Last November 2014, the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) sponsored Utah College Application Week events at high schools around the state. Higher education leaders, partnering with K-12, worked with thousands of Utah high school seniors as these students applied to college. The events were especially geared towards students who would be the first in their families to attend college, low-income students, or students who may not have otherwise considered applying.

The goal of Utah College Application Week was to provide every high school senior at partner schools the opportunity to complete at least one college application during the school day. USHE institutions across the state added to the success of these events in neighboring high schools with college-focused assemblies and pep rallies. (Read more about how the institutions participated: the U, SLCC, DSU; and WSU, UVU.)

Utah College Application Week 2014 – By the Numbers

 Background

The American College Application Campaign (ACAC) is a national initiative of the American Council on Education (ACE) to increase the number of first-generation and low-income students who pursue a postsecondary education. The purpose of this initiative is to help high school seniors navigate the college admissions process and ensure each participating student submits at least one college application during the school day during the designated week.

The ACAC initiative began in 2005, in a single North Carolina high school in Chatham County. In November 2013, Utah joined 39 states and the District of Columbia in participating in the American College Application Week Campaign. In 2014, all states were engaged in the campaign.