College Now 2020 Report to the Community
College Now is thrilled to release its 2020 Report to the Community. This year's report highlights the ways in which College Now has cleared the path for students of all ages through its many programs, events, and initiatives over the past year, including its advising programs and services, the College Now Mentoring Program, scholarships such as Say Yes to Education Cleveland, and many more.

It is the hope of the staff at College Now that this year's Report to the Community will provide some positive reading material during these challenging times and serve as a reminder that College Now will always be here to serve the community.

We thank the many donors, supporters, friends, and community members that have made - and continue to make - our work possible. Thank you for your commitment to our work, now and always.

Click the image below to start reading.
Update on College Now COVID-19 Response and Operations
As we continue to monitor the developments occurring due to the novel coronavirus, we would like to take the opportunity to provide another update to you about our College Now operations at this time.

To ensure the safety of our staff, students, clients, their families, and the community, we are continuing to work remotely and follow the guidance provided by the Governor, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the City of Cleveland, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and leaders from our local healthcare institutions.

  • College Now school-based advisors continue to serve students via tele-advising while all K-12 schools are closed throughout the state. Our team has already helped students complete the FAFSA, shared information and guidance on scholarship applications, and more through phone calls, text messages, and email outreach to students. Advisors are also providing targeted outreach to senior students to ensure that they have the information and tools they need to finalize their postsecondary plans.

  • Our Resource Center staff continue consulting with clients via tele-advising, as well, and are prepared to offer guidance and support to students of all ages, including assistance with Federal student loan debt following the provisions set forth in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by the Federal government in response to COVID-19. An appointment can be scheduled using the link here.

  • The Mentoring Team is continuing to recruit mentors up until tomorrow's deadline. All orientations will be held virtually. You can still apply to be a mentor on our website or encourage your friends and family to take part in the program.

  • We continue to collect resources and supports for students and community members who are affected by COVID-19 which can be found on our website. We know that disruptions in college and university operations are causing massive changes for students working to finish their courses this semester. Our staff has been reaching out to our students of all ages to ensure they have the resources necessary to finish their semesters, including technology, food, and housing. We encourage students and/or mentors to contact College Now as soon as possible if you are concerned about yours or your student's housing or ability to remain enrolled.

We cannot repeat it enough: College Now is still here to support our students, clients, staff, and their families. You can continue to be sure that our work will not stop while we make modifications to ensure all are safe and healthy.

We will share updates as we have them as we continue to follow health officials' recommendations. You can continue to contact us via phone or email (216.241.5587 or info@collegenowgc.org).

As always, we appreciate your support and understanding as we all navigate this together.
How state and federal legislation may affect students
In response to COVID-19, the state of Ohio and federal governments have put a number of policies into place in an effort to help those affected by the pandemic. Many of these pieces of legislation will have implications for students, both at the state and federal levels. Below are a few of the ways in which the students we serve may be impacted by these pieces of legislation:

At the state level, the following have been put into place for students in grades K-12:
  • State testing and report cards for the 2019-2020 school year have been waived;
  • High school seniors are permitted to graduate if the school determines they were on track to do so prior to the COVID-19 emergency;
  • College Credit Plus timelines and requirements may be waived during the COVID-19 emergency.

At the federal level, the following, among other provisions, may affect college stud ents:
  • Higher ed institutions will receive funding from the federal government under the CARES Act, of which 50% must be used on emergency aid for students. Students who need emergency aid should contact their university’s financial aid offices;
  • Institutions may continue paying federal Work-Study recipients their wages through the end of the academic year if students who received work-study funding are unable to continue their work;
  • Students who withdraw due to COVID-19 are not required to return federal student aid to their institution, and the institution is not required to return funding to the federal government;
  • Student loan payments are suspended through September 20, 2020, and those months will still count toward loan forgiveness (both income-driven repayment programs and Public Service Loan Forgiveness). More information on what this means for student loan debt is outlined in the next section.

For more information on how state and federal legislation may affect students of all ages, please refer to the Ohio Department of Health's website and the National College Attainment Network.
What federal legislation means for student loan debt
Perhaps one of the most talked-about pieces of the federal CARES Act as it relates to students is the action taken on student loan debt. College Now's Adult Programs and Services team broke down the steps that the CARES Act takes with respect to student loan debt.

First, it is important to note that all this only applies to Federal Direct Student Loans. It does not apply to Family Federal Education Loans (FFEL) or private student loans. All federal measures are retroactive to March 13, 2020.

  • Borrowers with current (not in default) federal student loans will automatically be put into forbearance for six months.
  • This means that payments will not be due and interest will not accrue.
  • These six months will still be counted as six payments toward the 120 required payments in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
  • Interest will not accrue on the student loans of all borrowers with current (not in default) federal student loans for six months.
  • Borrowers who are able to continue student loan payments should consider doing so, as the payments will be applied to principle only, effectively lowering the total balance.
  • Contact your loan servicer to make arrangements to continue making payments.
  • Borrowers with student loans that are in default will not go to collections during the next six months. Wage garnishment, tax refund seizure, and collections calls will cease for six months.
  • Collections and garnishments will stop, but you will remain in default status unless you act on the loans to remove yourself from default. This can be done through the process of either rehabilitation or consolidation.
  • If a borrower was rehabilitating defaulted student loans, the six month pause will apply to the rehabilitation period.

Borrowers can find their student loan status and apply for income driven repayment plans, including PSLF, at https://studentaid.gov/.

College Now adult advisors are prepared to assist you with your student loans. Please set up a virtual appointment here.
College Now Greater Cleveland
Post Office Plaza
1500 West 3rd Street, Suite 125
Cleveland, OH 44113
216.241.5587