The FLY Program
The Fly program
Finances, Life, and Your Major
The FLY Program empowers RAW Alumni to thrive in their first year of life after high school. We know that to help you succeed, it’s not enough to just address your academic and financial obstacles; we also need to address preparation, readiness, grit, and everything else in between that comes with your first year of post-grad life!
FLY will assist you with the following:
Finances: Debt, current financial need, scholarships, work-study, job applications, FAFSA, and paying your semester balance.
Life: Resiliency, self-care/coping skills, time management, organization, accessing resources, self-advocacy, and responsibility.
Your Major/Career: College credits, transferring, remedial classes, registration, choosing your major, resources, and communication.
The FLY Program provides one transitional workshop over the summer for the graduating class. The workshop will prepare you for the transition to college by discussing how to prevent “summer melt” and the basics of life on campus. From there, FLY meetings will help you stay on track with your intended plans. Every FLY participant can look forward to a “care package” in the fall and FLY meetings on campus!
This program is intended to help you reach your goals and promote your pursuit of academic success. Please remember that participation in RAW’s FLY program is voluntary. It’s up to you to take the initiative in communicating your needs and proactively scheduling meetings.
Program Requirements
1. One-On-One Initial Meeting with Project Launch: The purpose of this meeting is to explain the program and help you explore ways in which you can set yourself up for success. This can be via Zoom, phone, or at RAW in September.
2. Academic & Success Advising: You must complete two advising meetings in person on your campus or at your alternative program each semester. These meetings can also happen via Zoom or at Raw Art Works.
First Semester: The goals of these meetings are to go over concerns, successes, and general adjustment to college/post-high school life. We will also discuss your choice of major, classes, and connecting with your advisor.
Second Semester: We will review topics like campus resources, job opportunities, career path exploration, total debt, and re-applying for the FAFSA. If you need to pivot, we can provide information on how to transfer or change programs. If you are facing challenges, we address them together and find solutions.
3. Performance Monitoring: We will monitor your academic performance together, making sure you are on your way to achieving your goals, securing a successful second year, and making adjustments as necessary.
These adjustments may include meeting with a counselor or academic advisor, accessing tutoring at the writing center, visiting a professor’s office hours, and/or attending group study sessions throughout the semester. If you have an IEP/504 plan, self-advocacy will be imperative.
4. Academic Expectations: While enrolled in FLY, you agree to maintain the academic expectations that FLY has for you. This includes earning a cumulative GPA at or above 2.0 and sharing your final grades after your first semester.
5. Resources: Getting connected with resources increases retention. To ensure that you are enrolled in the appropriate courses for the semester, you must meet with your academic advisor during the 1st month of school. The advisor will discuss your class schedule and make any appropriate changes. You must meet again with your academic advisor before December 1st to prepare for the next semester.
Jobs, Internships, and Work-study: We will identify and pursue career opportunities that help expand your network and build your workforce skills. FLY assists with resume preparation, internship applications, securing work-study placements, and applying for job opportunities.
Financial Aid and Scholarships: We will review your semester balance and ensure you have a plan to afford your education. FLY helps you seek sources of scholarship funding and ensures you stay on track with any scholarship renewal requirements.
6. FLY Exit Evaluation Survey: At the end of your last semester, you will receive an email survey about your experiences in the FLY Program. Please be sure to respond to the survey with as much honesty as possible so that we may make any improvements we can!
