October is College Application Month, putting the spotlight on the applications process and kicking off College Countdown MS events. Throughout the month, events will be held across the state to help high school students apply for college.
College Countdown MS is part of a national effort, the American College Application Campaign, that shares the goal of easing the admissions and enrollment process for students, particularly first-generation and low-income students, and ensuring that they apply to at least one postsecondary institution.
Some of the October activities planned for students include Application Day, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Days, and College Signing Day, which is designed to replicate the excitement of athletic signing days. Many of the activities will occur during the school day and focus on students who might not otherwise apply to college.
The work in Mississippi will be supported in part by a grant acquired by the Get2College Program of Education Services Foundation from the National College Access Network (NCAN) and announced at today’s training. Get2College competed with 118 cities nationwide on behalf of the city of Jackson, winning a $55,000 grant to increase the FAFSA completion rate in Jackson Public Schools. Get2College will partner with JPS in a city-wide, cross-sector campaign to get seniors to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the first step in acquiring financial aid for college. The FAFSA Challenge Grant is funded by The Kresge Foundation.
More information on College Countdown MS is available online: https://get2college.org/collegecountdownms/.
Education Services Foundation (ESF), launched in 1995 as a non-profit, exists to help Mississippians achieve a better life through education by providing services and philanthropic grants while building permanent charitable capital. The Foundation’s Get2College program provides more than 40,000 students and parents with free college planning services annually in the Get2College Centers in Jackson, Ocean Springs and Southaven and in high schools throughout the state. ESF is based in Jackson, Mississippi, and works throughout the state of Mississippi. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where the high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. For more information, visit https://get2college.org/.