Joliet Job Corps Center Counselor Patricia Alberty (standing, right) helps the students fill out a federal student aid form.

Meet the Collegiates.

They are a group of Joliet Job Corps Center students who have begun meeting weekly to prepare for college. On Monday, they met for the first time with Counselor Patricia Alberty, the organizer of the group. The students began the process of completing the Federal Assistance for Student Aid Application, a document that’s often called the FAFSA. It’s a key part of the process of applying for college loans.

During the meetings, the Collegiates will work on adjusting their ideas about goals and life accomplishments. To prepare for college, the members of the group will take practice versions of the Compass test to assess the level of their skills. The scores will help them choose the appropriate level of college classes to take. They’ll also discuss issues such as self-discipline, motivation and burn out. And they’ll learn that a college career is more than simply sitting in a classroom, studying, visiting the library and taking tests. It’s the kind of thing that changes lives for the better, forever.

“The experience of going to college is as valuable as the classes themselves,” Ms. Alberty said.