experience with on-campus housing, athletics, student organizations, research opportunities, and a wider variety of academic majors. Many students choose to begin at a community college to save money and complete general education courses before transferring to a four-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree.

In District Community Colleges

College of DuPage

• 425 Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
• https://cod.edu/index.html 

Elgin Community College

• 1700 Spartan Dr, Elgin, IL 60123
• https://elgin.edu/ 

Waubonsee Community College

• 18 S. River St, Aurora, IL 60506
• https://www.waubonsee.edu/ 

Career Development

Internship search resources

Handshake – https://joinhandshake.com/ 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/home

Trade Schools and Apprenticeship Opportunities

West Chicago Professional Center 

• 245 W Roosevelt Rd, Bldg #1, Unit #4, West Chicago, IL 60185
• https://www.westchicagohvac.com/

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Paying for College

Grants vs. Scholarships vs. Loans

Grants and scholarships are both forms of aid that do not need to be repaid, grants are based on financial aid while scholarships are based on merit [academic excellence, special talents, athletic ability].

Direct Subsidized Loans: For undergraduate students that have demonstrated financial need; government pays interest 

Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Government backed loan for graduate and undergraduate that does not require proof of financial need. You are responsible for all interest from the moment of disbursement

Federal PLUS loans: Available to graduate/professional students or parents of dependent undergraduate students to cover up the remaining cost of total attendance.

Private Student Loans: Offered by banks or specialized lenders that can cover 100% of the schools certified cost of attendance.

What is a Work-Study Program?

Work-study programs are part-time or on-campus jobs that allows you to earn money to help pay for educational expenses.

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Student Well Being

Mental Health Counseling

Wayne Winfield Area Youth Family Services (WAYS)

• 27W031 North Ave #5, West Chicago, IL 60185
• https://www.ways4change.org/

Riverview Counseling Services

• 822 W Bartlett Rd, Bartlett, IL 60103
• https://riverviewcounselingservices.com/

Village Counseling Center

• 460 Briargate Dr, Ste 700, South Elgin, IL 60177
• https://www.vccnewhope.com/ 

OakHeart Center for Counseling Mediation & Consultation

• 66 Miller Dr #105, North Aurora, IL 60542
• https://www.oakheartcenter.com/north-aurora-counseling.html

Health Clinics

ACCESS West Chicago Family Health Center

• 245 West Roosevelt Rd, Ste 150, West Chicago, IL 60185
• (630) 293-4124

Northwestern Medicine Immediate & Family Medicine Bartlett

• 820 Route 59, Bartlett, IL 60103
• (630) 938-6000 (Immediate Care)
• (630) 933-4800 (Main)

Food Pantries

WeGo Community Market

• Provides free grocerices and meals with phote id and proof of residency (utility bill)
• 238 E. Hazel St, West Chicago, IL 60185

Wayne Township

• Any resident in need of food, cleaning supplies, or toiletries
• Drive thru pantry
• Hours: 10:00 A.M. – 11:45 A.M. and Seniors: 12:30 P.M. – 1:15 P.M.
• 27W031 North Avenue, West Chicago, IL 60185

Transportation Assistance

Dial a ride: https://www.pacebus.com/dial-ride-services-dupage-county

Childcare Resources

State childcare assistance/resources for student parents can be found at: https://idec.illinois.gov/forparents/child-care-assistance-program.html

YMCA Patterson and McDaniel Family Center

• 2055 West Army Trail Road, Suite 140, Addison, IL 60101
• https://ywcachicago.org/unleashing-youth-family-potential

Domestic Violence and Crisis Resources

Family Shelter Service

• 605 E Roosevelt Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187
• https://www.familyshelterservice.org/ 

Mutual Ground Inc.

• 418 Oak Ave, Aurora, IL 60506
• https://mutualground.org/ 

Emergency Housing

Interim Housing (DuPage Pads) – https://www.dupagepads.org/ 

Community Housing Association – https://www.chadhousing.org/ 

360 Youth Services – https://360youthservices.org/get-help/ 

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Student Rights

FERPA (Education Privacy)

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It gives students (and parents of students under the age of 18) the right to access their education records, request corrections to inaccurate records, and control most disclosures of their records without consent. In general, colleges may not share grants, transcripts, or disciplinary records without the student’s permission.

Title IX

Title IX is a ferderal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in edcuational programs receiving federal funding. It protects students from sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, stalking, and pregnancy/parenting discrimination. Schools must investigatge complaints and provide supportive measures to protect affected students.

Disability Accommodations (ADA)

The Americans with disabilites Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act require schools to provide equal access for qualified students with disabilties. Common accommodations include; extended test time, note-taking assistance, accessible classrooms or housing, assistive technology, and flexible attendance or assignment deadlines when appropriate. Students usually must register with the school’s disablity service office and provide documentation.

Academic Appeals

Most colleges allows tudents to appeal certain academic decisions. These decisions may include; final grades, academic dismissal, academic suspension, denial of admission to a program, and academic integrity findings. The appeal process typically requuires a written explanation, supporting evidence of documentation, and submission within a specified deadine. Appeals are reviewed accorind to the insitution’s published policies.