Apply Kansas

The first step in going to college is to apply!  For many students, applying to college can be a daunting task, but it can be particularly overwhelming for students who may be the first in their family to pursue postsecondary educational dreams or have yet to consider their plans after high school.  Apply Kansas, is our annual statewide campaign in which high schools conduct events to help seniors apply to college with their peers and with help, guidance, and a cheering squad from school staff, local community supporters, and postsecondary volunteers.  In partnership with the American College Application Campaign, Apply Kansas is a month-long, state-wide initiative to increase the number of students applying, enrolling, and succeeding in college or other postsecondary goals.

We encourage your high school to register.  We’ll help you with resources, tips, and tools to help you host a successful event!

Step 1: Register your school or community organization as a host site for a 2024 Apply Kansas event!
See below list of Apply Kansas participating high schools for 2024. 
Step 2: Attend a training or view the virtual training. See below.
Step 3: Plan your event
Step 4: Host your event and collect student data
Step 5: Submit your site data Click here to see if your site completion data is received. This will be updated every Friday at 8am.
Next, check out the All Star High School page. 

Additional Apply Kansas details are located below. 

Plan your Apply Kansas event

1. Reserve computer labs, library, or classrooms/facilities for your event.

2. Post Banners to remind students that event will occur.

3. Recruit Volunteers - Could be teachers or college admission staff.

4. Prepare Students for the Event.

#1: Encourage your seniors to identify 2-3 colleges or postsecondary programs they would like to apply to.  You could require students to complete some or all of these options.

• Attend a College Fair (either virtual or in-person)
• Use a college search tool: Xello, Big Future, Naviance, KS degreestats, Encourage, etc.
• Complete College Fit Worksheet
• Visit a college campus

#2: Once they’ve identified some colleges, have seniors complete the College Application Checklist, to prepare personal information they may need to complete their college application on the day of the event

5. Apply Kansas Event Day!

• Complete College Applications
• Request Transcripts
• Submit fee waivers (when applicable)
• Students complete a sign out survey (Examples: Online, Paper #1, Paper #2)
  
  

  • Reporting your Apply Kansas Event data is the only requirement of participating in this program. At a minimum you’ll need to submit the following information to us at the conclusion of your event:

    • Number of seniors who submitted an application
    • Total Number of college applications submitted
    • Number of KS Public Colleges receiving applications
      
      
• Social Media Blitz!  Post pictures with an Apply Kansas banner listing the colleges they applied when finished
  
  

6. Submit your Apply Kansas site data to Apply Kansas by December 1st.

• This submission qualifies you to receive All Star High School recognition. 

7. Follow up with FAFSA completion instructions/events & Financial Aid resources

• To see your high school's individual student FAFSA submission list, please fill out the attachment and send your request to Linda Oldham Burns  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

8. Incentivize seniors completing all 4 tasks.  Certificate?  Prizes?  Apply Kansas Swag?

2024 apply kansas Training Schedule 

In-person training locations will include opportunities to share ideas and a campus tour with updates from the institution.

New for this year: Innovative Gathering - this is an opportunity to hear what other Apply Kansas sites are doing! Schools will be separated by size during the virtual gathering to share best practices.  

WHY APPLY Day: Friday, September 20, 2024

Check out this video made by students in Shawnee Heights High School.  The students in the Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) program asked their teachers to fill out the selfie page on why students should apply to college and collected all their responses in this video .    

Create your own "Why Apply" selfie page (pdf) and post your picture on any social media outlet tagging: #applyks #whyapply

 Why Apply resources

additional Resources

2024 Apply Free Days
2024 Apply Free Days Application Instructions
Map of 2024 Apply Kansas schools
List of 2024 Participating Apply KS Schools
Site Coordinator Information & Resources
Promoting the Event 
Reporting Requirements
2024 Kansas Admission Guide (links to applications for admission, financial aid departments, and scholarship deadlines)
FAFSA & Financial Aid Resources
2023 Apply Kansas Annual Report

FAQ

When is the campaign?

The Apply Kansas campaign is held annually between September - November. Your high school can pick a day (or multiple days) during the fall months to conduct an event. Many schools plan around the Kansas Apply Free Days or around the month of October which is the states "College Application Month". 

How do I register my school? 

Click here to complete a short registration form.

Are community organizations allowed to hold an event?

Absolutely!  All events are welcome to support seniors with their post-secondary plans. Register here!

Should I register if my school is small or if we host a similar event?

YES!  Register your school for Apply Kansas even if you are currently conducting a program or your school is small.  Tracking state-wide participation helps evaluate the impact Kansas schools have on their students. Team up with a participating neighboring school or district. See below list of Apply Kansas participating high schools for 2024. 

What’s involved in conducting an event?

Your school’s site coordinator will select the date, reserve a computer lab, secure volunteers, and report campaign results.  Apply Kansas & KBOR provide free resources to help with the planning process (see links above on the right)  You know what your students will respond to better than anyone, so as long as you can get us your summary data, we’ll support you with resources and anything else you need to have a successful event

Is there training to help us get started?

YES!  We are scheduling in-person training & virtual training sessions. Dates and locations will be listed on this page. The virtual session will also have registration and be open for you to interact with other participants virtually. We will also record the virtual session for anyone who is unable to fit any of the trainings into their schedule.  All sessions will contain the same information, so you just need to pick one date. Training sessions will give you the opportunity to see all the resources available to you, meet other Apply Kansas coordinators, and understand the best way to gather your summary data at the end of your event.

Apply Kansas Training: Starting in 2022, we combined Apply Kansas Training with a counselor college event! Site Coordinators will spend the first half of the training learning about the Apply Kansas program, picking up their swag items, and interacting with other site coordinators. Then, following the training, site coordinators will review information about the host institutions and be able to attend a walking tour of the campus. Each year, we will select different institutions across the state to host our Apply Kanas training events. All training sessions are in person unless specifically noted below. 

Can virtual students and schools participate?

Absolutely! We want to support all students and schools. Team up with a public library or community organization to offer an in person event or hold a virtual event! 

Apply Kansas schools

Questions?

Contact Mistie Knox (785) 430-4279

Follow Apply Kansas on social media!