Identifying Holes in Supporting Seniors, At Scale 

The ultimate goal for college and career readiness (CCR) programs is for students to have a postsecondary destination that they are prepared for and aligns with their goals. Though work to make that a reality occurs through middle and high school, there are many specific steps and processes during senior year that are required in order for students to attend college or transition to the workforce the following year. Completing college applications, writing essays, taking standardized tests, submitting financial aid materials, building a resume, preparing for an interview, and securing scholarships are all critical. If not done on time or not done well, students lose out on the options available to them. 

Unlike the requirements for high school graduation–which schools and counselors closely track over four years–managing these steps typically falls on the student and their family. Despite the high stakes, many schools and districts lack the capability to monitor student progress on these efforts and respond to student challenges. By creating a cohesive and strategic district-wide system that tracks completion, builds communication channels with families, and identifies students who are struggling, counselors and administrators can provide timely intervention, support, and feedback to ensure students stay on track to realize their postsecondary dreams.  

‍Tracking Student Progress to Provide Support at Scale

For high school seniors and most of their families, the tasks that are part of the college or job application process are brand new to them. With so many shifts in how these steps are completed as applications and supporting materials have gone digital, most families do not have prior experience to lean on to know how to get started, where to look for information, how to understand nuances in deadlines, or what the expectations are for different components. Many students and families do not even realize they need support until it is too late. 

Rather than taking a reactive approach whereby counselors provide support for students and families who reach out in a crisis, districts can create a proactive system for tracking completion on requisite steps, embed relevant pieces into academic coursework, and scaffold resources based on student and family need. 

• Creating a System to Monitor Progress: Creating a system that prompts students to document deadlines early in the year and report completion of essays, resume building, FAFSA submission, and other components allows school and district leaders to track progress, identify gaps, and monitor trends across cohorts of students. A college and career readiness (CCR) platform can streamline and elevate this process for districts. With features that are interoperable with external sources and allow students to self-report or share evidence of completion, a CCR platform can help schools and districts monitor CCR progress closely while also automating many processes for completing these tasks. 

• Embedding Individual Components into Coursework: Nearly all students who hope to go to college or transition to the workforce after senior year will need to write a college essay, build a resume, and/or take part in some kind of interview. Districts can make it standard practice to have English teachers who teach juniors and seniors include guidance on how to write college essays, have students complete one as an assignment, and provide feedback as part of their coursework. CTE teachers can work with students on creating resumes, practicing interview questions, and talking through how they can describe and market the skills they have developed in high school. Math teachers might include information on understanding financial aid packages in their classes. Mapping these steps onto coursework ensures all students receive personalized support from subject matter experts.

• Streamlining Support by Utilizing District-Wide Resources: Establishing a district-wide system for supporting seniors and their families allows schools and districts to pool resources and amplify the reach of these efforts. The district might send out a series of reminders or prompts, host in-person or virtual information sessions based on key topics, offer opportunities for in-person support and feedback, or push out digital resources that can guide students and families through the basics of these processes. And, as more global support and information sharing happens at the district level, individual school counselors are freed up to target their support more directly with personal outreach to individual students and families.

Maximizing District Efforts and Impact

Counselors and CTE educators must manage an overwhelming number of processes, challenges, and systems each year well beyond the college and career application process. Creating a district system for tracking progress, identifying needs, and providing more generalized support for students and families can be pivotal in ensuring that seniors get the support they need through this critical time. Layering that assistance with embedded resources and assistance at the school level can make a season filled with stress and confusion into one that feels full of purpose and momentum. 

This approach over years has the power to transform the success of a district’s CCR program. Across a full cohort of seniors, these efforts can have a significant influence on the numbers of students who apply to college, receive financial aid, secure a job in a field of interest, and gain admission to a school or program of their choice. By creating a systemic approach, districts can ensure that there is a solid bridge between high school and a fulfilling life ahead for their students. 

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