October is "College Month" in the Boston Public Schools

BOSTON – October is “College Month” in the Boston Public Schools (BPS), officials announced today, featuring activities and resources to help city students pursue higher education. In partnership with area colleges and universities, as well as community organizations, the district offers college access programs and services throughout the year, but the month of October is a particularly active and important time for students of all ages to learn more about continuing their education after high school.

“The City of Boston and the Boston Public Schools want to do everything possible to make sure that the dream of attending college becomes a reality for all students who wish to pursue it,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “We hope students of all ages take advantage of the College Month activities and resources to learn more about planning, preparing and paying for college.”

According to a Northeastern study, employees with a bachelor’s degree earn an average of nearly $1.4 million more during the course of their careers than their peers with only a high school diploma.

“Earning a post-secondary degree is increasingly important in today’s competitive global economy,” said Boston School Committee Chair Elizabeth Reilinger. “BPS understands that applying to college and seeking financial aid can be a daunting process for students and their families, and we want to provide as much information and support as possible to help them through this process.”

“From the kindergartener wearing a college T-shirt to school, to the sophomore taking the PSAT, to the senior applying for financial aid, we want all of our students to be thinking of college as their next step,” said Superintendent Carol R. Johnson. “In reality every month is ‘College Month’ in the Boston Public Schools, and we want all of our students throughout the year to know that college is an option for them and that there are resources and supports available to help them get there.”

In February, Boston Public Schools launched “Next Stop, College,” a campaign to generate public awareness and support for the renewal of the city’s public high schools. The campaign features recent graduates and current high school students describing how their high schools have helped prepare them to achieve their college and career goals. A companion page on the district’s website (www.bostonpublicschools.org/college) features resources to help students apply for and be successful in college, including information about: graduating from high school; choosing colleges and universities; applying to schools; securing scholarships and financial aid; links to the award-winning Boston Public Schools Career and College Guide; and much more.

Other activities and events during the month of October include:

• On October 15, all 10th and 11th grade BPS students will take the PSAT at no cost. The district has offered free participation in the PSAT for all BPS sophomores and juniors since 2004. The PSAT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills and writing skills. The test provides students and educators with important data about academic strengths and areas that need improvement in skills necessary for college study. This test also helps to prepare students for the types of questions that appear on the SAT, which is an important factor in the college application process. Students who take the PSAT also may enroll to receive free access to MyRoad.com, an on-line college and career planning tool provided by the College Board. The PSAT also serves as the qualifying test for top performing 11th grade students to receive financial assistance through the National Merit Scholarship program.

• Several upcoming college and career fairs provide students and their families with opportunities to learn more about particular colleges, as well as the application process, financial aid, and other important considerations for higher education. (See schedule below.) Many individual Boston high schools also will host college fairs on site this month.

• Boston schools at all levels – kindergarten through high school – will coordinate school and classroom college awareness activities to help students and families focus on and prepare for higher education. The district has declared Friday, October 24 as “Represent Your Alma Mater” Day, when all teachers, principals, central office staff and other employees are encouraged to wear apparel representing the college from which they graduated and to conduct classroom lessons and activities about going to college. The day is designed to foster conversations among students and adults about the college experience and to reinforce the message that a college degree is an important component of career success.

• From October 6 – 27, TERI College Access will join area colleges/universities and community partners in “Get Ready for College” Day – with early-college awareness discussions in every BPS 8th grade classroom for one class period. Students receive encouragement to pursue higher education and information about preparing for college and career even before high school. (See list of suggested school and classroom activities below.)

Numerous private and public scholarships, as well as student loans and other forms of financial aid, are available to students to help cover the costs of tuition and expenses. In 1994, Mayor Menino created the City of Boston Scholarship Fund to provide tuition assistance to successful graduates with financial need. Since then, the fund has awarded more than $800,000 in scholarships to help hundreds of Boston students pursue post-secondary education. For application forms and deadlines, visit http://www.cityofboston.gov/mayor/scholarship/.

The City of Boston also developed an on-line College Guide to help families navigate the college application process. The site includes a directory of scholarship opportunities for students: www.bostonscholarshipguide.com. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has developed a similar site, MassCIS (Career Information System), that enables students at various levels to match their fields of interest with educational requirements, colleges and universities offering relevant degrees, and financial aid information: http://masscis.intocareers.org/.

Schedule of College Month events and suggested classroom activities