A comprehensive 30-minute lesson for 11th graders to navigate the early steps of college planning, including academic prep, extracurriculars, and financial aid.
"Colleges want to admit students who genuinely want to attend."
How to show interest:
• Campus visits (in-person or virtual)
• Attending college fairs
• Opening emails from colleges
• Engaging with admissions counselors
• Applying Early Action/Decision
Teacher Notes
Discuss how colleges assess an applicant's level of interest. Emphasize that interacting with colleges (visits, emails, fairs) can make a difference.
Your Next Steps
Stay Proactive
Keep grades strong, engage in activities.
Research, Research, Research
Explore colleges and financial aid early.
Ask for Help
Counselors and family are there for you!
Dream Big!
Your future is waiting.
Teacher Notes
Conclude by reminding students that this is a journey and starting now puts them in a strong position. Encourage them to ask questions and utilize available resources.
"You'll find a College Prep Checklist Worksheet in front of you. Take a few minutes to start filling out the sections on 'Academics' and 'Extracurriculars.' As you work, feel free to chat with a partner about what you're writing down, or look at the Discussion Prompts for ideas."
Financial Aid & Next Steps (10 minutes)
Use Slide: Funding Your Future
Teacher Script
"Alright, let's talk about the money side of college – funding your future. College is a big investment, and costs can really vary from school to school. But don't let sticker shock scare you! There's a lot of help available through financial aid, including scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs."
"It's never too early to start researching things like the FAFSA – that's the Free Application for Federal Student Aid – and scholarship search engines. The earlier you look, the more opportunities you'll find."
Use Slide: Demonstrated Interest
"Another important concept is demonstrated interest. Colleges want to admit students who genuinely want to attend their school. There are many ways to show you care. Visiting campuses, even virtually, attending college fairs, opening emails from colleges, and engaging with admissions counselors are all ways to show them you're interested."
"Take a moment now to fill out the 'Financial Aid & Research' section of your worksheet. Think about how you might show a college that you're genuinely interested in attending. What's one thing you could do this semester?"
Allow a student to answer.
"Great ideas! Now, to help you visualize your future, I want to introduce the My Future Snapshot Activity. This is a creative way to start thinking about what your ideal college experience might look like. If we have a few minutes, you can brainstorm for it now."
"And for a more comprehensive plan, I'm also providing a My College Action Plan Project Guide, which is a longer-term assignment to help you really map out your next steps. We'll go over it quickly now, but you can work on it at home."
Wrap-Up & Q&A (5 minutes)
Teacher Script
"To wrap things up, remember these key takeaways: keep your academics strong, get meaningfully involved in extracurriculars, start researching financial aid, and proactively plan your junior and senior years. You've got a great start! Don't forget to keep working on your worksheet and explore the activity guides."
"Do you have any final questions for me today?"
Answer questions and provide resources for further support.
"Thanks for your engagement today, everyone! You're now a step closer to making your college dreams a reality!"
