Delaware’s third annual College Application Month starts in October, and the state is looking for volunteers to help.
All First State district and charter high schools will hold events in October and November designed to allow students to finish college apps during school hours. Last year 20 public high schools across the state participated with about 2,750 students applying to college.
Karen Keegan, a field agent with the state’s Higher Education Office, says volunteers help students with online applications and other aspects of the application process.
"Volunteers don’t need to be experts on the college application process, its more to just help support students and answer their questions and help get them through the college application process," said Keegan.
Keegan adds helping students apply to college is a fulfilling experience.
"It’s great to help a kid who knows they want to get to college and help them whittle down choices and majors and career paths and all of that, but to be able to impact students who may not have considered this, may not have thought they could do it and to help them through the process and then have them be accepted and intend to go is truly a magical thing and is something that’s really good for our state," said Keegan.
The effort is part of the Markell administration’s push to increase college application rates. Last school year, a program to identify and encourage college ready, low-income students to apply to colleges achieved its goal of having all students identified send an application to at least one school.
Those interested in volunteering can find more information and sign up at the Delaware Goes To College website.
