Director’s Note 

Dear friends, 

Summer break is coming to an end, which means we’re closer to entering a new and exciting school year full of worthy celebrations like #WhyApply, recognized on Sept. 19 this year, and College Application Season.

Following the success of our 2024 college application events, we encourage you to register to host an event this year. Your participation allows us to reach more students, increase their interest in postsecondary education, and boost application completion rates.

To help you all prepare for these events, we have revamped our resources library to simplify and streamline your planning efforts. In these updates you’ll see refreshed categories to find the materials you need, expanded material direction, and follow-up resources for educators and students, like building a balanced college list, how to apply for college, and free college and career planning resources.

If you’re new to planning events, we will be hosting an upcoming webinar featuring three School of Excellence winners who will share tips on how they executed award-winning events at their schools and how you can implement these ideas into your own plans.

Let’s get ready to welcome students back with enthusiasm and inspiration so they can continue their educational journeys with confidence and renewed dedication.

With gratitude,  
Lisa King, director 

Thinking Ahead: Why Tracking Student Data Matters During College Application Season

By: Trevor McCray, Ph.D., program director, American College Application Campaign 

As college application season kicks off, we know your to-do lists are long, and your days are full. From coordinating events to supporting students one-on-one, your time is stretched. But as you plan and implement your college application activities, now is the time to pause and plan ahead for one critical piece of the puzzle: how you’re tracking student data.

It may not feel urgent in the moment, but tracking data from your events, such as how many students participated, how many applications were submitted, and where students applied, can directly impact access and resources in your school and community. This data tells a story, and when that story is clear and complete, it becomes a powerful tool.

Here’s why it matters:

• Data helps identify gaps. Are all student groups participating equally? Are there barriers to access that need addressing?
• Data informs future events and programs. What’s working? What needs adjusting? Your data gives you answers, not guesses.
• Data helps ACAC and your state coordinator make the case for more resources. When we can collectively show a positive impact, we can push for additional support, funding, and policy changes that benefit all students.

So, how do you do it?

First, outline the data you will collect and how it will be collected. You can start with the basics, such as the total number of students who participated and the number of college applications submitted. Check in with your state coordinator to ensure you know what data needs to be collected and if there is a preferred or required method. There are also opportunities to go deeper into insights by collecting data for the number of students who applied to two- or four-year programs, student participation by grade level, and participation by demographics (first in their family to attend college, linguistic background, and financial barriers).

Next, think about how and when you’ll collect your data. Whether you’re using a spreadsheet, a survey, or a tracking form provided by your state, make sure your process is built into your event planning. Assign someone to be responsible for data collection and build in time during or immediately after your event to capture information while it’s still fresh.

Lastly, use your data to reflect and refine. Consider how your results compare to previous years. Did more students attend? Did they complete more applications? Were families more engaged? These insights can help you make your events more effective next time around.

You all are doing incredible work for your students, and taking a little extra time to track your impact at events ensures that your year-round work gets the recognition, support, and sustainability it deserves. And ultimately, it helps open doors for even more students.

Inspiring Futures at North Platte High School: Our WhyApply Journey 

By: Amie Albrecht, counselor, North Platte High School, Nebraska 

When I joined North Platte High School’s counseling team, I was struck by the immense potential of our students and their endless possibilities beyond high school. This year, our team set out to create tangible moments for students to reflect on and plan for their futures. This led to hosting our very first WhyApply events.

With encouragement from our principal, Cory Spotanski, and the commitment of our counseling team — Sky Seery, Brett Julius, Nashea Meduna, Traci Foster, and me — we launched these events to inspire students and show them that their dreams are achievable.

Coming up with a theme that resonates with students can be challenging, but we were determined to make our first WhyApply event exciting and memorable. One day, as “Despicable Me” played in the background at home, inspiration struck. With three kids who adore the little yellow characters, a fun idea was born: “[A] Minion Different Ways to Go.”

Read the full blog post here.

Webinar: Why Host a College Application Event: Insights from ACAC 2024 School of Excellence Awardees

Not sure about hosting a college application event? Concerned about internal capacity or yielding event success? Learn from three previous School of Excellence winners — acknowledged for their commitment to student success and for serving as exemplary models for their state’s college application campaign — at our upcoming webinar, where they will share why you should join in and participate in college application events this year and why they benefit educators and students. 

In this webinar, participants will learn: 

• The importance of hosting a college application event.
• How to plan effective and engaging events.
• How to remove barriers that prevent students from applying to a postsecondary institution.  

Join us on Aug. 21 by registering here, and don’t forget to sign up to be a 2025 host site.

Common App

As of this month, the Common App is open for new applications! With this new school year, and its 50th anniversary, students can expect a new and simplified application process that still allows students to apply to multiple universities and colleges with one application. Updates include:

• A refreshed look and feel.
• The “Common App” menu item will now be “My Common Application” for easier navigation.
• “My Common Application” will also move before “My Colleges” in the main menu in an effort to help students understand where to start their application.

To learn more about these updates and how to help your students navigate the platform, watch the “What’s New with Common App” webinar here.

ACT Updates: New! AI Advisor

Applying to college just got a lot easier. Designed for high school sophomores and juniors, ACT has launched a new tool to help students apply to postsecondary schools: the new ACT AI Advisor. With this new tool, students will be able to:

• Build College Lists Smarter: Students receive personalized college recommendations based on their interests, goals, and academic background.
• Gauge Admissions Chances: The ChanceMe feature gives students insight into how their academic profile stacks up at different institutions.
• Explore Majors and Careers: From choosing a major to comparing colleges side by side, students can explore options in real time.
• Get Instant Answers: Whether they’re curious about application deadlines, campus life, or financial aid, students can ask questions anytime and get tailored responses.

Learn more and get your students started on their personalized journey here.

College Campaign Events: Tips and Ideas

Can’t make it to our webinar on Aug. 21, but still need ideas to make your college application campaign more successful than ever? Here are a few practical tips to get you started and keep you going:

• Lean into untapped capacity.
  • Eager students can help organize the event, create posters or social content, and support keeping things running smoothly the day of the event by collecting information, directing students to specific areas, and more.
• Think beyond your school walls.
  • Enlist volunteers, like alumni or interns, to work one-on-one with students, develop promotional materials, or share their own college experience stories at the event.
  • Invite local businesses, libraries, and other community organizations to co-host or plan activities for the event.
• Be intentional and make the time to plan, promote, and execute.
  • Ensure there’s time ahead of the event for meetings, promotion, and preparation.

Check out 2024 School of Excellence Winner, Oxford High School’s video, where they share some of the ways they ensure a successful event, including leveraging their full faculty staff, enlisting career coaches, and establishing dedicated senior areas for on-site applications.

Watch Oxford High’s full celebration video for more.