How to Plan a Successful Cllege Applicatin

Transcription

1 INDIANA COLLEGE APPLICATION DAY Schl Manual 2015 Editin COLLEGE PLANNING CAREER SUCCESS

2 Prduced in partnership by the Indiana Cmmissin fr Higher Educatin and the American Cllege Applicatin Campaign. Funding and supprt fr this guide was prvided by Cllege Bard USA Funds Lumina Fundatin The Bill and Melinda Gates Fundatin The Kresge Fundatin Bank f America Charitable Fundatin The Educatin Trust And American Cuncil n Educatin Cpyright 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 American Cuncil n Educatin. This publicatin may be reprinted withut permissin, prvided that all ntices remain intact. Revisins may be made t prtins f the publicatin nly t replace any state-specific references with the name f anther state fr use in an American Cllege Applicatin Campaign event. Any cmmercial use is strictly prhibited.

3 Abut the Campaign The American Cllege Applicatin Campaign (ACAC), an effrt f the American Cuncil n Educatin (ACE), is a natinal initiative t increase the number f first-generatin and lwincme students wh pursue a pstsecndary educatin. The purpse is t help high schl senirs navigate the cllege admissins prcess and ensure each participating student submits at least ne admissins applicatin. In Indiana, Cllege Applicatin Day is part f the state s annual Cllege GO! Week campaign. Cllege Applicatin Day is supprted by an advisry cuncil and the Indiana Cmmissin fr Higher Educatin. Learn Mre Indiana, an initiative f the Cmmissin, facilitates Cllege GO! Week and prvides materials. Fr mre infrmatin abut Cllege GO! Week r Learn Mre Indiana, please visit In 2014, Indiana s Cllege Applicatin Day will be held n Octber 28 (althugh schls are permitted t use an alternative date). Many Indiana clleges, as well as clleges natinwide, have pririty schlarship deadlines f Nvember 1. At lcal Cllege Applicatin Day events acrss the state, high schl senirs will cmplete cllege applicatins nline with assistance frm schl staff and vlunteers. They will then sign up fr their Free Applicatin fr Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) persnal identificatin number (PIN). As students depart the event, they will receive infrmatin abut Indiana s FAFSA assistance prgrams taking place in February t ensure students are prepared t meet the state s March 10 financial aid filing deadline. Respnsibilities f Participating High Schls High schls implementing a successful Cllege Applicatin Campaign event at their schl will include the fllwing as part f their initiative: Hsting a prgram during the schl day that is pen t any student interested in applying with a fcus n engaging first-generatin students, lw-incme students, and students wh may therwise nt apply t cllege. Sme schls may hst mre than ne day, depending n the size f the senir class. Cnvening a schl team cmprised f staff and cmmunity members. Advertising the event, r engaging a cmmunity partner t assist with this task. Ensuring that students are prepared t participate in the event (essays are cmpleted prir t the prgram, students have researched the institutins t which they want t apply, etc.). Engaging the lcal cmmunity, students, families, and thers thrugh vlunteer pprtunities, infrmatin letters, and advertising the prgram. Cllecting simple data and reprting t Learn Mre Indiana fllwing the event. Fllwing up with students after the event t ensure applicatins submitted are cmplete (transcripts, cllege entrance exam scres, letters f recmmendatin, submitting a cmplete FAFSA, etc.). Building Yur Schl Team A high schl s schl team shuld cnsist f at least a schl cunselr r assistant principal. Ideally, teachers, all cunselrs, ther administratrs and student leaders will als participate. Schls with a Jbs fr America s Graduates (JAG) prgram shuld include all JAG steering team members and a JAG student. A schl shuld als cnsider engaging utside stakehlders t maximize the impact f the event. Cmmunity partners can advertise the event, recruit vlunteers, prvide in-kind dnatins, etc. Ptential cmmunity partners include: Indiana Cllege Success Calitin members (see LearnMreIndiana.rg/calitins t cntact yur cunty s calitin) Admissins representatives frm lcal clleges (tw-year and fur-year) Lcal business leaders

