The Utah System of Higher Education is coordinating an expansion of the Utah College Application Week (UCAW), which gives every high school senior in participating schools the opportunity to apply to college during a school day between Nov. 9 and 20, 2015.
UCAW is part of the American College Application Campaign, a national initiative of the American Council on Education, and focuses on first-generation, and low income students who are less like to apply to and enroll in college. Two years ago UCAW started as a pilot program in Utah in eight schools and three districts. This year’s program will be available in 100 high schools across the state, including Carbon High School.
When surveyed over 90 percent of middle school aged students say they intend on attending college, but in the end only about two thirds of high school graduates actually go on to post-secondary education opportunities.
Begins Nov. 9
Activities at Carbon High School regarding the two week campaign begin the evening of Monday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. when there will be a kickoff to the program as well as an informational meeting for parents and students.
The following two weeks will include a number of activities intended to help students get an idea of where they want to apply to go to college. Teachers at Carbon High will be encouraged to wear the insignia and the colors of the schools they attended, and to engage students in conversations about the value of college and where they went to school. Classrooms will also have pennants on their doors designating where a teacher did their post-secondary education work. ‘College talk’ will be a focus during UCAW.
College application day at Carbon High School is Nov. 19 and on that day from 8:30 a.m. until noon seniors will all be involved in filling out applications for at least one post-secondary learning institution. Many of the colleges in the state will have recruiting teams at Carbon High that morning, as will various branches of the military. Parents of seniors are invited to attend.
For students who can’t afford to pay the college applications fees, Carbon High School has a limited amount of additional funds available through application and determined by need. For further educational financial needs, Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority will be available to help with the FAFSA process; Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
That same day freshmen at the school will take the EXPLORE test (pre ACT testing), sophomores will take a test called the PLAN (another pre ACT test), and juniors will be involved in a College Day event including a College Fair that is being held.
Carbon School District board members, along with others, have agreed to participate on Nov. 19 by helping students and parents. Those attending will be able to not only learn about colleges, but also about various professions as well as degrees that can be earned in various fields and at various schools.
“This is a chance for parents and students to learn about colleges and the application process,” said Melissa Swenson, a counselor at Carbon High. “We have a lot of fun things going on during those two weeks at the school to help students ready themselves for college.”