Smith Publicity
Thursday, June 4, 2015
In this increasingly technological world, more jobs require applicants to have diverse skill sets that are not available solely with a high school diploma. According to the Pew Research Center, college graduates ages 25 to 32 who work full-time earn $17,500 more per year than their counterparts with just a high school diploma. Therefore, access to college advice is critically important for students as they prepare for college.
Education expert Chelsea L. Dixon, M.S., M.A.T. is the author of the new book, Bridging the Gap: A Simple Guide to College. Dixon, CEO and Founder of GamePhox Unlimited, LLC, a company dedicated to enriching the educational and life experiences of underserved and underrepresented minority youth, has written one of the only college application guides designed with the underrepresented and first generation students in mind.
"Most college preparation books write about the planning process from the ninth grade and assume readers already know the basics about college and the preparation required before they get to high school," says Dixon. "This book takes a different approach, beginning with middle school. It's written for those unfamiliar with the college application process: the underrepresented, first generation students, student-athletes, their families, mentors, and anyone else looking for an introduction to the pathway to college."
Bridging the Gap serves as a primer and a simplified college planning guide that takes out the overwhelming process of applying to college by offering resources and breaking it down into manageable steps. This easy-to-read, informational book takes a grassroots approach to providing readers with a broad overview of the academic and athletic college planning and preparation process for anyone needing basic, fundamental guidance to understanding the steps it takes to get to college. For those who believe college is out of their financial reach, or are confused and intimidated on where to begin, Dixon cuts through the uncertainty of this life-altering process.
In Bridging the Gap, Dixon covers topics including:
- Understanding the complex financial aid system
- The application, admissions, and selection process
- Standardized tests, self-preparation and cultivating essential life skills
- Helpful websites and other college application resources
- Vital information for student-athletes
- A checklist process for preparing for college, beginning in middle school
“My goal is to level the playing field in terms of the knowledge and information needed to successfully prepare for and apply to college,” adds Dixon. “Every young person deserves the opportunity to better themselves through higher education.”
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