The Colorado Educational Services
and Development Association (CESDA) wants to assist your son/daughter/student
achieve the success in life that comes to those who continue their
education beyond high school. Students who prepare themselves
beginning in middle school and continue their preparation through
high school tend to have more success in higher education. Having
worked with students for 30 years, CESDA knows that students may
need help developing their full range of talents, exploring their
interests, building their self-esteem and overcoming the challenges
of being a young adult. CESDA works to help students achieve early
success for college entrance by supporting the guidance and counseling
programs at the elementary, middle and junior/senior high levels.
These programs, along with family support, create the groundwork
which enables students to progress and keep open their college
or university options. Through pre-college programs, students
are given specific information about college admissions and financial
aid. Our organization knows that this information needs to be
shared with students and their parents as early as possible. College
preparation may begin as early as elementary school and may end
with the parents completing the financial aid information during
the senior year.
This website is a guide to assist
you and your student in the early stages of the college and financial
aid process. Use the listed CESDA contacts as advocates for your
student's education, both high school and college. Remember, you
can never start the college planning process too early. Also keep
in mind that the CESDA contacts are not just for high school students.
If you would like to continue your own education, they are there
to assist you as well. Finally, CESDA does not imply that all
students should go to college, but that all students deserve to
be guided and educated toward that goal. All students are entitled
to have every possible benefit that a college education affords.
As an organization dedicated to education, we know teachers and
administrators from every level of education must take strong
actions that support the futures of the students they educate.
This is the mission of CESDA.
We offer you advice on what higher
education is, why it's important, when and how to prepare for
it academically, how to finance it, and who you can contact throughout
Colorado to obtain additional information.
Very few students realize what careers
they will choose during their adult lives. However, career planning
should begin with: