2014 College Awareness Month
Suggested Classroom Activities
November is College Awareness Month. Here are several ideas that schools can utilize to begin the
college conversation with students and families.
We encourage you to take lots of pictures and share your events and activities with the communications
team at [email protected]
Elementary/Middle
1. Project Graduate
Take pictures of students with their year of graduation from college and post them throughout the
building with their goals.
2. Virtual College Tour
Using a computer and projector, take students on a virtual college tour.
Resource: http://www.youniversitytv.com
3. Bookmark Art
Have students create bookmarks with the name of a college, its mascot, the city and state that it is located
in, etc. On the back, students should do something similar with a highlighted career. Laminate and allow
students to use the bookmark in class.
4. Door decorating contest
Have students decorate their doors at the beginning of the month and schools can email or tweet to City
Schools and we can have a contest.
5. Reflection Sheet
At the end of College Awareness Month, have students write reflections about what they have learned
about throughout the month.
6. College Guess Who
Read facts about a faculty member’s college experiences over the PA daily and have students try to guess
who it is. Central office staff and community members can tweet out the College Guess Who.
7. College Letter Writing
Have each grade pick a state, then select colleges in that state, and have students begin a letter writing
campaign to request pennants and t-shirts to be posted throughout the school. Have schools tweet out
pictures of their college loot and how it is placed in their school.
8. College Research
Students (Individually or in groups) will research different universities and then create a college poster
board, PowerPoint, commercial, or some other creative way to present their findings.
9. Financial Literacy Night
Students and families will learn how to be more financially savvy through savings, and improving credit.
Consider reaching out to College Savings of Maryland and Baltimore CASH.
Resources: www.collegesavingsmd.org
www.baltimorecashcampaign.org
2014 College Awareness Month
Suggested Classroom Activities
Elementary/Middle, cont.
10. College Word Wall
Over the course of the month, as students come across words and terms about the college process, begin
creating a centrally located college word wall with definitions.
11. What Does College Mean to Me
Have students write a short prompt about what going to college means to them and post the prompt and
their picture throughout the building.
12. College Vision Board
Help students create a college vision board using cutouts from magazines, pictures, and other artwork to
show each student’s vision for college.
13. College A, B, C’s
Find a college name for every letter of the alphabet and post it for all to see. Here is one to get you started
A: Amherst College (Massachusetts) Mascot: Lord Jeff
B: Brown University (Rhode Island) Mascot: Bruno The Brown Bear
14. College T-shirt
Have students bring in plain white t-shirts and then create their own college t-shirts.
15. Creative college going expressions
Have students share how they feel about college through song, dance, poetry with their school
community.
16. College Pennants
Create your own college pennants to post throughout the building.
17. Inspirational College Quotes
Find inspirational quotes about going to college and post them throughout the building.
“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” –B.B. King
18. Tracking our Alumni Institutions
Survey the staff to determine their alumni institutions. Create a large bar graph to show which schools
has the most alumni.
2014 College Awareness Month
Suggested Classroom Activities
High School
1. Alumni Wall
Create an alumni wall that celebrates the academic and career achievements of graduates of your high
school.
2. Dear Me: Advice to my high school self.
Have the staff write letters to their high school grade self with advice on what they would differently if
given the opportunity. Post these letters throughout the building with a picture of the staff member.
3. SAT Administration on November 11
Celebrate, encourage, and support seniors to take the SAT on Saturday, November 11th.
4. College Application Submission
The President of the United States designated November as College Application Month. To support this
effort, create opportunities for students to complete college applications to schools that are a fit and
match. The goal is to have student’s complete applications before Thanksgiving break.
5. Project Graduate
Take pictures of students with their year of graduation from college and post them throughout the
building with their goals.
6. Virtual College Tour
Using a computer and projector, take students on a virtual college tour.
Resource: http://www.youniversitytv.com
7. College Banner Day
Classes can create college banners to post throughout the building. The banners should creatively
display the name, location, mascot, average SAT scores, average GPA.
8. College Lingo Wall
Over the course of the month, as students come across words and terms about the college process, begin
creating a centrally located college word wall with definitions.
9. College Night
Host a college night for students and families to help them understand the college process and
expectations.
10. Career Speakers
Bring in career speakers to share their path to college. Help students start with the end in mind.
11. Major Explosion
Instead of having a college fair, have a major fair. Students often have unrealistic ideas about what it
means to study a particular college major. Bring in professors, department chairs, and college students to
discuss more about a particular major.
12. College Board
Decorate your bulletin boards with College t-shirts, college information and other resources for students
and families.
2014 College Awareness Month
Suggested Classroom Activities
High School, cont.
13. Inspirational College Quotes
Find inspirational quotes about going to college and post them throughout the building.
14. College T-shirts
Place college t-shirts in picture frames and hang them throughout the building.
15. College of the Day or Week
Feature a different college of the day or week and have students learn not just the basic details, but some
of the quirky traditions.
16. Coffee with the Counselor/Teacher/Principal
Have personal conversations with families about the future and the college process.
17. Diploma Doors
Teachers should decorate their door with their alma mater ‘swag.’