New initiative and toolkit enable schools and communities to help more students access college
Today, Florida College Access Network is releasing the Florida College Application Week Toolkit, an open source “how-to” guide for educators, counselors and community members interested in hosting a College Application Week event in October 2016.
Florida College Application Month is part of the American College Application Campaign (ACAC), a national initiative aimed at increasing the number of students pursing a postsecondary degree or other high-quality credential.
During a College Application Week event, schools dedicate time and space during the normal school day for graduating seniors to fill out at least one college application with the support of trained volunteers from the school and community. Schools and communities can designate any week in the fall for their event.
While College Application Week is primarily geared toward graduating seniors, schools and communities also take advantage of this opportunity to build a college-going culture for all students through activities and awareness-building that inspire younger students to aspire to continuing their educations beyond high school.
The 2015-2016 academic year is the first year that Florida College Access Network is serving as the statewide coordinator of the event. This fall, dozens of schools and organizations from ten districts across the state have made the commitment to participate in this pilot year.
Florida CAN’s toolkit, which is adapted from toolkits created by the American College Application Campaign (ACAC) and Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), provides valuable information on how to navigate to and through the college application process and how to plan and hold a College Application Week event. The toolkit includes:
- Florida College Application Week Apply Yourself! Site Coordinator Planning Guide, which includes an action plan, suggested activities, a timeline and other tips for hosting a College Application Week event.
- Florida College Application Week Apply Yourself! Student Guide, which helps students plan for and navigate the college application process from start to finish.
In addition to these guides, Florida College Access Network has a number of supplemental resources, including marketing materials and templates, to help with preparing for College Application Week. For more information on these resources contact Arianna Pineiro, FCAN’s Special Projects Coordinator, at 813-974-6429 or apineiro@floridacollegeaccess.org.
In 2016, Florida CAN will be opening site registration to include interested schools and organizations throughout Florida. If you are interesting in learning how to bring Florida College Application Week to your community next year, please complete this form.
To view a press release on Florida College Application Month click here.