Glance Makes a Difference in Students’ Futures

When I’m not on my day job at Glance, I have the privilege of helping kids from disadvantaged backgrounds get in to college. This opportunity started with a simple request to help teenagers at my church get motivated to go to college so they would not languish in low paying and unfulfilling careers.

The task has now taken on a life of its own — sometimes involving helping them with the practical process of applying for admission, financial aid, housing and class registration – especially since all this is done online these days. Since many of these teens are the first in their generation to get higher education, navigating this process alone can be overwhelming. 

Enter Glance, the super tool.

With Glance, students can call me and say, “I don’t know what this application is asking,” and I can say, “OK, go to your browser window and type in my Glance address. Here is the session key,” and away we go. I give them remote control access to my computer (a great Glance feature!), and they can fill in the entire application from their living rooms, while I'm in my home. If they get stuck, I can quickly figure out the answer to their question. They don’t languish in confusion and frustration. Nor can they wiggle out of getting it done, because I am with them every step of the way.

Students have also called me to help them with financial aid forms. If you have never had the fun of filling in the government’s FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online, you might not know that this process is fairly labyrinthine -- involving applying for a pin, getting your parents to apply for a different pin, answering a series of questions, collecting financial paperwork, translating terminology, and having the stamina to sit in your seat during this confusing process, hoping not to fall into one of the many jargon dungeons lurking along the way.  I have found it is MUCH easier to get through this process with Glance. I am essentially sitting by their side –- even though I am at home, and they can be anywhere.

I love that Glance makes the whole process simple, fast, and painless for them, and they can focus on what's important - moving on to higher education!

-- Robin Baker, Billing Manager, Glance Networks (daytime) and volunteer guidance counselor (after hours)