This document summarizes three tactics that high school counselors can use to increase college application completion rates by December 31st: 1) Ensure seniors access potential financial aid by hosting FAFSA completion parties; 2) Schedule college application workshop days over holiday breaks to help seniors apply; 3) Sponsor alumni days for former students to share their college stories to motivate current students. It also provides a bonus tactic of encouraging seniors to discuss uncommon topics, draw conclusions, and avoid typical narratives in their essays. The document promotes a free mobile test prep app and provides contact information for more resources.

1. Dr. Rebecca Joseph
College Access Expert
PAMELA DONNELLY
Founder of GATE
College System
Sponsored by www.GATECollegeSystem.com
Stop the Panic:
Are Your Counselors Using
These 3 Proven Tactics
To Increase College App
Completion by Dec. 31st?
STICK AROUND! Q & A + YOUR GIFT TO FOLLOW THIS PRESENTATION
Welcome to the Webinar
Special Guest
Host

2. GREETINGS

3. How Can We Stop the Panic?

4. Tactic#1: Be Certain Seniors Access Potential Financial Aid
61%
31%
Prior-prior year:
what you need to know
Percentage of low-
income students who
actually access the
Pell Grant
Percentage of
high school seniors
who complete FAFSA

5. financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/
digital-outreach
Pro Tip for Tactic #1: Throw a FAFSA Mobile App Party
• Have principals invite your seniors during lunchtime to a ”FAFSA App Party”
to complete their FAFSA with counselors using the convenient new mobile app.
Serve sandwiches!
• Uses the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) to electronically transfer
federal tax return information into a FAFSA form
• Students in participating states eligible to transfer their FAFSA information
into their state aid application.
Participating states include:
 Iowa
 Minnesota
 Mississippi
 New Jersey
 New York
 Pennsylvania
 Vermont

6. Tactic #2: Schedule College Application Workshop Day!
1. Open the school 1-2 days over holiday break for seniors to come in and apply LIVE.
2. Give counselors comp time.
3. Great dates: Dec. 21-23 or Dec. 27-30.
4. Principals attend – take photo with holiday sweater to share with or PTA and
press release to demonstrate district’s commitment.
5. Serve refreshments!
6. Invite counselors and teachers to come in and write recommendation letters,
consider a policy where they have an incentive to say yes even over holiday break
Goal: get your seniors to apply to a more diverse list
• state schools (many dates already passed)
•  private schools
•  non-local schools See also www.FairTest.org

7. Tactic #3: Sponsor Alumni Dates On-Site
 Former students come back to inspire the 9th-12th graders with their
college admissions/attendance stories
 Senior teachers send invites to former students – the alumni sign up when they can come
 Popular at many schools as a lunch event during the school day
Peer-to-peer
motivation is trending.
Students love it!

8. Bonus Tactic: Encourage the Uncommon

9. Bonus Tactic: Encourage the Uncommon
Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or
others.
Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt,
or one of your own design.
Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their
application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced
a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you?
What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical
dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the
scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
23%
23%
21%
21%
5%
4%
3%

10. Bonus Tactic: Encourage the Uncommon
Have administrators and teachers ask seniors: “Are you uncommon?”
It’s critical they know to avoid typical narratives. Effective essays:
Focus upon topics
Draw conclusions
Use language
Make connections

11. We’d love to help you plan out your events
Email us at support@gatecollegesystem.com

12. A Gift for Your Students: Free Test Prep Mobile App
Test Prep doesn’t
have to be costly.
This app is FREE.
Get your juniors ready
to be next year’s
most successful senior class yet.
It all begins with
GATE to the SAT/ACT*
*GATE is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by The College Board or ACT Inc.

13. PAMELA DONNELLY
Founder of GATE
College System
Sponsored by www.GATECollegeSystem.com
Thanks for joining the webinar
Special Guest
Host
For more information, contact:
Pamela@GATECollegeSystem.com
Dr. Rebecca Joseph
Collage Access Expert