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3 Ideas for Encouraging College Enrollment
Chalk Talk #79
Until TEA is able to get enlistment data from the U.S. Armed Forces, there are only two pathways to earning CCMR Outcomes Bonuses. No matter what, students have to earn the right score on the TSIA, SAT, or ACT. And then they have to either earn an associate degree or a level 1 or level 2 certificate, or they have to enroll in college immediately after high school.
In most districts, college enrollment will be the major pathway to CCMR Outcomes Bonuses. However, many districts have a large number of students who have the right test scores, but who aren’t making it to a two-year or four-year institution.
How can you bridge this gap? Here are three ideas for encouraging college enrollment that have worked for Texas schools.
3 Ideas for Encouraging College Enrollment:
- Start early.
High schools with a college-going culture send more students to college. That’s a fact. The genesis of that culture is the moment a freshman steps on campus grounds. Provide college roadmaps and guidance at orientation. Deck the halls with celebrations of where your schools’ graduates are being accepted. You have four years to demonstrate to students this is the beginning of their educational journey, not the end. Start at day one and don’t waste a moment.
- Distribute graduation passports.
Some Texas schools use the concept of a passport or a checklist for their graduates. Each junior gets one and has to fill out where they plan on going after school and the steps they need to take to get there. Counselors and teachers then check in on these steps. This process helps you track what is happening with each student and identify gaps or issues.
- Extend counseling until the first semester of college.
Students can have the best of intentions to enroll in college immediately after graduation, but they can easily run into roadblocks that hinder this plan. If you think about it, the summer after high school is the time when students have the least academic support. They’re done with high school, but they are not yet part of a college. Solve this by extending counseling services until the first semester of college. A supportive call or email, a chat with parents—these extra layers of help can tilt the scales on whether students bridge to college or not.
Looking for more help with creating a college-going culture? Our College Playbook can help.
With the CCMR Outcomes Bonus, the stakes have never been higher. For example, if 20 more students enroll in college, this could result in $100,000 in extra funding for your district.
MasteryPrep is here to bridge the gap in an e-learning environment by providing your students with much needed college readiness preparation.
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