Preparing Your Students for the Real World: Let's Go to College!

Are your students clueless about what they need to do to go to college? They can’t wait to graduate, but have no idea what college they want to attend, how they are going to pay for it, and what their major will be. Well, they need our help, guidance, and support! We need to set them up for success by preparing them for the skills they will need to explore different colleges and apply for the college that is right for them. The College Readiness resource will help your students plan out, organize, and prepare for their future education!

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS

Students who want to go to college often have no idea where to start. It’s a very overwhelming process, especially if they are the first ones in their families going to college. Many of our students think they automatically get into college and they don’t realize they have to take the SATs or fill out an application. The College Readiness packet has everything a student needs to refer to during the college exploration phase and application process, as well as provides them with step-by-step guidelines of what they need to do to successfully apply to any college.

TOP 6 SECTIONS OF THE COLLEGE READINESS RESOURCE

Every section of this resource is important, but we wanted to focus on the top 6 that we thought were the most beneficial and effective for preparing and applying for colleges.

College Exploration. Help them research their options and look into the schools they’re interested in. We remember attending college fairs and going on campus tours to help us make our decision, nowadays students can explore campuses virtually without ever having to leave their homes on You Visit. Get the full college experience with our Interactive College Search! While taking a virtual campus tour, students can take notes using the Cornell Note Taking method. They can also complete a college webquest for a college of their choice. This will allow them to answer questions about a college to help them determine if it’s the right college for them.
Common Application. We don’t know about you, but when we were in high school we had to fill out a separate application for each college we wanted to apply to. And did we mention this was a paper application that we filled in with a black pen?! Now they’ve made it so much easier for our students. The Common App allows students to fill out a single application form for as many colleges as they choose and they only need to do this one time! We’ve provided a College Roadmap for grades 9-12 that allows students to keep track of the criteria they should be meeting each school year. Freshmen should be getting involved in activities that interest them. Sophomores should be focusing on and improving their study skills, time management skills and critical thinking skills. Juniors should be taking the PSAT, visiting college campuses and creating a Common App account. Seniors should fill out and submit their college applications and register for standardized tests. Check out the complete checklists here for your freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors.
College essay. Writing is hard for our students, and now ask them to write a college essay! Forget about it! Make the process easier for them by providing them with templates and graphic organizers to help them brainstorm and develop their ideas using common essay prompts.
Recommendation letter. This is something they don’t have to write, but they need to know who to ask and how to ask. It’s also important that they thank the person who wrote a recommendation letter for them and what easier way than using the sample template provided.
College entrance exam. Many of our students are not good test takers, so explore the different test options. We’ve included a breakdown of the differences between the SAT and ACT exams.
Financial aid. Our students don’t realize how much money it costs to go to college. Check out the different types of aid that are available including grants, scholarships, work-study jobs, loans, and FAFSA. Explore scholarships with them and help them fill in the graphic organizer to see if they qualify for different scholarships.

After completing the College Readiness packet, exploring different colleges, and breaking down the college application process, your students will feel confident when waiting for their acceptance letters. What will you do to help prepare your students when applying for college?