Over 400 West Virginia schools to participate in statewide “College Application and Exploration Week”

CHARLESTON, WV – “College Application and Exploration Week” will be celebrated statewide on Nov. 1 – 5. Students, from pre-school to adult learners, will participate in hands-on and virtual college planning activities, such as college application workshops, panel discussions with current college students, college scavenger hunts, and trivia contests. Through all of the activities, they will learn about the many college options available to them, including certificate programs, career and technical programs, two-year degree programs, four-year degree programs, and military experience.

Events will occur throughout the week at more than 400 elementary, middle and high schools, along with adult education centers and community and home school groups, across the state.

This campaign is designed to help more West Virginians pursue a postsecondary credential, which is critical as they work toward their future careers and as the state works to fill employers’ current and future workforce needs. Fewer than one-third of West Virginians hold an associate degree or higher, yet over the next few years, 60 percent of working-aged West Virginians will need a certificate or degree to maintain the state’s current workforce and attract new employers.

“College Application and Exploration Week is an opportunity for students of all ages to explore options in furthering their education,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education. “It is never too early or too late to begin to have conversations about the importance of postsecondary education. This initiative provides West Virginians with resources and tools to help them achieve their college and career goals, and I’m so proud that we’re able to offer it each year.” 

The initiative is one of College for West Virginia’s three college-planning milestones. The first milestone, which is the statewide FAFSA Completion Campaign, began Oct. 1 with the launch of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The last milestone, which is College Decision Day, will celebrate seniors’ decisions to seek education or training beyond high school. Those events will occur between April and June. Schools that participate in all three milestones and meet other requirements will be recognized next fall as a “Champion of College Access and Success.”

College for West Virginia (CFWV) coordinates College Application and Exploration Week each year. CFWV is a free college- and career-planning program managed by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, in conjunction with the West Virginia Community and Technical College System and the West Virginia Department of Education.

To learn more about College Application and Exploration Week, visit cfwvconnect.com/college-application-and-exploration-week.

Follow the campaign on social media:

Twitter: @CFWV 

Facebook: College for West Virginia

Instagram: @collegeforwv

Hashtags: #CollegeBoundWV #WhyIChose #IApplied