Our Courses (Old Page)

Intensive Professional Development Courses

These courses include 4-6 sessions and take about five hours per session to complete.

The Go Alliance Academy instructor-led courses incorporate a community learning approach, which has proven effective for delivering online professional development to educators. School counselors and college access professionals participate in the online courses as a cohort with structured online discussions.

adult student reading a book
Each Module Includes:
  • Goals for Learning
  • Online Readings
  • Practical, Job-Relevant Activities
  • Interactive Discussion Forum with Guided Questions
  • Short Videos of Counselors Demonstrating Effective Practices
  • A Culminating Project to Demonstrate What Counselors Have Learned
  • Resources Counselors Can Incorporate Into Their Work Immediately
  • Pre- and Post-Assessments to Gauge What Counselors Have Learned
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GAA101C: CREATING POSTSECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS​
This course Is designed to help counselors increase the postsecondary success of students in low-income households, those who would be "first-in-the-family" to attend college, and students of color. It teaches professional approaches and provides resources for creating create a college-going mission for all students, including how to remove barriers to postsecondary opportunities for these populations.
  • Session 1: Understand the National Workforce Landscape and 21st Century Careers
  • Session 2: Explore Cultural Competency and Equity
  • Session 3: Partner With College Access Partners in College and Career Planning
  • Session 4: Create a School-Wide College-Going Culture
    high school students

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GAA102C: COLLEGE, CAREER AND ACADEMIC PLANNING​

This course focuses on engaging students in career awareness and development, linking careers to postsecondary planning, using data to address equity in postsecondary opportunities, and finding the right postsecondary fit. 

  • Session 1: Supporting Student Career Awareness and Development
  • Session 2: Engaging Students in Career and Postsecondary Planning
  • Session 3: Using Data to Address Equity and to Guide Academic and Career Planning
  • Session 4: Helping Students Make Postsecondary Choices

 counselor and student
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 students in front of a school    
GAA103C: FINANCIAL AID AND COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

This module includes four sessions that increase counselors' knowledge of different financial aid options, how to complete the FAFSA, and how to help students to complete college applications.

  • Session 1: Assisting Students with the College Application Process
  • Session 2: Preparing Students for College Admission Tests
  • Session 3: Guiding Students and Families Through the Complexities of Financial Aid
  • Session 4: Helping Students and Families with the Financial Aid Process
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student in the library
 
GAA104C: COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISING IN THE MIDDLE GRADES​

This course focuses on early career awareness and planning, developing successful social-emotional skills, transitions into middle and high school, and academic engagement.

  • Session 1: Developing a College-Going Culture in Your Middle School
  • Session 2: Helping Middle Grade Students and Families Understand The Value And Affordability of Postsecondary Education
  • Session 3: Engaging Middle Grade Students in Exploration of Career Interests and Skills
  • Session 4: Using Data to Address Equity and Create Early Warning Systems
  • Session 5: Engaging Middle Grade Students and Families in Academic Planning and Transitions
  • Session 6: Helping Students Develop Mindsets and Skills For Academic And Career Success

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GAA105C: COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISING IN THE ELEMENTARY GRADES​

This course is designed to help elementary school counselors build their knowledge and skills in several areas, including how to create a college-going culture, communicate the value and affordability of postsecondary education, increase student career exploration, use data to support student success, and help students develop "non-cognitive" skills.

  • Session 1: Developing a College-Going Culture in Your Elementary School
  • Session 2: Helping Elementary Teachers, Students, and Families Understand the Value and Affordability of Postsecondary Education
  • Session 3: Engaging Elementary Grades Students in Self-Exploration of Career Interests and Skills
  • Session 4: Disaggregating Data to Address Equity and Design Interventions for At-Risk Students
  • Session 5: Preparing Students for Academic and Career Success

students in a classroom
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GAA106P: MAXIMIZING SCHOOL SUCCESS: ​A MODULE FOR PRINCIPALS

This course helps administrators understand how to engage effectively with school counselors to take the steps needed to achieve school improvement goals. Participants learn about the school counselor's role, how school counselors impact student success, what a comprehensive school program is, and how to support such a program.

