What is CACG?

The CNMI College Access Challenge Grant (CACG) is a community collaborative effort to increase the number of students who are Native Pacific Islanders and from low-income families in the Commonwealth to enroll, remain, and succeed in college. CACG aims to expand existing student support services and activities available within the community which include:

• College information sessions for students and their families
• College applications and financial aid/scholarships forms workshops
• Professional developments workshops for system-wide guidance counselors and student support personnel
• Career and college fairs
• Math and English enrichment classes
• Academic Summer Camps
• College Exposure Tours
• Needs-based financial aid
• Outreach activities for at-risk students

The CACG program is administered and supported by the Northern Marianas College’s Dean of Student Services, the Director of Counseling Programs & Services, Outreach Counselors and academic tutors who also serve as the program’s ambassadors.

Who is eligible?

Any student who is interested in the services that the program offers can apply into CACG. If however you wish to avail of the CACG Scholarship Award, you must adhere to the following guidelines:

If you are a first year college student with 29 credit hours or less, you should:

1. Complete a CACG Application Form
2. Provide proof of your eligibility for FAFSA (Pell).
3. Meet with a CACG Outreach Counselor to discuss award conditions.

Qualifying high school Juniors and Seniors from the Public School System who are interested in taking advanced classes in college should:

1. Submit a completed CACG Application Form. If you intend to take college courses while in high school, you will need to fill out a CACG Scholarship Application Form, Building I.
2. Pick up an admissions application packet and an Early Admissions Checklist from NMC Office of Admissions and Records (OAR), Building N. Fill out and submit this application form and pertaining forms and see a counselor at Building I.
3. Take the English Placement Test. For testing schedule, call 234-5498, ext. 1242.
4. Pick up a FAFSA (Pell) grant application form and submit to the Financial Aid Office at NMC to check if eligible.
5. High School Principal or Counselor’s Recommendation Letter stating that you have a GPA of 2.0 or above.
6. Eligible CACG Applicants will receive a grant award to fund up to two college courses.

How to Apply:

You may pick up an application from the NMC Financial Aid Office in Building N, or you can download the 2012-2013 CACG Scholarship application and other forms by clicking on the following links:

• 2012-2013 CACG Scholarship Information Sheet
• 2012-2013 CACG Scholarship Application
• 2012-2013 CACG Scholarship Cost of Attendance Form

In addition, please be aware of the following application deadlines:

• Fall 2012 - June 29, 2012
• Spring 2013 - November 23, 2012
• Summer 2013 - April 30, 2013

Applications can be submitted to the NMC Financial Aid Office, located in Building N, at the Northern Marianas College As Terlaje campus. If you are a high school student, you can submit your applications to your respective high school counselor(s).

Contact Information:

Timothy Baker
CACG Project Director
Director, Counseling Programs and Services
Building I
(670) 234-5498 ext. 1313/1346
Email: timothyb@nmcnet.edu

For further inquiries or more information, visit the CNMI CACG Office located in Building I at the NMC As Terlaje campus, call (670) 234-5498 ext. 1346, or email cacg@nmcnet.edu.