Fall Weeks 1-5
Week 1
Day #1
Discuss how to walk into a classroom and be ready to impress. Practice.
Take class photo.
Look at schedules. All should have English, Gov/Econ, AVID, and math (Ideally). Take down any questions we might need to ask Ms. DePaoli. She will come in next week and discuss transcripts.
Conversation about why it is important that everybody read the All School Book. Quiz on The Martian with peer or self grading afterwards.
Go over Retreat Documents and other Permission Forms
If no planner yet, create a planner on binder paper. Include Retreat information and due dates.
Discuss syllabus, contract and expectations for this year applying to college.
Explain why we expect at least three colleges including SF State.
College will be our curriculum.
Discuss why we need our chromebooks every day.
Day #2
Conversation and Brainstorm: Why do you want to work hard this year?
Will you work hard even if grades are not in 10-11 GPA?
One year from now you’ll be in a college class. How will you handle it?
Students write down a list of questions / concerns they have about applying to college. Write one burning question on a notecard and drop in the new College Question Bin, which will serve as a parking lot for college questions.
Distribute the AVID Senior College Timeline - Student Version, which is a brief snapshot of the AVID Senior College Timeline - Teacher Version.
In pairs, read through the document and record the answers to these questions on the Timeline Scavenger Hunt.
Day #3
Organize binders and create dividers for all classes
Begin Senior Teacher Letter
Week 2
Day #1
Finish organizing binders and writing Senior Teacher Letter
Day #2
Create Goals for the year. Before beginning, discuss appropriate benchmarks and habits. Have students create a goal for the teacher and then teacher fills in one row.
Day #3
Tammy discusses printed transcripts, calculating indexes and application process with Senior Presentation
Day #4
Elections for senior class officers for AVID Student Council
Look up SAT/ACT info to consider whether or not students will retake the tests before applying.
Post AJ Tutoring Documents online and tell students they may use the materials, but not to share with others
Homework Assignment for next week: Record Social Security Number in your planner.
Day #5
Get into AVID Teams, discuss goals and create one big goal for the group.
Week 3
Day #1
On home page of Naviance, students search for schools presenting in the Career Center this fall. Register for a few and record date in planner.
Explore college searching features on Naviance and add to list of Schools I'm Thinking About
The same process can be done on Collegeboard and collegedata.com, but students will need to add to the Naviance list.
Day #2
Watch a video about selecting a college list, such as this one, and take notes. Then edit notes, including personal reactions and specifics. For instance, safety school = SF State.
Introduce Resume assignment. Use these Instructions and this Template.
Day #3
Give students links to do research about WUE Schools and Rolling Admission
For helping students decide schools, consider AVID-approved schools.
Continue adding to list of schools and/or Resume assignment
Week 4
Day #1
Create college folder on google drive, sign up for a FAFSA ID, add passwords to a spreadsheet. Create a spreadsheet with college info and, as a class, create the appropriate columns (essay required, kind of application, deadline, etc.) Add their Resume project to folder.
Day #2
Complete Resume.
Complete list of 10 schools with at least 3 reach, 3 safety, and 3 target
Students applying to privates need to have spoken to teachers for letters of recommendation and determined what documents they need to prepare for the teacher. The resume will help them fill out the Naviance questionnaire
Day #3
Examining the Essay Prompts and Revising Personal Statements and Common App Info
Search through previously written essays and consider which prompts have some material already.
All students must eventually complete at least two UC essays, one Common App essay, or a scholarship prompt of at least 500 words.
Week 5
Day #1
Work on Essays
Day #2
Continue essays and college spreadsheet
Day #3
Minimum Day
Plan College Wall Theme - let a few students run the whole show