For first generation college students, the application process can be daunting.  With limited resources, lower income and first generation college students miss out on financial aid and application information.  As the cost of education rises faster than the size of aid packages, these students can feel priced out of higher education. This decade, a projected 3.2 million students will not attend school due to financial constraints.  However, a recent study of Chicago Public School students shows that students who complete their FAFSA are 50% more likely to enroll in school.

The Department of Education is aiming to bridge this gap by reaching out to the Web 2.0 generation through an interactive  website, college.gov, and a presence on Facebook.  In focus groups, students said they were eager to hear from other students applying to college so college.gov added a feature where users could upload their photos, link to their Facebook pages and post messages about why they want to go to school. 

The roadmap style of the site give students concrete steps they can take during the application process- there’s even an option to print out a poster sized personal map.  Students can take financial aid surveys to see what kind of aid they may qualify for, encouraging them to submit a FAFSA.  Eventually, students will be able to receive customized emails with information based on their college goals, financial needs and interests.

According to an Educause survey, 82% of students belong to social networking sites and out of those, 50% communicate about class-related activities through them.  With so many students already used to social networking sites, college.gov has the potential to be a significant source of support and practical advice for disadvantaged students.  

Screenshot from college.gov: