Conversation Starters

OVERVIEW

Here are some great ideas for faculty, staff, administrators, and youth workers to help create a college-going culture in your classroom, office, or workspace. Simple projects like making and displaying a "College Day Corner" or "College Day Word Wall" can have a big impact by initiating college conversations with your students. This page also includes talking points for guest speakers.

TRY THESE COLLEGE CONVERSATION STARTERS

• College Day Corner (PDF Format, 215 KB)
  Create and personalize a College Day Corner that includes facts about your experiences at the college(s) you attended. You can include diplomas, textbooks, pennants, posters, and more.
• College Day Word Wall (PDF Format, 328 KB)
  Create a word wall or word board where you post important college-going terms that students may not know. This sheet provides some suggested words and their definitions.
• The ABCs of Going to College (PDF Format, 5.9 MB)
  Perfect for elementary schools, these 26 pages associate each letter of the alphabet with a college-going word, picture, and description. For example, A is for college Application, and B is for Bachelor's degree. The alphabet pages can be posted on classroom walls and in hallways, or bound together as a book for students.
• Talking Points for Guest Speakers (DOCX Format, 239 KB)
  Guest speakers can refer to this page for suggestions about what to discuss with students on College Day. For example, speakers will want to tell students why they went to college, and their best advice about how to succeed in college.