Overview

These activities are designed to help you:

• Understand how to complete regional-based college applications.
• Think about how mentors can be leveraged in the different aspects of a mentee’s application.

Consider connecting with another Program Manager to do the activities together, compare notes and share ideas.

Learning Activities

1. Review your region's and/or school's college enrollment information on Tableau. What trends to you notice? Based on where mentee's enroll, which applications should you prepare mentors to learn more about? 

a. Enrollment, Pathway + Systems

b. Enrollment by institution

2. Review your region's college application information. 

 Baltimore | Chicago | New York

3. Research 3 different types of college applications that are common to your region. Visit their websites to learn more about the college application process.  Download and complete the Supporting with College Applications Note catcher (Baltimore and Chicago | NYC )

4. Review the personal statement guide. Who is in charge of the college essay at your school? How can you work with them to incorporate mentors in the brainstorming and feedback process for mentees?

5. Read article, "PROOF POINTS: Colleges that ditched test scores for admissions find it’s harder to be fair in choosing students, researcher says" and review the list of test optional colleges for 2023-24. If students choose to apply to schools that are SAT-optional, how would you recommend mentors work with them to strengthen other parts of their application?

Optional Activities (Go Deeper)

If you have mentees interested in applying to HBCUs, learn more about the Common Black Colleges Application

Watch video on a Common Application walk-through