  • Session 1: The Impact of School Counselors on Student Achievement
  • Session 2: Understanding the Role Of The School Counselor
  • Session 3: Setting Expectations For a Comprehensive School Counseling Program in Your School
  • Session 4: Strengthening The School Counselor-Principal Relationship

two principals talking
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teacher with students  
GAA107T: COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISING FOR NON-SCHOOL COUNSELORS

This course is designed for college access advisers, non-,profit organizations, teachers, after-school staff, etc. It teaches professional approaches and provides resources for advising students in how to plan, apply, pay for, and succeed in education after high school to prepare for careers of interest.

  • Session 1: Understanding The National Workforce Landscape And 21st Century Careers
  • Session 2: Supporting Student Career Awareness And Development
  • Session 3: Helping Students Understand Postsecondary Options
  • Session 4: Promoting A College-Going Culture In Your School
  • Session 5: Preparing For The Postsecondary Application Process And Admissions Tests
  • Session 6: Paying For College And Understanding Financial Aid

 
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students in front of a bus  
GAA 108S CREATING A COLLEGE-GOING CULTURE IN YOUR SCHOOL
This course is designed for school  teams of administrators, lead teachers, school counselors, and other key staff. It is designed to help school staff collect and analyze relevant data and transform their programs and services in order to improve the postsecondary success of their students.
  • Session 1: Using School Data to Address Equity and to Guide Academic and Career Planning
  • Session 2: The Case for Education Beyond High School: Exploring the National Workforce Landscape and Future Careers
  • Session 3: Promoting a College-Going Culture in Your School
  • Session 4: Helping Students Explore Postsecondary Options
  • Session 3: Help Students and Families Make Informed Postsecondary Decisions
  • Session 5: Support Students’ Transition to Postsecondary Education

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GAA201C COLLEGE AND CAREER COUNSELING FOR SPECIAL-POPULATION STUDENTS
This module helps counselors develop the skills and knowledge required to help homeless and foster-care students, students with disabilities, immigrant and refugee students, and LGBTQ students to apply, finance, and transition into education after high school. Participants will learn more about building support systems, maintaining records, special circumstances in the college application and financial aid processes, and helping at-risk students successfully transition into education after high school. 

  • Session 1: Understanding and Identifying Special Populations
  • Session 2: Building Support Systems For Special Populations
  • Session 3: Academic Progress and Planning
  • Session 4: Postsecondary Exploration
  • Session 5: The College Admission Process & Financial Aid
  • Session 6: Transition to College

teachers at a table
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GAA202C ADVANCING COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM
In this advanced module, participants will analyze their current practices and consider ways to improve their college and career programs to more effectively help students prepare for postsecondary experiences. Participants will build knowledge and skills in several areas, including how to advocate for school counseling services; how to evaluate postsecondary education and career advising practices; how to build school, community, and postsecondary partnerships; and how to maximize counselors’ time and effectiveness.
  • Session 1: Explore Ethical Practice and Advocacy in Postsecondary Advising
  • Session 2: Evaluate and Refine Your Postsecondary Education and Career Advising Program
  • Session 3: Work with Partners and Build Social Capital
  • Session 4: Maximize Your Time and Effectiveness of Your Postsecondary Education and Career Advising Program
students sitting in front of a tree
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teacher helping student  
GAA203C ADVANCED SKILLS IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREER ADVISING
This advance course builds knowledge and skills learned in prior Go Alliance Academy modules. Participants will learn about postsecondary opportunities that are less than associate degrees and how these programs can lead to success in various career fields. In addition, this module covers how to support students through the postsecondary transition processes as well as how to help students make an informed match and fit decisions based on a variety of key factors. 

  • Session 1: Communicate Career Options and Associated Postsecondary Education
  • Session 2: Connect Postsecondary Planning to Career Goals
  • Session 3: Help Students and Families Make Informed Postsecondary Decisions
  • Session 4: Maximize Student Success in the Application and Admissions Process
  • Session 5: Support Students’ Transition to Postsecondary Education

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homeless student  
GAA 204C COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISING FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
This specialized course focuses specifically on the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to help students experiencing homelessness become "on track" for high school completion and postsecondary enrollment. It increases counselors' expertise in the unique barriers faced by homeless and housing insecure students in applying to and succeeding in education after high school; how to help these students pay for college; and how to select the right postsecondary institution that can best meet their housing and academic support needs.
  • Session 1: Identifying and Supporting Students who are Experiencing Homelessness
  • Session 2: Academic Planning and Postsecondary Exploration
  • Session 3: The College Admissions Process & Financial Aid
  • Session 4: Transition to College


Last modified: Friday, March 4, 2022, 12:49 PM