The New York Times
Getting Personal: Writing College Essays for the Common Application
Develop an understanding of the open-ended questions that are a part of the college Common Application. Future college learners collaborate, discuss prompts acquired from the application, and philosophize on their plan of attack for the...
College Board
2012 AP® Psychology Free-Response Questions
Deciding where to go to college is a tough choice, but psychology helps shed some light on how people make up their minds. Learners consider factors such as ethnocentrism and crystallized intelligence using an exam from College Board. A...
California Department of Education
Telling My Story
Crafting a personal statement for college admissions, job applications, or other post-high school programs does not have to be a nightmare. The "Telling My Story" packet describes the key components of successful essays and includes...
Curated OER
Financial Aid Choice Game
Many 12th graders will say they want to go to college, but they don't know how they'll pay for it. Prepare them for a life of learning by giving them the tools they need to get through school. After a financial aid debriefing session,...
California Department of Education
Possible Careers
Is a STEM career the right choice for me? Lesson four in a six-part career and college readiness series introduces seventh graders to the world of STEM occupations. Individuals use their Holland code results to select, research, and...
Curated OER
Confronting College
Students investigate what they need to meet their future academic goals, then investigate the college admissions process by preparing materials for a mock college fair.
Curated OER
Preparing for Job Entry through Enhancement of Employment Skills
Students explore the world of work and the opportunities that exist in today's world. They identify specific careers and colleges that match their interests and abilities and investigate various corporations and businesses that employ...
California Department of Education
Transitioning to High School
How do scholars prepare to take their next big step? The second in a series of six career and college readiness activities focuses on making a smooth transition from middle to high school. Groups research the resources available at their...
California Department of Education
Safe at Work
From minimum wage to minimizing injuries, young workers need to know their rights! The sixth and final instructional activity in a series of college and career readiness activities gets eighth graders thinking about safety and labor laws.
National Research Center for Career and Technical Education
Salads
Lettuce talk for a moment about your culinary scholars; do they have what it takes to create a great salad? Show them the finer points of salad preparation with a career and technology lesson that combines direct instruction, creativity,...
Curated OER
Preparing a 1040EZ Income Tax Form
What do you do at the end of the year when your W2 arrives? File a tax form! Show learners how they to can fill out a basic 1040EZ tax form and play their part as tax paying citizens. Monetary denominations are provided for filling out...
Curated OER
Which College is For Me?
Students use the Internet to research colleges. They explore basic college terms, room and board, tuition costs, and areas of study. Using computer software, students create a brochure about their chosen college. They create a visual...
Curated OER
Student Education Pledge
We all have strengths and weaknesses, knowing what those are can help us move forward in life. Learners discuss the importance of going to college, then fill out an inventory of their personal strengths and weaknesses. They complete a...
Curated OER
Progressing Towards Graduation
Eleventh graders write a paragraph about what they are going to do after graduating from high school. As a class, they share how they are going to meet their goals and discuss other options other than going to college. To end the lesson,...
Curated OER
Why the Common Core?
The Common Core: filling in the gaps and preparing for life beyond college
California Department of Education
Due Dates, Deadlines, and Decisions
Get high schoolers thinking about their post-secondary plans with a lesson plan that teaches them how to navigate the application and financial aid process. They create a junior/senior calendar identifying time-sensitive tasks,...
Overcoming Obstacles
Completing Applications
Following directions is an important skill for any grade level. High schoolers work follow directions to an activity that focuses on filling out college and job applications.
College Board
2010 AP® Macroeconomics Free-Response Questions
Defense spending often has massive impacts on the economy. Learners consider its effect in a hypothetical case and structured questions from College Board. A second query asks them to consider the effects of international trade on...
Curated OER
Create College-Ready Readers with Text-Dependent Questions
Build content literacy and cater to the Common Core State Standards by creating text-dependent questions to accompany reading passages.
Curated OER
Module: Self Awareness
Get your scholars ready for the workplace! This is a comprehensive plan that will really prompt a big picture approach to career planning. Learners consider whether or not school is a real job, and how well it prepares them for the...
Curated OER
Floriculture Wedding
This is kind of cool. Future floral designers prepare for a final exam by completing a wedding plan portfolio. They are given information about the wedding party and then must draw, list, and design all the flowers needed to make the...
Curated OER
Preparing for a Job Interview
Students study the appropriate protocol and strategies for participating in a successful job interview. The participate in a mock interview.
Curated OER
College Costs are on the Rise
Students examine college costs in different states. In this college cost lesson, students create a table and determine the average cost of college for the states listed. They organize the data into measurement categories. Students create...
Curated OER
My Credit Card Plan
Remember all those credit card tables lined up on your college campus? So alluring and dangerous, if you don't know what you're doing. Prepare your pre-college attendees for life by offering a lesson on credit management. They discuss...