Local Schools Celebrate College Application, Exploration Month

September is College Application and Exploration Month in Tennessee, and local schools are taking measures to ensure students make progress in their post-secondary application experiences.

To promote this statewide initiative, information about College Application and Exploration Month — like how to find application fee waivers — is posted not only throughout high school hallways but also on many schools’ social media pages. School staff, especially guidance counselors, are leading the information roll-out and inspiring students’ excitement about post-secondary education and skill development.

At McKenzie High School, guidance counselor Ashley Lowe hosted a senior parent meeting with representatives from the University of Tennessee at Martin, Bethel University, TCAT Henry/Carroll, the Army and the National Guard on August 25. There, Lowe and the guest representatives informed parents and students of important senior year information while giving students the option to discuss post-secondary plans with recruiters.

Bethel University hosted an on-campus college fair on August 29, also pushing high school students to consider their post-secondary decisions. Students from McKenzie, Huntingdon, West Carroll, Clarksburg and Bruceton schools attended the event to speak with recruiters from 30 different colleges and career fields. Students also had a chance to tour Bethel University’s campus and housing options.

During September 15-19, all Tennessee schools’ application fees are completely waived. That week, Lowe plans to visit with students in the Jobs for American Graduates (JAG) program and the senior class to make sure they all complete their Tennessee Promise scholarship application, UT Promise scholarship application and at least one college or TCAT application.

Thursday, September 25, McKenzie High School has “College T-Shirt Day,” which promotes awareness of college education and post-secondary success in its staff. While staff wear t-shirts representing their alma mater, students are encouraged to wear t-shirts from their chosen post-secondary institutions.

While local schools keep their focus on high school seniors and JAG students, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission has also built ways for younger students to explore their future opportunities. On their website, parents can find activities for elementary school students to learn about career paths and clusters, for middle school students to learn their strengths and prepare for high school and for high school non-seniors to explore majors, compare college options and map out a course plan.

Across the country, a majority of colleges’ application deadlines are in the middle of October or November. The deadline to apply for UT Promise is November 1, and the deadline to apply for Tennessee Promise is November 3. Pushing students to begin working on these applications in September is an assured way for students to reach post-secondary success.