4 Lcal Chamber f Cmmerce Cllege access initiatives (federally-funded, state-funded, r cmmunity-based) Faith-based cmmunity Nn-prfit rganizatins such as the YMCA, 4H, Bys and Girls Club, etc. PTA and ther parents/family members wh want t be engaged in the prcess Student leaders in yur high schl Retired schl persnnel Lcal gvernment fficials r elected representatives The schl team will make a plan fr: Preparing students in class r ut f class. English classes may want t fcus n cllege essays, fr example. Students shuld knw abut upcming SAT and ACT tests and have resurces fr studying. Cmmunicating with parents, including sending hme a Cllege Applicatin Infrmatin sheet (available at CllegeGWeekIndiana.rg). Cmmunicating with senirs. Recruiting vlunteers. Lgistics fr the day f the event (cmputer space, printing hand uts fr students, etc.) Thanking vlunteers fr their time. Fllwing up with students. Reprting data t Learn Mre Indiana. Materials & Suggested Event Prcedure Learn Mre Indiana and the American Cllege Applicatin Campaign have prvided materials fr schls t use during Cllege Applicatin Day. All materials are available n the Cllege GO! Week website ( The materials can be used in the fllwing way: Several weeks prir t the event, send hme the Infrmatin Letter fr Parents and the Cllege Applicatin Infrmatin wrksheet. Encurage students t cmplete the Cllege Applicatin Infrmatin sheet befre attending the event. As students arrive at the event, give them the Student Instructins handut. As students cmplete their applicatins, instruct them t write dwn additinal items they need t prvide t clleges n the Student Instructin handut (such as transcript, SAT r ACT scres, etc.) When students cmplete applicatins, instruct them t btain their FAFSA PIN at Then give them a FAFSA handut and instruct them t write their PIN n the handut and keep it in a safe lcatin. Befre students exit, ask them t sign the Sign-ut Sheet. After the event, assign smene t cllect the data frm the Sign-ut Sheet and reprt it t Learn Mre Indiana via the Data Reprting Sheet. Schl Team & Vlunteer Tasks Althugh familiarity with the cllege applicatin prcess is a plus, it is nt required fr smene t fulfill a useful task and have a meaningful vlunteer experience at a participating high schl. Here are a few tasks that vlunteers (r schl team members) culd cntribute t the initiative at a high schl: Pst directinal signs in the schl fr the event. Gd signage is key t reminding students f the event and getting them t the right place. Wear cllege gear and encurage students that they can cmplete cllege. Greet students as they arrive t the cmputer lab. Ensure that they have a cmpleted Cllege Applicatin Infrmatin sheet (available at

5 Help students find and begin an applicatin by clicking n the pencil icn next t their cllege f chice. It is a gd idea t bkmark this URL n all cmputers befre the event begins. If the schl des nt have enugh cmputers r stable nline service, the cunselr ffice shuld be prepared with paper applicatins. Vlunteers, in that case, can hand ut applicatins. Guide students thrugh the cllege applicatin prcess and help answer any questins students may have, regardless f where the student wishes t apply. Mnitr printers t ensure that any applicatins that need t be printed remain in rder and replenish the paper supply as needed. Help ensure students register fr the FAFSA PIN after they submit their cllege applicatin(s) at Share persnal cllege experiences with students, as requested. Hand ut materials t students after they cmplete their cllege applicatin(s) including the FAFSA handut (available at Assist students in listing the items they still need t prvide, such as a high schl transcript (available fr free via e-transcript), recmmendatin letters, SAT r ACT scres, etc. Cngratulate each student n applying t cllege! Additinal Supprt Thank yu fr participating in Indiana s Cllege Applicatin Day. In Indiana, this initiative f the American Cllege Applicatin Campaign is facilitated and supprted by Learn Mre Indiana. Additinal supprt is available by cntacting Learn Mre Indiana at inf@learnmre.rg. Supprt materials fr Cllege Applicatin Day, student gals fr Cllege GO! Week, wrksheets and activities fr students in grades K-12, and Cllege GO! Week prmtinal materials are available at Mre infrmatin abut Indiana s FAFSA events and resurces is available at FAFSA Friday will be held February 20, 2015 at nn and 6 p.m. (EST) at Cllege Gal Sunday will be held at ver 40 lcatins acrss the state n February 22, 2015 at 2 p.m. (lcal time).